Anticipatory activity in the human thalamus is predictive of reaction times

Introduction: Responding to environmental stimuli in a fast manner is a fundamental behavioral capacity. The pace at which one responds is known to be predetermined by cortical areas, but it remains to be shown if subcortical structures also take part in defining motor swiftness. As the thalamus has previously been implicated in different aspects of behavioral control, we tested if neuronal activity at this level could also predict the reaction time of upcoming movements. Methods: Seven patients with essential tremor participated in the study. They underwent therapeutic Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the thalam…