Neuronal correlates of decisions to speak and act: Spontaneous emergence and dynamic topographies in a computational model of frontal and temporal areas

► We simulate emergence of decisions to speak and act in a model of the human brain. ► Action intentions spontaneously emerge due to the reverberation of neuronal noise. ► Spontaneous ignition preferentially occurs in higher-association, multimodal areas. ► Connectivity and learning explain cortical dynamics underlying action decisions. ► Connectivity and learning explain natural emergence of cortical specialisation.