Timing patterns in the extended basal ganglia system

The human brain is a constructive organ. It generates predictions to modulate its functioning, continuously adapting to a dynamic environment. The temporal dimension of motor and non-motor behaviour is increasingly recognized as a key component of this predictive bias. Nevertheless, the intricate interplay of neural mechanisms that encode, decode, and evaluate temporal information to give rise to a sense of time and control over sensorimotor timing remains largely elusive. Among several brain systems, the basal ganglia have been most consistently linked to interval- and beat-based timing operations. Considering the tight embedding of the basal ganglia into multiple complex neurofunctional networks, it is clear that they have to interact with other proximate and distal brain systems. While the primary target of basal ganglia output is the thalamus, many regions connect to the striatum of the basal ganglia, their main input relay. This establishes widespread connectivity, forming the basis for first- and second-order interactions with other systems implicated in timing such as the cerebellum and supplementary motor areas. However, next to this structural interconnectivity, additional functions need to be considered to better understand their contribution to temporally predictive adaptation. To this end, we develop a common interpretation of basal ganglia function: interval-based patterning in motor and non-motor behaviour.