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Fiorilli J, Marchesi P, Ruikes T, Huis in ‘t Veld G, Buckton R, Quintero MD, Reiten I, Bjaalie JG, Pennartz CMA. Neural correlates of object identity and reward outcome in the sensory cortical-hippocampal hierarchy: coding of motivational information in perirhinal cortex. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae002. [PMID: 38314581 PMCID: PMC10847907 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits support behavioral adaptations by integrating sensory and motor information with reward and error-driven learning signals, but it remains poorly understood how these signals are distributed across different levels of the corticohippocampal hierarchy. We trained rats on a multisensory object-recognition task and compared visual and tactile responses of simultaneously recorded neuronal ensembles in somatosensory cortex, secondary visual cortex, perirhinal cortex, and hippocampus. The sensory regions primarily represented unisensory information, whereas hippocampus was modulated by both vision and touch. Surprisingly, the sensory cortices and the hippocampus coded object-specific information, whereas the perirhinal cortex did not. Instead, perirhinal cortical neurons signaled trial outcome upon reward-based feedback. A majority of outcome-related perirhinal cells responded to a negative outcome (reward omission), whereas a minority of other cells coded positive outcome (reward delivery). Our results highlight a distributed neural coding of multisensory variables in the cortico-hippocampal hierarchy. Notably, the perirhinal cortex emerges as a crucial region for conveying motivational outcomes, whereas distinct functions related to object identity are observed in the sensory cortices and hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Fiorilli
- Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pietro Marchesi
- Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs Ruikes
- Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gerjan Huis in ‘t Veld
- Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rhys Buckton
- Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mariana D Quintero
- Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid Reiten
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan G Bjaalie
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Cyriel M A Pennartz
- Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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2
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Latagliata EC, Orsini C, Cabib S, Biagioni F, Fornai F, Puglisi-Allegra S. Prefrontal Dopamine in Flexible Adaptation to Environmental Changes: A Game for Two Players. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3189. [PMID: 38137410 PMCID: PMC10740496 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Deficits in cognitive flexibility have been characterized in affective, anxiety, and neurodegenerative disorders. This paper reviews data, mainly from studies on animal models, that support the existence of a cortical-striatal brain circuit modulated by dopamine (DA), playing a major role in cognitive/behavioral flexibility. Moreover, we reviewed clinical findings supporting misfunctioning of this circuit in Parkinson's disease that could be responsible for some important non-motoric symptoms. The reviewed findings point to a role of catecholaminergic transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex (mpFC) in modulating DA's availability in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), as well as a role of NAc DA in modulating the motivational value of natural and conditioned stimuli. The review section is accompanied by a preliminary experiment aimed at testing weather the extinction of a simple Pavlovian association fosters increased DA transmission in the mpFC and inhibition of DA transmission in the NAc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina Orsini
- I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy; (C.O.); (S.C.)
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Cabib
- I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy; (C.O.); (S.C.)
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Biagioni
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (F.B.); (F.F.)
| | - Francesco Fornai
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (F.B.); (F.F.)
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies on Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Hasan SM, Huq MS, Chowdury AZ, Baajour S, Kopchick J, Robison AJ, Thakkar KN, Haddad L, Amirsadri A, Thomas P, Khatib D, Rajan U, Stanley JA, Diwadkar VA. Learning without contingencies: A loss of synergy between memory and reward circuits in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2023; 258:21-35. [PMID: 37467677 PMCID: PMC10521382 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Motivational deficits in schizophrenia may interact with foundational cognitive processes including learning and memory to induce impaired cognitive proficiency. If such a loss of synergy exists, it is likely to be underpinned by a loss of synchrony between the brains learning and reward sub-networks. Moreover, this loss should be observed even during tasks devoid of explicit reward contingencies given that such tasks are better models of real world performance than those with artificial contingencies. Here we applied undirected functional connectivity (uFC) analyses to fMRI data acquired while participants engaged in an associative learning task without contingencies or feedback. uFC was estimated and inter-group differences (between schizophrenia patients and controls, n = 54 total, n = 28 patients) were assessed within and between reward (VTA and NAcc) and learning/memory (Basal Ganglia, DPFC, Hippocampus, Parahippocampus, Occipital Lobe) sub-networks. The task paradigm itself alternated between Encoding, Consolidation, and Retrieval conditions, and uFC differences were quantified for each of the conditions. Significantly reduced uFC dominated the connectivity profiles of patients across all conditions. More pertinent to our motivations, these reductions were observed within and across classes of sub-networks (reward-related and learning/memory related). We suggest that disrupted functional connectivity between reward and learning sub-networks may drive many of the performance deficits that characterize schizophrenia. Thus, cognitive deficits in schizophrenia may in fact be underpinned by a loss of synergy between reward-sensitivity and cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sazid M Hasan
- Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, USA
| | - Munajj S Huq
- Michigan State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA
| | - Asadur Z Chowdury
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Shahira Baajour
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - John Kopchick
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - A J Robison
- Dept. of Physiology, Michigan State University, USA
| | | | - Luay Haddad
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Alireza Amirsadri
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Patricia Thomas
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Dalal Khatib
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Usha Rajan
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Stanley
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Vaibhav A Diwadkar
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA.
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Ignjatović Đ, Tovilović-Kovačević G, Mićić B, Tomić M, Djordjevic A, Macut D, Vojnović Milutinović D. Effects of early life overnutrition and hyperandrogenism on spatial learning and memory in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome. Horm Behav 2023; 153:105392. [PMID: 37295324 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder characterized by endocrine and metabolic abnormalities such as obesity and insulin resistance. PCOS is also associated with psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairment. The animal model of PCOS was induced by treating rats with 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT) and additionally modified to induce adiposity by litter size reduction (LSR). Spatial learning and memory were assessed using the Barnes Maze test, and striatal markers of synaptic plasticity were analyzed. Striatal insulin signaling was estimated by the levels of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), its inhibitory phosphorylation at Ser307, and glycogen synthase kinase-3α/β (GSK3α/β) activity. Both LSR and DHT treatment significantly decreased striatal protein levels of IRS1, followed by increased GSK3α/β activity in small litters. Results of the behavioral study showed that LSR had a negative effect on learning rate and memory retention, whereas DHT treatment did not induce impairment in memory formation. While protein levels of synaptophysin, GAP43, and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) were not altered by the treatments, DHT treatment induced an increase in phosphorylation of PSD-95 at Ser295 in both normal and small litters. This study revealed that LSR and DHT treatment suppressed insulin signaling by downregulating IRS1 in the striatum. However, DHT treatment did not have an adverse effect on learning and memory, probably due to compensatory elevation in pPSD-95-Ser295, which had a positive effect on synaptic strength. This implies that hyperandrogenemia in this setting does not represent a threat to spatial learning and memory, opposite to the effect of overnutrition-related adiposity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Đurđica Ignjatović
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Despot Stefan Blvd., 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Gordana Tovilović-Kovačević
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Despot Stefan Blvd., 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Bojana Mićić
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Despot Stefan Blvd., 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Mirko Tomić
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Despot Stefan Blvd., 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Ana Djordjevic
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Despot Stefan Blvd., 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Djuro Macut
- Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Danijela Vojnović Milutinović
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 142 Despot Stefan Blvd., 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
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5
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Baladron J, Vitay J, Fietzek T, Hamker FH. The contribution of the basal ganglia and cerebellum to motor learning: A neuro-computational approach. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011024. [PMID: 37011086 PMCID: PMC10101648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor learning involves a widespread brain network including the basal ganglia, cerebellum, motor cortex, and brainstem. Despite its importance, little is known about how this network learns motor tasks and which role different parts of this network take. We designed a systems-level computational model of motor learning, including a cortex-basal ganglia motor loop and the cerebellum that both determine the response of central pattern generators in the brainstem. First, we demonstrate its ability to learn arm movements toward different motor goals. Second, we test the model in a motor adaptation task with cognitive control, where the model replicates human data. We conclude that the cortex-basal ganglia loop learns via a novelty-based motor prediction error to determine concrete actions given a desired outcome, and that the cerebellum minimizes the remaining aiming error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Baladron
- Department of Computer Science, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany
- Departamento de Ingeniería Informática, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julien Vitay
- Department of Computer Science, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Torsten Fietzek
- Department of Computer Science, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Fred H Hamker
- Department of Computer Science, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany
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6
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Kéri S. Trauma and Remembering: From Neuronal Circuits to Molecules. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:1707. [PMID: 36362862 PMCID: PMC9699199 DOI: 10.3390/life12111707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience intrusions of vivid traumatic memories, heightened arousal, and display avoidance behavior. Disorders in identity, emotion regulation, and interpersonal relationships are also common. The cornerstone of PTSD is altered learning, memory, and remembering, regulated by a complex neuronal and molecular network. We propose that the essential feature of successful treatment is the modification of engrams in their unstable state during retrieval. During psychedelic psychotherapy, engrams may show a pronounced instability, which enhances modification. In this narrative review, we outline the clinical characteristics of PTSD, its multifaceted neuroanatomy, and the molecular pathways that regulate memory destabilization and reconsolidation. We propose that psychedelics, acting by serotonin-glutamate interactions, destabilize trauma-related engrams and open the door to change them during psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szabolcs Kéri
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary; ; Tel.: +36-1463-1273
- National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, 1145 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
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7
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Pennartz CMA. What is neurorepresentationalism? From neural activity and predictive processing to multi-level representations and consciousness. Behav Brain Res 2022; 432:113969. [PMID: 35718232 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
This review provides an update on Neurorepresentationalism, a theoretical framework that defines conscious experience as multimodal, situational survey and explains its neural basis from brain systems constructing best-guess representations of sensations originating in our environment and body [1]. It posits that conscious experience is characterized by five essential hallmarks: (i) multimodal richness, (ii) situatedness and immersion, (iii) unity and integration, (iv) dynamics and stability, and (v) intentionality. Consciousness is furthermore proposed to have a biological function, framed by the contrast between reflexes and habits (not requiring consciousness) versus goal-directed, planned behavior (requiring multimodal, situational survey). Conscious experience is therefore understood as a sensorily rich, spatially encompassing representation of body and environment, while we nevertheless have the impression of experiencing external reality directly. Contributions to understanding neural mechanisms underlying consciousness are derived from models for predictive processing, which are trained in an unsupervised manner, do not necessarily require overt action, and have been extended to deep neural networks. Even with predictive processing in place, however, the question remains why this type of neural network activity would give rise to phenomenal experience. Here, I propose to tackle the Hard Problem with the concept of multi-level representations which emergently give rise to multimodal, spatially wide superinferences corresponding to phenomenal experiences. Finally, Neurorepresentationalism is compared to other neural theories of consciousness, and its implications for defining indicators of consciousness in animals, artificial intelligence devices and immobile or unresponsive patients with disorders of consciousness are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyriel M A Pennartz
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Research Priority Program Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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8
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Gmaz JM, van der Meer MAA. Context coding in the mouse nucleus accumbens modulates motivationally relevant information. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001338. [PMID: 35486662 PMCID: PMC9094556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is thought to track fundamentally value-centric quantities linked to reward and effort. However, the NAc also contributes to flexible behavior in ways that are difficult to explain based on value signals alone, raising the question of if and how nonvalue signals are encoded in NAc. We recorded NAc neural ensembles while head-fixed mice performed an odor-based biconditional discrimination task where an initial discrete cue modulated the behavioral significance of a subsequently presented reward-predictive cue. We extracted single-unit and population-level correlates related to the cues and found value-independent coding for the initial, context-setting cue. This context signal occupied a population-level coding space orthogonal to outcome-related representations and was predictive of subsequent behaviorally relevant responses to the reward-predictive cues. Together, these findings support a gating model for how the NAc contributes to behavioral flexibility and provide a novel population-level perspective from which to view NAc computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmie M. Gmaz
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, United States of America
| | - Matthijs A. A. van der Meer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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Farisco M, Pennartz C, Annen J, Cecconi B, Evers K. Indicators and criteria of consciousness: ethical implications for the care of behaviourally unresponsive patients. BMC Med Ethics 2022; 23:30. [PMID: 35313885 PMCID: PMC8935680 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-022-00770-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Assessing consciousness in other subjects, particularly in non-verbal and behaviourally disabled subjects (e.g., patients with disorders of consciousness), is notoriously challenging but increasingly urgent. The high rate of misdiagnosis among disorders of consciousness raises the need for new perspectives in order to inspire new technical and clinical approaches.
Main body We take as a starting point a recently introduced list of operational indicators of consciousness that facilitates its recognition in challenging cases like non-human animals and Artificial Intelligence to explore their relevance to disorders of consciousness and their potential ethical impact on the diagnosis and healthcare of relevant patients. Indicators of consciousness mean particular capacities that can be deduced from observing the behaviour or cognitive performance of the subject in question (or from neural correlates of such performance) and that do not define a hard threshold in deciding about the presence of consciousness, but can be used to infer a graded measure based on the consistency amongst the different indicators. The indicators of consciousness under consideration offer a potential useful strategy for identifying and assessing residual consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness, setting the theoretical stage for an operationalization and quantification of relevant brain activity. Conclusions Our heuristic analysis supports the conclusion that the application of the identified indicators of consciousness to its disorders will likely inspire new strategies for assessing three very urgent issues: the misdiagnosis of disorders of consciousness; the need for a gold standard in detecting consciousness and diagnosing its disorders; and the need for a refined taxonomy of disorders of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Farisco
- Centre for Research Ethics and Bioethics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. .,Science and Society Unit, Biogem, Biology and Molecular Genetics Research Institute, Ariano Irpino, AV, Italy.
| | - Cyriel Pennartz
- Department of Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Research Priority Area, Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jitka Annen
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.,Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Benedetta Cecconi
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.,Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Kathinka Evers
- Centre for Research Ethics and Bioethics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Kroger J, Kim C. Frontopolar Cortex Specializes for Manipulation of Structured Information. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:788395. [PMID: 35308567 PMCID: PMC8924948 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.788395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James Kroger
- Department of Psychology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Chobok Kim
- Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
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11
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Model-based learning retrospectively updates model-free values. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2358. [PMID: 35149713 PMCID: PMC8837618 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05567-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Reinforcement learning (RL) is widely regarded as divisible into two distinct computational strategies. Model-free learning is a simple RL process in which a value is associated with actions, whereas model-based learning relies on the formation of internal models of the environment to maximise reward. Recently, theoretical and animal work has suggested that such models might be used to train model-free behaviour, reducing the burden of costly forward planning. Here we devised a way to probe this possibility in human behaviour. We adapted a two-stage decision task and found evidence that model-based processes at the time of learning can alter model-free valuation in healthy individuals. We asked people to rate subjective value of an irrelevant feature that was seen at the time a model-based decision would have been made. These irrelevant feature value ratings were updated by rewards, but in a way that accounted for whether the selected action retrospectively ought to have been taken. This model-based influence on model-free value ratings was best accounted for by a reward prediction error that was calculated relative to the decision path that would most likely have led to the reward. This effect occurred independently of attention and was not present when participants were not explicitly told about the structure of the environment. These findings suggest that current conceptions of model-based and model-free learning require updating in favour of a more integrated approach. Our task provides an empirical handle for further study of the dialogue between these two learning systems in the future.
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12
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Enhanced habit formation in Tourette patients explained by shortcut modulation in a hierarchical cortico-basal ganglia model. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:1031-1050. [PMID: 35113242 PMCID: PMC8930794 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02446-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Devaluation protocols reveal that Tourette patients show an increased propensity to habitual behaviors as they continue to respond to devalued outcomes in a cognitive stimulus-response-outcome association task. We use a neuro-computational model of hierarchically organized cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops to shed more light on habit formation and its alteration in Tourette patients. In our model, habitual behavior emerges from cortico-thalamic shortcut connections, where enhanced habit formation can be linked to faster plasticity in the shortcut or to a stronger feedback from the shortcut to the basal ganglia. We explore two major hypotheses of Tourette pathophysiology-local striatal disinhibition and increased dopaminergic modulation of striatal medium spiny neurons-as causes for altered shortcut activation. Both model changes altered shortcut functioning and resulted in higher rates of responses towards devalued outcomes, similar to what is observed in Tourette patients. We recommend future experimental neuroscientific studies to locate shortcuts between cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops in the human brain and study their potential role in health and disease.
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13
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Castilla A, Borst G, Cohen D, Fradin J, Lefrançois C, Houdé O, Zaoui M, Berthoz A. A New Paradigm for the Study of Cognitive Flexibility in Children and Adolescents: The "Virtual House Locomotor Maze" (VHLM). Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:708378. [PMID: 34630176 PMCID: PMC8495412 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.708378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Classical neuropsychological assessments are designed to explore cognitive brain functions using paper-and-pencil or digital tests. The purpose of this study was to design and to test a new protocol named the "Virtual House Locomotor Maze" (VHLM) for studying inhibitory control as well as mental flexibility using a visuo-spatial locomotor memory test. The VHLM is a simple maze including six houses using the technology of the Virtual Carpet Paradigm™. Ten typical development children (TD) were enrolled in this study. The participants were instructed to reach a target house as quickly as possible and to bear in mind the experimental instructions. We examined their planning and replanning abilities to take the shortest path to reach a target house. In order to study the cognitive processes during navigation, we implemented a spatio-temporal index based on the measure of kinematics behaviors (i.e., trajectories, tangential velocity and head direction). Replanning was tested by first repeating a path chosen by the subject to reach a given house. After learning this path, it was blocked imposing that the subject inhibited the learned trajectory and designed a new trajectory to reach the same house. We measured the latency of the departure after the presentation of each house and the initial direction of the trajectory. The results suggest that several strategies are used by the subjects for replanning and our measures could be used as an index of impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Castilla
- Université de Paris, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et de Neurosciences, Institut de Médecine Environnementale (IME), Paris, France
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de recherche en Biologie (CIRB), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Gregoire Borst
- Université de Paris, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - David Cohen
- Département de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, and Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotiques, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Jacques Fradin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et de Neurosciences, Institut de Médecine Environnementale (IME), Paris, France
| | - Camille Lefrançois
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et de Neurosciences, Institut de Médecine Environnementale (IME), Paris, France
| | - Olivier Houdé
- Université de Paris, LaPsyDÉ, CNRS, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Mohamed Zaoui
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de recherche en Biologie (CIRB), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Alain Berthoz
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de recherche en Biologie (CIRB), Collège de France, Paris, France
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14
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Fiorilli J, Bos JJ, Grande X, Lim J, Düzel E, Pennartz CMA. Reconciling the object and spatial processing views of the perirhinal cortex through task-relevant unitization. Hippocampus 2021; 31:737-755. [PMID: 33523577 PMCID: PMC8359385 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The perirhinal cortex is situated on the border between sensory association cortex and the hippocampal formation. It serves an important function as a transition area between the sensory neocortex and the medial temporal lobe. While the perirhinal cortex has traditionally been associated with object coding and the "what" pathway of the temporal lobe, current evidence suggests a broader function of the perirhinal cortex in solving feature ambiguity and processing complex stimuli. Besides fulfilling functions in object coding, recent neurophysiological findings in freely moving rodents indicate that the perirhinal cortex also contributes to spatial and contextual processing beyond individual sensory modalities. Here, we address how these two opposing views on perirhinal cortex-the object-centered and spatial-contextual processing hypotheses-may be reconciled. The perirhinal cortex is consistently recruited when different features can be merged perceptually or conceptually into a single entity. Features that are unitized in these entities include object information from multiple sensory domains, reward associations, semantic features and spatial/contextual associations. We propose that the same perirhinal network circuits can be flexibly deployed for multiple cognitive functions, such that the perirhinal cortex performs similar unitization operations on different types of information, depending on behavioral demands and ranging from the object-related domain to spatial, contextual and semantic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Fiorilli
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for NeuroscienceUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Research Priority Area Brain and CognitionUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J. Bos
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for NeuroscienceUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Research Priority Area Brain and CognitionUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviorRadboud University and Radboud University Medical CentreNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Xenia Grande
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia ResearchOtto‐von‐Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesMagdeburgGermany
| | - Judith Lim
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for NeuroscienceUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Research Priority Area Brain and CognitionUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Emrah Düzel
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia ResearchOtto‐von‐Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesMagdeburgGermany
- Institute of Cognitive NeuroscienceUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Cyriel M. A. Pennartz
- Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group, SILS Center for NeuroscienceUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Research Priority Area Brain and CognitionUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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15
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Kolodny O, Moyal R, Edelman S. A possible evolutionary function of phenomenal conscious experience of pain. Neurosci Conscious 2021; 2021:niab012. [PMID: 34141452 PMCID: PMC8206511 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niab012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary accounts of feelings, and in particular of negative affect and of pain, assume that creatures that feel and care about the outcomes of their behavior outperform those that do not in terms of their evolutionary fitness. Such accounts, however, can only work if feelings can be shown to contribute to fitness-influencing outcomes. Simply assuming that a learner that feels and cares about outcomes is more strongly motivated than one that does is not enough, if only because motivation can be tied directly to outcomes by incorporating an appropriate reward function, without leaving any apparent role to feelings (as it is done in state-of-the-art engineered systems based on reinforcement learning). Here, we propose a possible mechanism whereby pain contributes to fitness: an actor-critic functional architecture for reinforcement learning, in which pain reflects the costs imposed on actors in their bidding for control, so as to promote honest signaling and ultimately help the system optimize learning and future behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Kolodny
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Roy Moyal
- Department of Psychology, Uris Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Shimon Edelman
- Department of Psychology, Uris Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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16
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Redish AD. Beyond replay: Introduction to the special issue on hippocampal replay. Hippocampus 2021; 30:3-5. [PMID: 31875338 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A David Redish
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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17
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Peyton L, Oliveros A, Choi DS, Jang MH. Hippocampal regenerative medicine: neurogenic implications for addiction and mental disorders. Exp Mol Med 2021; 53:358-368. [PMID: 33785869 PMCID: PMC8080570 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-021-00587-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychiatric illness is a prevalent and highly debilitating disorder, and more than 50% of the general population in both middle- and high-income countries experience at least one psychiatric disorder at some point in their lives. As we continue to learn how pervasive psychiatric episodes are in society, we must acknowledge that psychiatric disorders are not solely relegated to a small group of predisposed individuals but rather occur in significant portions of all societal groups. Several distinct brain regions have been implicated in neuropsychiatric disease. These brain regions include corticolimbic structures, which regulate executive function and decision making (e.g., the prefrontal cortex), as well as striatal subregions known to control motivated behavior under normal and stressful conditions. Importantly, the corticolimbic neural circuitry includes the hippocampus, a critical brain structure that sends projections to both the cortex and striatum to coordinate learning, memory, and mood. In this review, we will discuss past and recent discoveries of how neurobiological processes in the hippocampus and corticolimbic structures work in concert to control executive function, memory, and mood in the context of mental disorders. A region of the brain called the hippocampus and its connections to other parts of the brain via what are called cortico-limbic structures are implicated in a variety of mental health disorders. These disorders can be accompanied by reduced hippocampal volume. Mi-Hyeon Jang, Doo-Sup Choi and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, USA, review the role of hippocampal and cortico-limbic neurobiology in memory and mood in mental disorders. They focus particular attention on the role of neurogenesis, the production and growth of new nerve cells and connections. Disrupted neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus is implicated in conditions including addiction, depression, schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. Learning more about neural regeneration in the hippocampus could yield insights into mental health conditions and open new avenues toward developing drug-based treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Peyton
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Alfredo Oliveros
- Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Mi-Hyeon Jang
- Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA.
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18
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Tessereau C, O’Dea R, Coombes S, Bast T. Reinforcement learning approaches to hippocampus-dependent flexible spatial navigation. Brain Neurosci Adv 2021; 5:2398212820975634. [PMID: 33954259 PMCID: PMC8042550 DOI: 10.1177/2398212820975634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans and non-human animals show great flexibility in spatial navigation, including the ability to return to specific locations based on as few as one single experience. To study spatial navigation in the laboratory, watermaze tasks, in which rats have to find a hidden platform in a pool of cloudy water surrounded by spatial cues, have long been used. Analogous tasks have been developed for human participants using virtual environments. Spatial learning in the watermaze is facilitated by the hippocampus. In particular, rapid, one-trial, allocentric place learning, as measured in the delayed-matching-to-place variant of the watermaze task, which requires rodents to learn repeatedly new locations in a familiar environment, is hippocampal dependent. In this article, we review some computational principles, embedded within a reinforcement learning framework, that utilise hippocampal spatial representations for navigation in watermaze tasks. We consider which key elements underlie their efficacy, and discuss their limitations in accounting for hippocampus-dependent navigation, both in terms of behavioural performance (i.e. how well do they reproduce behavioural measures of rapid place learning) and neurobiological realism (i.e. how well do they map to neurobiological substrates involved in rapid place learning). We discuss how an actor-critic architecture, enabling simultaneous assessment of the value of the current location and of the optimal direction to follow, can reproduce one-trial place learning performance as shown on watermaze and virtual delayed-matching-to-place tasks by rats and humans, respectively, if complemented with map-like place representations. The contribution of actor-critic mechanisms to delayed-matching-to-place performance is consistent with neurobiological findings implicating the striatum and hippocampo-striatal interaction in delayed-matching-to-place performance, given that the striatum has been associated with actor-critic mechanisms. Moreover, we illustrate that hierarchical computations embedded within an actor-critic architecture may help to account for aspects of flexible spatial navigation. The hierarchical reinforcement learning approach separates trajectory control via a temporal-difference error from goal selection via a goal prediction error and may account for flexible, trial-specific, navigation to familiar goal locations, as required in some arm-maze place memory tasks, although it does not capture one-trial learning of new goal locations, as observed in open field, including watermaze and virtual, delayed-matching-to-place tasks. Future models of one-shot learning of new goal locations, as observed on delayed-matching-to-place tasks, should incorporate hippocampal plasticity mechanisms that integrate new goal information with allocentric place representation, as such mechanisms are supported by substantial empirical evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charline Tessereau
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham
| | - Reuben O’Dea
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham
| | - Stephen Coombes
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham
| | - Tobias Bast
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Neuroscience@Nottingham
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19
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Fast spiking interneuron activity in primate striatum tracks learning of attention cues. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:18049-18058. [PMID: 32661170 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001348117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility depends on a fast neural learning mechanism for enhancing momentary relevant over irrelevant information. A possible neural mechanism realizing this enhancement uses fast spiking interneurons (FSIs) in the striatum to train striatal projection neurons to gate relevant and suppress distracting cortical inputs. We found support for such a mechanism in nonhuman primates during the flexible adjustment of visual attention in a reversal learning task. FSI activity was modulated by visual attention cues during feature-based learning. One FSI subpopulation showed stronger activation during learning, while another FSI subpopulation showed response suppression after learning, which could indicate a disinhibitory effect on the local circuit. Additionally, FSIs that showed response suppression to learned attention cues were activated by salient distractor events, suggesting they contribute to suppressing bottom-up distraction. These findings suggest that striatal fast spiking interneurons play an important role when cues are learned that redirect attention away from previously relevant to newly relevant visual information. This cue-specific activity was independent of motor-related activity and thus tracked specifically the learning of reward predictive visual features.
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20
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Baajour SJ, Chowdury A, Thomas P, Rajan U, Khatib D, Zajac-Benitez C, Falco D, Haddad L, Amirsadri A, Bressler S, Stanley JA, Diwadkar VA. Disordered directional brain network interactions during learning dynamics in schizophrenia revealed by multivariate autoregressive models. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:3594-3607. [PMID: 32436639 PMCID: PMC7416040 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Directional network interactions underpin normative brain function in key domains including associative learning. Schizophrenia (SCZ) is characterized by altered learning dynamics, yet dysfunctional directional functional connectivity (dFC) evoked during learning is rarely assessed. Here, nonlinear learning dynamics were induced using a paradigm alternating between conditions (Encoding and Retrieval). Evoked fMRI time series data were modeled using multivariate autoregressive (MVAR) models, to discover dysfunctional direction interactions between brain network constituents during learning stages (Early vs. Late), and conditions. A functionally derived subnetwork of coactivated (healthy controls [HC] ∩ SCZ] nodes was identified. MVAR models quantified directional interactions between pairs of nodes, and coefficients were evaluated for intergroup differences (HC ≠ SCZ). In exploratory analyses, we quantified statistical effects of neuroleptic dosage on performance and MVAR measures. During Early Encoding, SCZ showed reduced dFC within a frontal–hippocampal–fusiform network, though during Late Encoding reduced dFC was associated with pathways toward the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). During Early Retrieval, SCZ showed increased dFC in pathways to and from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, though during Late Retrieval, patients showed increased dFC in pathways toward the dlPFC, but decreased dFC in pathways from the dlPFC. These discoveries constitute novel extensions of our understanding of task‐evoked dysconnection in schizophrenia and motivate understanding of the directional aspect of the dysconnection in schizophrenia. Disordered directionality should be investigated using computational psychiatric approaches that complement the MVAR method used in our work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahira J Baajour
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Asadur Chowdury
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Patricia Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Usha Rajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Dalal Khatib
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Caroline Zajac-Benitez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Dimitri Falco
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
| | - Luay Haddad
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Alireza Amirsadri
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Steven Bressler
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.,Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
| | - Jeffery A Stanley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Vaibhav A Diwadkar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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21
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Rubin JE, Vich C, Clapp M, Noneman K, Verstynen T. The credit assignment problem in cortico‐basal ganglia‐thalamic networks: A review, a problem and a possible solution. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:2234-2253. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan E. Rubin
- Department of Mathematics Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA USA
| | - Catalina Vich
- Department de Matemàtiques i Informàtica Institute of Applied Computing and Community Code Universitat de les Illes Balears Palma Spain
| | - Matthew Clapp
- Carnegie Mellon Neuroscience Institute Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA USA
| | - Kendra Noneman
- Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering Boise State University Boise ID USA
| | - Timothy Verstynen
- Carnegie Mellon Neuroscience Institute Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA USA
- Department of Psychology Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA USA
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22
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Gahnstrom CJ, Spiers HJ. Striatal and hippocampal contributions to flexible navigation in rats and humans. Brain Neurosci Adv 2020; 4:2398212820979772. [PMID: 33426302 PMCID: PMC7755934 DOI: 10.1177/2398212820979772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus has been firmly established as playing a crucial role in flexible navigation. Recent evidence suggests that dorsal striatum may also play an important role in such goal-directed behaviour in both rodents and humans. Across recent studies, activity in the caudate nucleus has been linked to forward planning and adaptation to changes in the environment. In particular, several human neuroimaging studies have found the caudate nucleus tracks information traditionally associated with that by the hippocampus. In this brief review, we examine this evidence and argue the dorsal striatum encodes the transition structure of the environment during flexible, goal-directed behaviour. We highlight that future research should explore the following: (1) Investigate neural responses during spatial navigation via a biophysically plausible framework explained by reinforcement learning models and (2) Observe the interaction between cortical areas and both the dorsal striatum and hippocampus during flexible navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoffer J. Gahnstrom
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hugo J. Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
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23
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Rusu SI, Pennartz CMA. Learning, memory and consolidation mechanisms for behavioral control in hierarchically organized cortico-basal ganglia systems. Hippocampus 2019; 30:73-98. [PMID: 31617622 PMCID: PMC6972576 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This article aims to provide a synthesis on the question how brain structures cooperate to accomplish hierarchically organized behaviors, characterized by low‐level, habitual routines nested in larger sequences of planned, goal‐directed behavior. The functioning of a connected set of brain structures—prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and dopaminergic mesencephalon—is reviewed in relation to two important distinctions: (a) goal‐directed as opposed to habitual behavior and (b) model‐based and model‐free learning. Recent evidence indicates that the orbitomedial prefrontal cortices not only subserve goal‐directed behavior and model‐based learning, but also code the “landscape” (task space) of behaviorally relevant variables. While the hippocampus stands out for its role in coding and memorizing world state representations, it is argued to function in model‐based learning but is not required for coding of action–outcome contingencies, illustrating that goal‐directed behavior is not congruent with model‐based learning. While the dorsolateral and dorsomedial striatum largely conform to the dichotomy between habitual versus goal‐directed behavior, ventral striatal functions go beyond this distinction. Next, we contextualize findings on coding of reward‐prediction errors by ventral tegmental dopamine neurons to suggest a broader role of mesencephalic dopamine cells, viz. in behavioral reactivity and signaling unexpected sensory changes. We hypothesize that goal‐directed behavior is hierarchically organized in interconnected cortico‐basal ganglia loops, where a limbic‐affective prefrontal‐ventral striatal loop controls action selection in a dorsomedial prefrontal–striatal loop, which in turn regulates activity in sensorimotor‐dorsolateral striatal circuits. This structure for behavioral organization requires alignment with mechanisms for memory formation and consolidation. We propose that frontal corticothalamic circuits form a high‐level loop for memory processing that initiates and temporally organizes nested activities in lower‐level loops, including the hippocampus and the ripple‐associated replay it generates. The evidence on hierarchically organized behavior converges with that on consolidation mechanisms in suggesting a frontal‐to‐caudal directionality in processing control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silviu I Rusu
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Research Priority Program Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cyriel M A Pennartz
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Research Priority Program Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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