Criticality at Work: Scaling in the Mouse Cortex Enhances Performance

The critical brain hypothesis posits that neural systems operate near a phase transition, optimizing the processing of information. While scale invariance and non-Gaussian dynamics—hallmarks of criticality—have been observed in brain activity, a direct link between criticality and behavioral performance remains unexplored. Here, we use a phenomenological renormalization group approach to examine neuronal activity in the primary visual cortex of mice performing a visual recognition task. We show that nontrivial scaling in neuronal activity is associated with enhanced task performance, with pronounced scaling observed during successful task completion. When rewards were removed or non-natural stimuli presented, scaling signatures diminished. These results suggest that critical dynamics in the brain is crucial for optimizing behavioral outcomes, offering new insights into the functional role of criticality in cortical processing.