{
  "abstract": "How the brain plans and maintains sequences of future actions remains a central question in systems neuroscience. Studies in the frontal cortex revealed that multiple elements of a sequence are represented simultaneously in separable neural subspaces, challenging classical sequential planning models. Here, we show that these representations emerge naturally under inferential planning, in which sequential actions are inferred from sensory evidence and goals. Using a hierarchical generative model, we reproduce key neural phenomena observed in the primate frontal cortex, including the simultaneous activation of multiple plan elements, the emergence of (almost) orthogonal \"memory\" subspaces, and their reuse across forward and backward tasks. Our approach provides a mechanistic account of how probabilistic inference over control states produces distributed neural representations of plans. This framework unifies planning, working memory, and motor preparation, and generates predictions about the dynamics of active inference, the role of subspaces, and the impact of uncertainty on sequence processing.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy",
    "National Research Council",
    "Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK",
    "University of Oxford",
    "Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK",
    "Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK",
    "Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giovanni.pezzulo@istc.cnr.it",
    "National Research Council of Italy"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Francesco Donnarumma",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4248-5360"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Thomas Parr",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5108-5743"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Karl John Friston",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7984-8909"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5,
        3
      ],
      "name": "James C. R. Whittington",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5680-5586"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Giovanni Pezzulo",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6813-8282"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ebedskptrcj2.bib",
  "cited_by": 7,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117905",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1ebedskptrcj2",
  "issns": [
    "2211-1247",
    "2639-1856"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117905",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2805|Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W4416767734",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13597664",
  "pmid": "42667616",
  "published": "2026-08-28",
  "publisher": "Cell Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ebedskptrcj2.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T13:21:11Z",
      "native_id": "W4416767734",
      "source": "openalex",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117905"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2805|Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Inferential planning in the frontal cortex",
  "title_text": "Inferential planning in the frontal cortex",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T13:20:36Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ebedskptrcj2",
  "venue": "Cell Reports",
  "versions": []
}