SPOUT: An open-source hardware and software platform to study decision making while manipulating and recording from neural activity

SPOUT is an open-source, Teensy-driven state-machine platform that enables sub-millisecond single-lick detection and synchronized neural perturbations across 10 decision-making tasks in head-restrained mice.

• Why it matters: Decision-making studies need behavioral control and neural recording/perturbation to share a precise clock, so neural signals can be reliably linked to actions and outcomes.
• What they did: The system integrates custom lick detection, headplates for optogenetics and two-photon calcium imaging, a motorized spout, and an optogenetics power modulator, with MATLAB control. It was validated against an external acquisition system for clock speed and lick detection, and uses pseudo-random synchronization pulses to correct missing data from glitches and clock drift.
• The result: In mice trained on an uninstructed lick-left/lick-right task with unexpected reward-side switches, behavior reflects history-dependent action-outcome associations. ALM inhibition during cue presentation impaired contralateral trials, and two-photon imaging showed stronger ALM population responses during contralateral choice licks than ipsilateral ones.

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