Adaptive movements are critical for animal survival. To guide future actions, the brain monitors various outcomes, including achievement of movement and appetitive goals. The nature of these outcome signals and their neuronal and network realization in the motor cortex (M1), which directs skilled movements, is largely unknown. Using a dexterity task, calcium imaging, optogenetic perturbations, and behavioral manipulations, we studied outcome signals in the murine forelimb M1. We found two populations of layer 2–3 neurons, termed success- and failure-related neurons, that develop with training, and report end results of trials. In these neurons, prolonged responses were recorded after success or failure trials independent of reward and kinematics. In addition, the initial state of layer 5 pyramidal tract neurons contained a memory trace of the previous trial’s outcome. Intertrial cortical activity was needed to learn new task requirements. These M1 layer-specific performance outcome signals may support reinforcement motor learning of skilled behavior.

适应性运动对于动物的生存至关重要。为了指导未来的动作，大脑会监视各种结果，包括运动的完成和目标的成功。这些结果信号的性质及其在运动皮层（M1）中的神经元和网络实现（指导熟练的运动）基本上是未知的。使用灵巧的任务，钙成像，光遗传学扰动和行为操纵，我们研究了小鼠前肢M1中的结果信号。我们发现了两个第2至3层神经元群体，称为成功和失败相关的神经元，它们随着训练而发展，并报告试验的最终结果。在这些神经元中，成功或失败的试验后记录了延长的反应，而与奖励和运动学无关。此外，第5层锥体束神经元的初始状态包含先前试验结果的记忆痕迹。需要进行皮质间活动来学习新的任务要求。这些M1层特定的性能结果信号可以支持增强运动技能技能的学习。