For decades, neuroscientists have been trying to pinpoint the neural underpinnings of behavior and decision-making. Past studies suggest that specialized groups of neurons in the mammalian brain, particularly in the cortex, work together to support decision-making and behavioral choices.

Some cortical neurons project to specific regions in the brain. This essentially means that they send axons, projections that transmit electrical impulses from one cell to another, to other areas.

Some neuroscientists have hypothesized that neurons projecting to the same area form specialized “population codes,” coordinated activity patterns that collectively represent specific information.