Unilateral Optogenetic Inhibition and Excitation of Basal Ganglia Output Affect Directional Lick Choices and Movement Initiation in Mice.

•First evidence that basal ganglia (BG) output to motor thalamus (MT) impacts decision making in a left/right licking task.•First evidence that optogenetic inhibition of basal ganglia output suppress anticipatory movement initiation.•Results suggest that basal ganglia output gates activity in a thalamo-cortical feedback loop.•Supports models that tonic inhibition of MT from the BG directs action selection and suppresses unwanted movements.