Behavior needs neural variability

Human and non-human animal behavior is highly malleable and adapts successfully to internal and external demands. Such behavioral success stands in striking contrast to the apparent instability in neural activity (i.e., variability) from which it arises. Here, we summon the considerable evidence across scales, species, and imaging modalities that neural variability represents a key, undervalued dimension for understanding brain-behavior relationships at inter- and intra-individual levels. We believe that only by incorporating a specific focus on variability will the neural foundation of behavior be comprehensively understood. Successful behavior arises from brain activity exhibiting remarkable variability. Summoning evidence across species, scales, and techniques, Waschke et al. argue that neural variability represents a key, undervalued dimension essential for understanding inter- and intra-individual associations between brain and behavior.