I think that definition makes sense, but how to include attention to select plans like you described earlier?
I don’t think this can be too separate from sensory attention. For example, basal ganglia might be able to drive motor thalamus by inhibition causing subsequent bursts. If that’s true, it’d suggest bursts are a bit different than surprise (although that could be a unique case). Also, thalamic nuclei can combine sensory and motor info. Motor signals seem like they aren’t surprising, but since L5 projects to thalamus (including L5 motor output?), they could trigger bursts.
Edit: Removed edit. I need to read some papers first.
Alternatively: the basal ganglia could drive the motor thalamus by dis-inhibiting the relay cells (by inhibiting the inhibitory inter-neurons in the thalamus). While this would not cause “burst-firing”, it could cause “tonic-firing” at an excessive frequency which approaches that of burst firing. In some conceivable conditions this could interpreted as “burst-firing” by downstream areas of the brain.
Does basal ganglia target inhibitory interneurons in thalamus?
This describes thalamocortical cell rebound bursting and firing during pauses in inhibition. Based on the abstract alone, I’m not totally sure what’s about parkinson’s and what’s about normal function. Basal ganglia output to the thalamus: still a paradox
Perhaps motor thalamus is like normal thalamus with all its inputs active, if the cells have low firing thresholds.
