1
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Ferro D, Cash-Padgett T, Wang MZ, Hayden BY, Moreno-Bote R. Gaze-centered gating, reactivation, and reevaluation of economic value in orbitofrontal cortex. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6163. [PMID: 39039055 PMCID: PMC11263430 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50214-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
During economic choice, options are often considered in alternation, until commitment. Nonetheless, neuroeconomics typically ignores the dynamic aspects of deliberation. We trained two male macaques to perform a value-based decision-making task in which two risky offers were presented in sequence at the opposite sides of the visual field, each followed by a delay epoch where offers were invisible. Surprisingly, during the two delays, subjects tend to look at empty locations where the offers had previously appeared, with longer fixations increasing the probability of choosing the associated offer. Spiking activity in orbitofrontal cortex reflects the value of the gazed offer, or of the offer associated with the gazed empty spatial location, even if it is not the most recent. This reactivation reflects a reevaluation process, as fluctuations in neural spiking correlate with upcoming choice. Our results suggest that look-at-nothing gazing triggers the reactivation of a previously seen offer for further evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demetrio Ferro
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002, Barcelona, Spain.
- Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Tyler Cash-Padgett
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN55455, USA
| | - Maya Zhe Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN55455, USA
| | - Benjamin Y Hayden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Rubén Moreno-Bote
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002, Barcelona, Spain
- Serra Húnter Fellow Programme, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Feng YY, Bromberg-Martin ES, Monosov IE. Dorsal raphe neurons integrate the values of reward amount, delay, and uncertainty in multi-attribute decision-making. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114341. [PMID: 38878290 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is implicated in psychiatric disorders that feature impaired sensitivity to reward amount, impulsivity when facing reward delays, and risk-seeking when confronting reward uncertainty. However, it has been unclear whether and how DRN neurons signal reward amount, reward delay, and reward uncertainty during multi-attribute value-based decision-making, where subjects consider these attributes to make a choice. We recorded DRN neurons as monkeys chose between offers whose attributes, namely expected reward amount, reward delay, and reward uncertainty, varied independently. Many DRN neurons signaled offer attributes, and this population tended to integrate the attributes in a manner that reflected monkeys' preferences for amount, delay, and uncertainty. After decision-making, in response to post-decision feedback, these same neurons signaled signed reward prediction errors, suggesting a broader role in tracking value across task epochs and behavioral contexts. Our data illustrate how the DRN participates in value computations, guiding theories about the role of the DRN in decision-making and psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Yang Feng
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Ilya E Monosov
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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3
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Manea AMG, Maisson DJN, Voloh B, Zilverstand A, Hayden B, Zimmermann J. Neural timescales reflect behavioral demands in freely moving rhesus macaques. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2151. [PMID: 38461167 PMCID: PMC10925022 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46488-1] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous work demonstrated a highly reproducible cortical hierarchy of neural timescales at rest, with sensory areas displaying fast, and higher-order association areas displaying slower timescales. The question arises how such stable hierarchies give rise to adaptive behavior that requires flexible adjustment of temporal coding and integration demands. Potentially, this lack of variability in the hierarchical organization of neural timescales could reflect the structure of the laboratory contexts. We posit that unconstrained paradigms are ideal to test whether the dynamics of neural timescales reflect behavioral demands. Here we measured timescales of local field potential activity while male rhesus macaques foraged in an open space. We found a hierarchy of neural timescales that differs from previous work. Importantly, although the magnitude of neural timescales expanded with task engagement, the brain areas' relative position in the hierarchy was stable. Next, we demonstrated that the change in neural timescales is dynamic and contains functionally-relevant information, differentiating between similar events in terms of motor demands and associated reward. Finally, we demonstrated that brain areas are differentially affected by these behavioral demands. These results demonstrate that while the space of neural timescales is anatomically constrained, the observed hierarchical organization and magnitude is dependent on behavioral demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M G Manea
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - David J-N Maisson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Benjamin Voloh
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Anna Zilverstand
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Benjamin Hayden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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4
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Lurie DJ, Pappas I, D'Esposito M. Cortical timescales and the modular organization of structural and functional brain networks. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26587. [PMID: 38339903 PMCID: PMC10823764 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26587] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent years have seen growing interest in characterizing the properties of regional brain dynamics and their relationship to other features of brain structure and function. In particular, multiple studies have observed regional differences in the "timescale" over which activity fluctuates during periods of quiet rest. In the cerebral cortex, these timescales have been associated with both local circuit properties as well as patterns of inter-regional connectivity, including the extent to which each region exhibits widespread connectivity to other brain areas. In the current study, we build on prior observations of an association between connectivity and dynamics in the cerebral cortex by investigating the relationship between BOLD fMRI timescales and the modular organization of structural and functional brain networks. We characterize network community structure across multiple scales and find that longer timescales are associated with greater within-community functional connectivity and diverse structural connectivity. We also replicate prior observations of a positive correlation between timescales and structural connectivity degree. Finally, we find evidence for preferential functional connectivity between cortical areas with similar timescales. We replicate these findings in an independent dataset. These results contribute to our understanding of functional brain organization and structure-function relationships in the human brain, and support the notion that regional differences in cortical dynamics may in part reflect the topological role of each region within macroscale brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Lurie
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine PittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Ioannis Pappas
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mark D'Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
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5
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Voloh B, Maisson DJN, Cervera RL, Conover I, Zambre M, Hayden B, Zimmermann J. Hierarchical action encoding in prefrontal cortex of freely moving macaques. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113091. [PMID: 37656619 PMCID: PMC10591875 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Our natural behavioral repertoires include coordinated actions of characteristic types. To better understand how neural activity relates to the expression of actions and action switches, we studied macaques performing a freely moving foraging task in an open environment. We developed a novel analysis pipeline that can identify meaningful units of behavior, corresponding to recognizable actions such as sitting, walking, jumping, and climbing. On the basis of transition probabilities between these actions, we found that behavior is organized in a modular and hierarchical fashion. We found that, after regressing out many potential confounders, actions are associated with specific patterns of firing in each of six prefrontal brain regions and that, overall, encoding of action category is progressively stronger in more dorsal and more caudal prefrontal regions. Together, these results establish a link between selection of units of primate behavior on one hand and neuronal activity in prefrontal regions on the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Voloh
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - David J-N Maisson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | - Indirah Conover
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Mrunal Zambre
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Benjamin Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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6
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Feng YY, Bromberg-Martin ES, Monosov IE. Dorsal raphe neurons signal integrated value during multi-attribute decision-making. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.17.553745. [PMID: 37662243 PMCID: PMC10473596 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.17.553745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is implicated in psychiatric disorders that feature impaired sensitivity to reward amount, impulsivity when facing reward delays, and risk-seeking when grappling with reward uncertainty. However, whether and how DRN neurons signal reward amount, reward delay, and reward uncertainty during multi-attribute value-based decision-making, where subjects consider all these attributes to make a choice, is unclear. We recorded DRN neurons as monkeys chose between offers whose attributes, namely expected reward amount, reward delay, and reward uncertainty, varied independently. Many DRN neurons signaled offer attributes. Remarkably, these neurons commonly integrated offer attributes in a manner that reflected monkeys' overall preferences for amount, delay, and uncertainty. After decision-making, in response to post-decision feedback, these same neurons signaled signed reward prediction errors, suggesting a broader role in tracking value across task epochs and behavioral contexts. Our data illustrate how DRN participates in integrated value computations, guiding theories of DRN in decision-making and psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Yang Feng
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Ilya E. Monosov
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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7
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Maisson DJN, Cervera RL, Voloh B, Conover I, Zambre M, Zimmermann J, Hayden BY. Widespread coding of navigational variables in prefrontal cortex. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3478-3488.e3. [PMID: 37541250 PMCID: PMC10984098 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
To navigate effectively, we must represent information about our location in the environment. Traditional research highlights the role of the hippocampal complex in this process. Spurred by recent research highlighting the widespread cortical encoding of cognitive and motor variables previously thought to have localized function, we hypothesized that navigational variables would be likewise encoded widely, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with volitional behavior. We recorded neural activity from six prefrontal regions while macaques performed a foraging task in an open enclosure. In all regions, we found strong encoding of allocentric position, allocentric head direction, boundary distance, and linear and angular velocity. These encodings were not accounted for by distance, time to reward, or motor factors. The strength of coding of all variables increased along a ventral-to-dorsal gradient. Together, these results argue that encoding of navigational variables is not localized to the hippocampus and support the hypothesis that navigation is continuous with other forms of flexible cognition in the service of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J-N Maisson
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Center for Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Roberto Lopez Cervera
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Center for Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Benjamin Voloh
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Center for Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Indirah Conover
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Center for Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Mrunal Zambre
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Center for Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Center for Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Benjamin Y Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Center for Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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8
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Lurie DJ, Pappas I, D'Esposito M. Cortical timescales and the modular organization of structural and functional brain networks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.12.548751. [PMID: 37502887 PMCID: PMC10370009 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.12.548751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have seen growing interest in characterizing the properties of regional brain dynamics and their relationship to other features of brain structure and function. In particular, multiple studies have observed regional differences in the "timescale" over which activity fluctuates during periods of quiet rest. In the cerebral cortex, these timescales have been associated with both local circuit properties as well as patterns of inter-regional connectivity, including the extent to which each region exhibits widespread connectivity to other brain areas. In the current study, we build on prior observations of an association between connectivity and dynamics in the cerebral cortex by investigating the relationship between BOLD fMRI timescales and the modular organization of structural and functional brain networks. We characterize network community structure across multiple scales and find that longer timescales are associated with greater within-community functional connectivity and diverse structural connectivity. We also replicate prior observations of a positive correlation between timescales and structural connectivity degree. Finally, we find evidence for preferential functional connectivity between cortical areas with similar timescales. We replicate these findings in an independent dataset. These results contribute to our understanding of functional brain organization and structure-function relationships in the human brain, and support the notion that regional differences in cortical dynamics may in part reflect the topological role of each region within macroscale brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Lurie
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
| | - Ioannis Pappas
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Mark D'Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley
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9
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Fine JM, Maisson DJN, Yoo SBM, Cash-Padgett TV, Wang MZ, Zimmermann J, Hayden BY. Abstract Value Encoding in Neural Populations But Not Single Neurons. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4650-4663. [PMID: 37208178 PMCID: PMC10286943 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1954-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
An important open question in neuroeconomics is how the brain represents the value of offers in a way that is both abstract (allowing for comparison) and concrete (preserving the details of the factors that influence value). Here, we examine neuronal responses to risky and safe options in five brain regions that putatively encode value in male macaques. Surprisingly, we find no detectable overlap in the neural codes used for risky and safe options, even when the options have identical subjective values (as revealed by preference) in any of the regions. Indeed, responses are weakly correlated and occupy distinct (semi-orthogonal) encoding subspaces. Notably, however, these subspaces are linked through a linear transform of their constituent encodings, a property that allows for comparison of dissimilar option types. This encoding scheme allows these regions to multiplex decision related processes: they can encode the detailed factors that influence offer value (here, risky and safety) but also directly compare dissimilar offer types. Together these results suggest a neuronal basis for the qualitatively different psychological properties of risky and safe options and highlight the power of population geometry to resolve outstanding problems in neural coding.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To make economic choices, we must have some mechanism for comparing dissimilar offers. We propose that the brain uses distinct neural codes for risky and safe offers, but that these codes are linearly transformable. This encoding scheme has the dual advantage of allowing for comparison across offer types while preserving information about offer type, which in turn allows for flexibility in changing circumstances. We show that responses to risky and safe offers exhibit these predicted properties in five different reward-sensitive regions. Together, these results highlight the power of population coding principles for solving representation problems in economic choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Fine
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - David J-N Maisson
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Seng Bum Michael Yoo
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Tyler V Cash-Padgett
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Maya Zhe Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Benjamin Y Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
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10
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Manea AMG, Zilverstand A, Hayden B, Zimmermann J. Neural timescales reflect behavioral demands in freely moving rhesus macaques. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.27.534470. [PMID: 37034608 PMCID: PMC10081241 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.27.534470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Previous work has demonstrated remarkably reproducible and consistent hierarchies of neural timescales across cortical areas at rest. The question arises how such stable hierarchies give rise to adaptive behavior that requires flexible adjustment of temporal coding and integration demands. Potentially, this previously found lack of variability in the hierarchical organization of neural timescales could be a reflection of the structure of the laboratory contexts in which they were measured. Indeed, computational work demonstrates the existence of multiple temporal hierarchies within the same anatomical network when the input structure is altered. We posit that unconstrained behavioral environments where relatively little temporal demands are imposed from the experimenter are an ideal test bed to address the question of whether the hierarchical organization and the magnitude of neural timescales reflect ongoing behavioral demands. To tackle this question, we measured timescales of local field potential activity while rhesus macaques were foraging freely in a large open space. We find a hierarchy of neural timescales that is unique to this foraging environment. Importantly, although the magnitude of neural timescales generally expanded with task engagement, the brain areas' relative position in the hierarchy was stable across the recording sessions. Notably, the magnitude of neural timescales monotonically expanded with task engagement across a relatively long temporal scale spanning the duration of the recording session. Over shorter temporal scales, the magnitude of neural timescales changed dynamically around foraging events. Moreover, the change in the magnitude of neural timescales contained functionally relevant information, differentiating between seemingly similar events in terms of motor demands and associated reward. That is, the patterns of change were associated with the cognitive and behavioral meaning of these events. Finally, we demonstrated that brain areas were differentially affected by these behavioral demands - i.e., the expansion of neural timescales was not the same across all areas. Together, these results demonstrate that the observed hierarchy of neural timescales is context-dependent and that changes in the magnitude of neural timescales are closely related to overall task engagement and behavioral demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M G Manea
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
| | - Anna Zilverstand
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
| | - Benjamin Hayden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
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11
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Abstract
The parcellation of the primate cerebral cortex into numbered regions, based on cytoarchitecture, has greatly helped neuroscientists in our quest to understand how the brain implements cognition. Nonetheless, these maps provide an unnecessarily constraining view of how we should do functional neuroanatomy. It is time to think more broadly. Doing so will help advance the goal of incorporating ideas about emergentist organization and interactional complexity into neuroscience.
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12
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Woo JH, Azab H, Jahn A, Hayden B, Brown JW. The PRO model accounts for the anterior cingulate cortex role in risky decision-making and monitoring. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:952-968. [PMID: 35332510 PMCID: PMC11059203 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-00992-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been implicated in a number of functions, including performance monitoring and decision-making involving effort. The prediction of responses and outcomes (PRO) model has provided a unified account of much human and monkey ACC data involving anatomy, neurophysiology, EEG, fMRI, and behavior. We explored the computational nature of ACC with the PRO model, extending it to account specifically for both human and macaque monkey decision-making under risk, including both behavioral and neural data. We show that the PRO model can account for a number of additional effects related to outcome prediction, decision-making under risk, gambling behavior. In particular, we show that the ACC represents the variance of uncertain outcomes, suggesting a link between ACC function and mean-variance theories of decision making. The PRO model provides a unified account of a large set of data regarding the ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Hyung Woo
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Habiba Azab
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew Jahn
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- fMRI Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Benjamin Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Joshua W Brown
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
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13
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Hayden BY, Park HS, Zimmermann J. Automated pose estimation in primates. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23348. [PMID: 34855257 PMCID: PMC9160209 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the behavior of primates is important for primatology, for psychology, and for biology more broadly. It is also important for biomedicine, where primates are an important model organism, and whose behavior is often an important variable of interest. Our ability to rigorously quantify behavior has, however, long been limited. On one hand, we can rigorously quantify low-information measures like preference, looking time, and reaction time; on the other, we can use more gestalt measures like behavioral categories tracked via ethogram, but at high cost and with high variability. Recent technological advances have led to a major revolution in behavioral measurement that offers affordable and scalable rigor. Specifically, digital video cameras and automated pose tracking software can provide measures of full-body position (i.e., pose) of primates over time (i.e., behavior) with high spatial and temporal resolution. Pose-tracking technology in turn can be used to infer behavioral states, such as eating, sleeping, and mating. We call this technological approach behavioral imaging. In this review, we situate the behavioral imaging revolution in the history of the study of behavior, argue for investment in and development of analytical and research techniques that can profit from the advent of the era of big behavior, and propose that primate centers and zoos will take on a more central role in relevant fields of research than they have in the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Y. Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering
| | - Hyun Soo Park
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering
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14
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Wang XJ. Theory of the Multiregional Neocortex: Large-Scale Neural Dynamics and Distributed Cognition. Annu Rev Neurosci 2022; 45:533-560. [PMID: 35803587 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-110920-035434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The neocortex is a complex neurobiological system with many interacting regions. How these regions work together to subserve flexible behavior and cognition has become increasingly amenable to rigorous research. Here, I review recent experimental and theoretical work on the modus operandi of a multiregional cortex. These studies revealed several general principles for the neocortical interareal connectivity, low-dimensional macroscopic gradients of biological properties across cortical areas, and a hierarchy of timescales for information processing. Theoretical work suggests testable predictions regarding differential excitation and inhibition along feedforward and feedback pathways in the cortical hierarchy. Furthermore, modeling of distributed working memory and simple decision-making has given rise to a novel mathematical concept, dubbed bifurcation in space, that potentially explains how different cortical areas, with a canonical circuit organization but gradients of biological heterogeneities, are able to subserve their respective (e.g., sensory coding versus executive control) functions in a modularly organized brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jing Wang
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA;
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15
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Knaebe B, Weiss CC, Zimmermann J, Hayden BY. The Promise of Behavioral Tracking Systems for Advancing Primate Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:1648. [PMID: 35804547 PMCID: PMC9265027 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed major advances in the ability of computerized systems to track the positions of animals as they move through large and unconstrained environments. These systems have so far been a great boon in the fields of primatology, psychology, neuroscience, and biomedicine. Here, we discuss the promise of these technologies for animal welfare. Their potential benefits include identifying and reducing pain, suffering, and distress in captive populations, improving laboratory animal welfare within the context of the three Rs of animal research (reduction, refinement, and replacement), and applying our understanding of animal behavior to increase the "natural" behaviors in captive and wild populations facing human impact challenges. We note that these benefits are often incidental to the designed purpose of these tracking systems, a reflection of the fact that animal welfare is not inimical to research progress, but instead, that the aligned interests between basic research and welfare hold great promise for improvements to animal well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenna Knaebe
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (C.C.W.); (J.Z.); (B.Y.H.)
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16
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Wang MZ, Hayden BY, Heilbronner SR. A structural and functional subdivision in central orbitofrontal cortex. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3623. [PMID: 35750659 PMCID: PMC9232485 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31273-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Economic choice requires many cognitive subprocesses, including stimulus detection, valuation, motor output, and outcome monitoring; many of these subprocesses are associated with the central orbitofrontal cortex (cOFC). Prior work has largely assumed that the cOFC is a single region with a single function. Here, we challenge that unified view with convergent anatomical and physiological results from rhesus macaques. Anatomically, we show that the cOFC can be subdivided according to its much stronger (medial) or weaker (lateral) bidirectional anatomical connectivity with the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). We call these subregions cOFCm and cOFCl, respectively. These two subregions have notable functional differences. Specifically, cOFCm shows enhanced functional connectivity with PCC, as indicated by both spike-field coherence and mutual information. The cOFCm-PCC circuit, but not the cOFCl-PCC circuit, shows signatures of relaying choice signals from a non-spatial comparison framework to a spatially framed organization and shows a putative bidirectional mutually excitatory pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Zhe Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Benjamin Y Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Sarah R Heilbronner
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
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17
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Howland JG, Ito R, Lapish CC, Villaruel FR. The rodent medial prefrontal cortex and associated circuits in orchestrating adaptive behavior under variable demands. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104569. [PMID: 35131398 PMCID: PMC9248379 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence implicates rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in tasks requiring adaptation of behavior to changing information from external and internal sources. However, the computations within mPFC and subsequent outputs that determine behavior are incompletely understood. We review the involvement of mPFC subregions, and their projections to the striatum and amygdala in two broad types of tasks in rodents: 1) appetitive and aversive Pavlovian and operant conditioning tasks that engage mPFC-striatum and mPFC-amygdala circuits, and 2) foraging-based tasks that require decision making to optimize reward. We find support for region-specific function of the mPFC, with dorsal mPFC and its projections to the dorsomedial striatum supporting action control with higher cognitive demands, and ventral mPFC engagement in translating affective signals into behavior via discrete projections to the ventral striatum and amygdala. However, we also propose that defined mPFC subdivisions operate as a functional continuum rather than segregated functional units, with crosstalk that allows distinct subregion-specific inputs (e.g., internal, affective) to influence adaptive behavior supported by other subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Rutsuko Ito
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto-Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Christopher C Lapish
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Franz R Villaruel
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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18
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Manea AMG, Zilverstand A, Ugurbil K, Heilbronner SR, Zimmermann J. Intrinsic timescales as an organizational principle of neural processing across the whole rhesus macaque brain. eLife 2022; 11:e75540. [PMID: 35234612 PMCID: PMC8923667 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hierarchical temporal dynamics are a fundamental computational property of the brain; however, there are no whole brain, noninvasive investigations into timescales of neural processing in animal models. To that end, we used the spatial resolution and sensitivity of ultrahigh field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) performed at 10.5 T to probe timescales across the whole macaque brain. We uncovered within-species consistency between timescales estimated from fMRI and electrophysiology. Crucially, we extended existing electrophysiological hierarchies to whole-brain topographies. Our results validate the complementary use of hemodynamic and electrophysiological intrinsic timescales, establishing a basis for future translational work. Further, with these results in hand, we were able to show that one facet of the high-dimensional functional connectivity (FC) topography of any region in the brain is closely related to hierarchical temporal dynamics. We demonstrated that intrinsic timescales are organized along spatial gradients that closely match FC gradient topographies across the whole brain. We conclude that intrinsic timescales are a unifying organizational principle of neural processing across the whole brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana MG Manea
- Department of Neuroscience, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Anna Zilverstand
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences , University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Kamil Ugurbil
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Neuroengineering, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Department of Radiology, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Sarah R Heilbronner
- Department of Neuroscience, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Neuroengineering, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Jan Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroscience, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Neuroengineering, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
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19
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Fine JM, Hayden BY. The whole prefrontal cortex is premotor cortex. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200524. [PMID: 34957853 PMCID: PMC8710885 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose that the entirety of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) can be seen as fundamentally premotor in nature. By this, we mean that the PFC consists of an action abstraction hierarchy whose core function is the potentiation and depotentiation of possible action plans at different levels of granularity. We argue that the apex of the hierarchy should revolve around the process of goal-selection, which we posit is inherently a form of optimization over action abstraction. Anatomical and functional evidence supports the idea that this hierarchy originates on the orbital surface of the brain and extends dorsally to motor cortex. Accordingly, our viewpoint positions the orbitofrontal cortex in a key role in the optimization of goal-selection policies, and suggests that its other proposed roles are aspects of this more general function. Our proposed perspective will reframe outstanding questions, open up new areas of inquiry and align theories of prefrontal function with evolutionary principles. This article is part of the theme issue 'Systems neuroscience through the lens of evolutionary theory'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M. Fine
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Benjamin Y. Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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20
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Li S, Wang XJ. Hierarchical timescales in the neocortex: Mathematical mechanism and biological insights. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2110274119. [PMID: 35110401 PMCID: PMC8832993 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110274119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A cardinal feature of the neocortex is the progressive increase of the spatial receptive fields along the cortical hierarchy. Recently, theoretical and experimental findings have shown that the temporal response windows also gradually enlarge, so that early sensory neural circuits operate on short timescales whereas higher-association areas are capable of integrating information over a long period of time. While an increased receptive field is accounted for by spatial summation of inputs from neurons in an upstream area, the emergence of timescale hierarchy cannot be readily explained, especially given the dense interareal cortical connectivity known in the modern connectome. To uncover the required neurobiological properties, we carried out a rigorous analysis of an anatomically based large-scale cortex model of macaque monkeys. Using a perturbation method, we show that the segregation of disparate timescales is defined in terms of the localization of eigenvectors of the connectivity matrix, which depends on three circuit properties: 1) a macroscopic gradient of synaptic excitation, 2) distinct electrophysiological properties between excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations, and 3) a detailed balance between long-range excitatory inputs and local inhibitory inputs for each area-to-area pathway. Our work thus provides a quantitative understanding of the mechanism underlying the emergence of timescale hierarchy in large-scale primate cortical networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songting Li
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China;
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Scientific and Engineering Computing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003
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