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White E, Dalley JW. Brain mechanisms of temporal processing in impulsivity: Relevance to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Brain Neurosci Adv 2024; 8:23982128241272234. [PMID: 39148691 PMCID: PMC11325328 DOI: 10.1177/23982128241272234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In this article, we critique the hypothesis that different varieties of impulsivity, including impulsiveness present in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, encompass an accelerated perception of time. This conceptualisation provides insights into how individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder have the capacity to maximise cognitive capabilities by more closely aligning themselves with appropriate environmental contexts (e.g. fast paced tasks that prevent boredom). We discuss the evidence for altered time perception in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder alongside putative underlying neurobiological substrates, including a distributed brain network mediating time perception over multiple timescales. In particular, we explore the importance of temporal representations across the brain for time perception and symptom manifestation in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, including a prominent role of the hippocampus and other temporal lobe regions. We also reflect on how abnormalities in the perception of time may be relevant for understanding the aetiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and mechanism of action of existing medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor White
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, Herschel Smith Building for Brain and Mind Sciences, Cambridge, UK
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2
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Mafi F, Tang MF, Afarinesh MR, Ghasemian S, Sheibani V, Arabzadeh E. Temporal order judgment of multisensory stimuli in rat and human. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 16:1070452. [PMID: 36710957 PMCID: PMC9879721 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1070452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We do not fully understand the resolution at which temporal information is processed by different species. Here we employed a temporal order judgment (TOJ) task in rats and humans to test the temporal precision with which these species can detect the order of presentation of simple stimuli across two modalities of vision and audition. Both species reported the order of audiovisual stimuli when they were presented from a central location at a range of stimulus onset asynchronies (SOA)s. While both species could reliably distinguish the temporal order of stimuli based on their sensory content (i.e., the modality label), rats outperformed humans at short SOAs (less than 100 ms) whereas humans outperformed rats at long SOAs (greater than 100 ms). Moreover, rats produced faster responses compared to humans. The reaction time data further revealed key differences in decision process across the two species: at longer SOAs, reaction times increased in rats but decreased in humans. Finally, drift-diffusion modeling allowed us to isolate the contribution of various parameters including evidence accumulation rates, lapse and bias to the sensory decision. Consistent with the psychophysical findings, the model revealed higher temporal sensitivity and a higher lapse rate in rats compared to humans. These findings suggest that these species applied different strategies for making perceptual decisions in the context of a multimodal TOJ task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Mafi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Matthew F. Tang
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Mohammad Reza Afarinesh
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Sadegh Ghasemian
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Vahid Sheibani
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ehsan Arabzadeh
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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3
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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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4
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Girotti M, Carreno FR, Morilak DA. Role of Orbitofrontal Cortex and Differential Effects of Acute and Chronic Stress on Motor Impulsivity Measured With 1-Choice Serial Reaction Time Test in Male Rats. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 25:1026-1036. [PMID: 36087292 PMCID: PMC9743967 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyac062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deficits in motor impulsivity, that is, the inability to inhibit a prepotent response, are frequently observed in psychiatric conditions. Several studies suggest that stress often correlates with higher impulsivity. Among the brain areas affected by stress, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is notable because of its role in impulse control. OFC subregions with unique afferent and efferent circuitry play distinct roles in impulse control, yet it is not clear what OFC subregions are engaged during motor impulsivity tasks. METHODS In this study we used a rodent test of motor impulsivity, the 1-choice serial reaction time test, to explore activation of OFC subregions either during a well-learned motor impulsivity task or in a challenge task with a longer wait time that increases premature responding. We also examined the effects of acute inescapable stress, chronic intermittent cold stress and chronic unpredictable stress on motor impulsivity. RESULTS Fos expression increased in the lateral OFC and agranular insular cortex during performance in both the mastered and challenge conditions. In the ventral OFC, Fos expression increased only during challenge, and within the medial OFC, Fos was not induced in either condition. Inescapable stress produced a transient effect on premature responses in the mastered task, whereas chronic intermittent cold stress and chronic unpredictable stress altered premature responses in both conditions in ways specific to each stressor. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that different OFC subregions have different roles in motor impulse control, and the effects of stress vary depending on the nature and duration of the stressor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Girotti
- Correspondence: Milena Girotti, PhD, Department of Pharmacology, Mail Code 7764, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA ()
| | - Flavia R Carreno
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - David A Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA,South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA
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5
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Ponzi A, Wickens J. Ramping activity in the striatum. Front Comput Neurosci 2022; 16:902741. [PMID: 35978564 PMCID: PMC9376361 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2022.902741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Control of the timing of behavior is thought to require the basal ganglia (BG) and BG pathologies impair performance in timing tasks. Temporal interval discrimination depends on the ramping activity of medium spiny neurons (MSN) in the main BG input structure, the striatum, but the underlying mechanisms driving this activity are unclear. Here, we combine an MSN dynamical network model with an action selection system applied to an interval discrimination task. We find that when network parameters are appropriate for the striatum so that slowly fluctuating marginally stable dynamics are intrinsically generated, up and down ramping populations naturally emerge which enable significantly above chance task performance. We show that emergent population activity is in very good agreement with empirical studies and discuss how MSN network dysfunction in disease may alter temporal perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Ponzi
- Institute of Biophysics, Italian National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
- *Correspondence: Adam Ponzi
| | - Jeff Wickens
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, Japan
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6
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Traveling waves in the prefrontal cortex during working memory. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009827. [PMID: 35089915 PMCID: PMC8827486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural oscillations are evident across cortex but their spatial structure is not well- explored. Are oscillations stationary or do they form "traveling waves", i.e., spatially organized patterns whose peaks and troughs move sequentially across cortex? Here, we show that oscillations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) organized as traveling waves in the theta (4-8Hz), alpha (8-12Hz) and beta (12-30Hz) bands. Some traveling waves were planar but most rotated. The waves were modulated during performance of a working memory task. During baseline conditions, waves flowed bidirectionally along a specific axis of orientation. Waves in different frequency bands could travel in different directions. During task performance, there was an increase in waves in one direction over the other, especially in the beta band.
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7
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Toschi C, El-Sayed Hervig M, Burghi T, Sell T, Lycas MD, Moazen P, Huang L, Gether U, Robbins TW, Dalley JW. Dissociating reward sensitivity and negative urgency effects on impulsivity in the five-choice serial reaction time task. Brain Neurosci Adv 2022; 6:23982128221102256. [PMID: 35721835 PMCID: PMC9201310 DOI: 10.1177/23982128221102256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative urgency describes the tendency for rash and impulsive behaviour during negative emotional states and has been linked to a number of psychiatric disorders. However, there has been limited research on negative urgency as an explanatory mechanism for impulsivity in experimental animals. Such research has important implications for elucidating the neurobiology of negative urgency and thereby the development of future therapeutic interventions. In this study, we investigated the effects of negative urgency using a partial reinforcement schedule to increase the frequency of non-rewarded (i.e. frustrative) trials in the five-choice serial reaction time task, a widely used task to assess visual attention and impulsivity. Using a Markov chain model to analyse trial-by-trial outcomes we found that premature (i.e. impulsive) responses in the five-choice serial reaction time task were more likely to occur after a non-rewarded trial, and mostly after a previous premature trial. However, contrary to the frustration hypothesis of negative urgency, increasing the probability of reinforcement (p(R)) from p(R) = 0.5 to p(R) = 1 increased the number of premature responses in each session. Micro and macro levels of analyses revealed that impulsivity in the five-choice serial reaction time task is governed by at least two processes, one dependent on the overall level of reinforcement hypothesised to determine the state of behavioural activation, the second dependent on trial-by-trial outcomes consistent with negative urgency effects. These processes may depend on distinct neurobiological mechanisms and have relevance for neuropsychiatric disorders that implicate impulsive behaviours dependent on positive and negative affective states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Toschi
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural
and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mona El-Sayed Hervig
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural
and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Neuroscience, University
of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thiago Burghi
- Department of Engineering, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Torben Sell
- School of Mathematics, University of
Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Parisa Moazen
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of
Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Li Huang
- Department of Physiology, Development
and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Department of Neuroscience, University
of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural
and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jeffrey W. Dalley
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural
and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, Hershel Smith
Building for Brain and Mind Sciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s
Hospital, Cambridge, UK
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8
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Vandaele Y, Ottenheimer DJ, Janak PH. Dorsomedial Striatal Activity Tracks Completion of Behavioral Sequences in Rats. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0279-21.2021. [PMID: 34725103 PMCID: PMC8607909 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0279-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
For proper execution of goal-directed behaviors, individuals require both a general representation of the goal and an ability to monitor their own progress toward that goal. Here, we examine how dorsomedial striatum (DMS), a region pivotal for forming associations among stimuli, actions, and outcomes, encodes the execution of goal-directed action sequences that require self-monitoring of behavior. We trained rats to complete a sequence of at least five consecutive lever presses (without visiting the reward port) to obtain a reward and recorded the activity of individual cells in DMS while rats performed the task. We found that the pattern of DMS activity gradually changed during the execution of the sequence, permitting accurate decoding of sequence progress from neural activity at a population level. Moreover, this sequence-related activity was blunted on trials where rats did not complete a sufficient number of presses. Overall, these data suggest a link between DMS activity and the execution of behavioral sequences that require monitoring of ongoing behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youna Vandaele
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - David J Ottenheimer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205
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9
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A sex-dependent role for the prelimbic cortex in impulsive action both before and following early cocaine abstinence. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1565-1573. [PMID: 33972695 PMCID: PMC8280154 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Although impulsive action is strongly associated with addiction, the neural underpinnings of this relationship and how they are influenced by sex have not been well characterized. Here, we used a titrating reaction time task to assess differences in impulsive action in male and female Long Evans rats both before and after short (4-6 days) or long (25-27 days) abstinence from 2 weeks of cocaine or water/saline self-administration (6 h daily access). Neural activity in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) core was assessed at each time point. We found that a history of cocaine self-administration increased impulsivity in all rats following short, but not long, abstinence. Furthermore, male rats with an increased ratio of excited to inhibited neurons in the PrL at the start of each trial in the task exhibited higher impulsivity in the naïve state (before self-administration). Following short abstinence from cocaine, PrL activity in males became more inhibited, and this change in activity predicted the shift in impulsivity. However, PrL activity did not track impulsivity in female rats. Additionally, although the NAc core tracked several aspects of behavior in the task, it did not track impulsivity in either sex. Together, these findings demonstrate a sex-dependent role for the PrL in impulsivity both before and after a history of cocaine.
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10
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Jones JA, Zuhlsdorff K, Dalley JW. Neurochemical substrates linked to impulsive and compulsive phenotypes in addiction: A preclinical perspective. J Neurochem 2021; 157:1525-1546. [PMID: 33931861 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Drug compulsion manifests in some but not all individuals and implicates multifaceted processes including failures in top-down cognitive control as drivers for the hazardous pursuit of drug use in some individuals. As a closely related construct, impulsivity encompasses rash or risky behaviour without foresight and underlies most forms of drug taking behaviour, including drug use during adverse emotional states (i.e., negative urgency). While impulsive behavioural dimensions emerge from drug-induced brain plasticity, burgeoning evidence suggests that impulsivity also predates the emergence of compulsive drug use. Although the neural substrates underlying the apparently causal relationship between trait impulsivity and drug compulsion are poorly understood, significant advances have come from the interrogation of defined limbic cortico-striatal circuits involved in motivated behaviour and response inhibition, together with chemical neuromodulatory influences from the ascending neurotransmitter systems. We review what is presently known about the neurochemical mediation of impulsivity, in its various forms, and ask whether commonalities exist in the neurochemistry of compulsive drug-motivated behaviours that might explain individual risk for addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolyon A Jones
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, Hershel Smith Building for Brain and Mind Sciences, Cambridge, UK
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11
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Temporally Specific Roles of Ventral Tegmental Area Projections to the Nucleus Accumbens and Prefrontal Cortex in Attention and Impulse Control. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4293-4304. [PMID: 33837050 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0477-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficits in impulse control and attention are prominent in the symptomatology of mental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance addiction, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, yet the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Frontostriatal structures, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAcb), the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and their dopaminergic innervation from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have been implicated in impulse control and attention. What remains unclear is how the temporal pattern of activity of these VTA projections contributes to these processes. Here, we optogenetically stimulated VTA dopamine (DA) cells, as well as VTA projections to the NAcb core (NAcbC), NAcb shell (NAcbS), and the mPFC in male rats performing the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). Our data show that stimulation of VTA DA neurons, and VTA projections to the NAcbC and the mPFC immediately before presentation of the stimulus cue, impaired attention but spared impulse control. Importantly, in addition to reducing attention, activation of VTA-NAcbS also increased impulsivity when tested under a longer intertrial interval (ITI), to provoke impulsive behavior. Optogenetic stimulation at the beginning of the ITI only partially replicated these effects. In sum, our data show how attention and impulsivity are modulated by neuronal activity in distinct ascending output pathways from the VTA in a temporally specific manner. These findings increase our understanding of the intricate mechanisms by which mesocorticolimbic circuits contribute to cognition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Deficits in impulse control and attention are prominent in the symptomatology of several mental disorders, yet the brain mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Since frontostriatal circuits have been implicated in impulse control and attention, we here examined the role of ascending projections from the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAcb) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using optogenetics to individually stimulate these projections with time-locked precision, we distinguished the role that each of these projections plays, in both impulse control and attention. As such, our study enhances our understanding of the neuronal circuitry that drives impulsive and attentive behavior.
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12
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de Kloet SF, Bruinsma B, Terra H, Heistek TS, Passchier EMJ, van den Berg AR, Luchicchi A, Min R, Pattij T, Mansvelder HD. Bi-directional regulation of cognitive control by distinct prefrontal cortical output neurons to thalamus and striatum. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1994. [PMID: 33790281 PMCID: PMC8012364 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) steers goal-directed actions and withholds inappropriate behavior. Dorsal and ventral mPFC (dmPFC/vmPFC) circuits have distinct roles in cognitive control, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we use neuroanatomical tracing techniques, in vitro electrophysiology, chemogenetics and fiber photometry in rats engaged in a 5-choice serial reaction time task to characterize dmPFC and vmPFC outputs to distinct thalamic and striatal subdomains. We identify four spatially segregated projection neuron populations in the mPFC. Using fiber photometry we show that these projections distinctly encode behavior. Postsynaptic striatal and thalamic neurons differentially process synaptic inputs from dmPFC and vmPFC, highlighting mechanisms that potentially amplify distinct pathways underlying cognitive control of behavior. Chemogenetic silencing of dmPFC and vmPFC projections to lateral and medial mediodorsal thalamus subregions oppositely regulate cognitive control. In addition, dmPFC neurons projecting to striatum and thalamus divergently regulate cognitive control. Collectively, we show that mPFC output pathways targeting anatomically and functionally distinct striatal and thalamic subregions encode bi-directional command of cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sybren F de Kloet
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Bastiaan Bruinsma
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huub Terra
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tim S Heistek
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emma M J Passchier
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandra R van den Berg
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Luchicchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rogier Min
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tommy Pattij
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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13
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Impulsive prepotent actions and tics in Tourette disorder underpinned by a common neural network. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3548-3557. [PMID: 32994553 PMCID: PMC8505252 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00890-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Tourette disorder (TD), which is characterized by motor and vocal tics, is not in general considered as a product of impulsivity, despite a frequent association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and impulse control disorders. It is unclear which type of impulsivity, if any, is intrinsically related to TD and specifically to the severity of tics. The waiting type of motor impulsivity, defined as the difficulty to withhold a specific action, shares some common features with tics. In a large group of adult TD patients compared to healthy controls, we assessed waiting motor impulsivity using a behavioral task, as well as structural and functional underpinnings of waiting impulsivity and tics using multi-modal neuroimaging protocol. We found that unmedicated TD patients showed increased waiting impulsivity compared to controls, which was independent of comorbid conditions, but correlated with the severity of tics. Tic severity did not account directly for waiting impulsivity, but this effect was mediated by connectivity between the right orbito-frontal cortex with caudate nucleus bilaterally. Waiting impulsivity in unmedicated patients with TD also correlated with a higher gray matter signal in deep limbic structures, as well as connectivity with cortical and with cerebellar regions on a functional level. Neither behavioral performance nor structural or functional correlates were related to a psychometric measure of impulsivity or impulsive behaviors in general. Overall, the results suggest that waiting impulsivity in TD was related to tic severity, to functional connectivity of orbito-frontal cortex with caudate nucleus and to structural changes within limbic areas.
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14
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Miyazaki K, Miyazaki KW, Sivori G, Yamanaka A, Tanaka KF, Doya K. Serotonergic projections to the orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortices differentially modulate waiting for future rewards. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/48/eabc7246. [PMID: 33246957 PMCID: PMC7695476 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc7246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetic activation of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) enhances patience when waiting for future rewards, and this effect is maximized by both high probability and high timing uncertainty of reward. Here, we explored which serotonin projection areas contribute to these effects using optogenetic axon terminal stimulation. We found that serotonin stimulation in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is nearly as effective as that in the DRN for promoting waiting, while in the nucleus accumbens, it does not promote waiting. We also found that serotonin stimulation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) promotes waiting only when the timing of future rewards is uncertain. Our Bayesian decision model of waiting assumed that the OFC and mPFC calculate the posterior probability of reward delivery separately. These results suggest that serotonin in the mPFC affects evaluation of time committed, while serotonin in the OFC is responsible for overall valuation of delayed rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhiko Miyazaki
- Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Kayoko W Miyazaki
- Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Gaston Sivori
- Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Kenji F Tanaka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Kenji Doya
- Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
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15
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Prefrontal Cortical Projection Neurons Targeting Dorsomedial Striatum Control Behavioral Inhibition. Curr Biol 2020; 30:4188-4200.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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16
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Emmons E, Tunes-Chiuffa G, Choi J, Bruce RA, Weber MA, Kim Y, Narayanan NS. Temporal Learning Among Prefrontal and Striatal Ensembles. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa058. [PMID: 34296121 PMCID: PMC8152894 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility requires the prefrontal cortex and striatum, but it is unclear if these structures play similar or distinct roles in adapting to novel circumstances. Here, we investigate neuronal ensembles in the medial frontal cortex (MFC) and the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) during one form of behavioral flexibility: learning a new temporal interval. We studied corticostriatal neuronal activity as rodents trained to respond after a 12-s fixed interval (FI12) learned to respond at a shorter 3-s fixed interval (FI3). On FI12 trials, we found that a key form of temporal processing—time-related ramping activity—decreased in the MFC but did not change in the DMS as animals learned to respond at a shorter interval. However, while MFC and DMS ramping was stable with successive days of two-interval performance, temporal decoding by DMS ensembles improved on FI3 trials. Finally, when comparing FI12 versus FI3 trials, we found that more DMS neurons than MFC neurons exhibited differential interval-related activity early in two-interval performance. These data suggest that the MFC and DMS play distinct roles during temporal learning and provide insight into corticostriatal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Emmons
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06515, USA
| | | | - Jeeyu Choi
- School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - R Austin Bruce
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Matthew A Weber
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Youngcho Kim
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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17
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Tallot L, Doyère V. Neural encoding of time in the animal brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 115:146-163. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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18
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Dalley JW, Ersche KD. Neural circuitry and mechanisms of waiting impulsivity: relevance to addiction. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 374:20180145. [PMID: 30966923 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Impatience-the failure to wait or tolerate delayed rewards (e.g. food, drug and monetary incentives)-is a common behavioural tendency in humans. However, when rigidly and rapidly expressed with limited regard for future, often negative consequences, impatient or impulsive actions underlie and confer susceptibility for such diverse brain disorders as drug addiction, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and major depressive disorder. Consequently, 'waiting' impulsivity has emerged as a candidate endophenotype to inform translational research on underlying neurobiological mechanisms and biomarker discovery for many of the so-called impulse-control disorders. Indeed, as reviewed in this article, this research enterprise has revealed a number of unexpected targets and mechanisms for intervention. However, in the context of drug addiction, impulsive decisions that maximize short-term gains (e.g. acute drug consumption) over longer-term punishment (e.g. unemployment, homelessness, personal harm) defines one aspect of impulsivity, which may or may not be related to rapid, unrestrained actions over shorter timescales. We discuss the relevance of this distinction in impulsivity subtypes for drug addiction with reference to translational research in humans and other animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Risk taking and impulsive behaviour: fundamental discoveries, theoretical perspectives and clinical implications'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Dalley
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 3EB , UK.,2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 0SZ , UK
| | - Karen D Ersche
- 1 Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 3EB , UK
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19
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Zaleshin A, Merzhanova G. Synchronization of Independent Neural Ensembles in Human EEG during Choice Tasks. Behav Sci (Basel) 2019; 9:bs9120132. [PMID: 31795106 PMCID: PMC6960748 DOI: 10.3390/bs9120132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During behavioral experiments, humans placed in a situation of having to choose between a more valuable but risky reward and a less valuable but guaranteed reward make their decisions in accordance with external situational factors and individual characteristics, such as inclination to risk or caution. In such situations, humans can be divided into “risk-inclined” and “risk-averse” (or “cautious”) subjects. In this work, characteristics of EEG rhythms, such as phase–phase relationships and time lags between rhythms, were studied in pairs of alpha–beta and theta–beta rhythms. Phase difference can also be expressed as a time lag. It has been suggested that statistically significant time lags between rhythms are due to the combined neural activity of anatomically separate, independent (in activation/inhibition processes) ensembles. The extents of synchronicity between rhythms were compared as percentages between risk-inclined and risk-averse subjects. The results showed that synchronicity in response to stimuli was more often observed in pairs of alpha–beta rhythms of risk-averse subjects compared with risk-inclined subjects during the choice of a more valuable but less probable reward. In addition, significant differences in the percentage ratio of alpha and beta rhythms were revealed between (i) cases of synchronization without long time lags and (ii) cases with long time lags between rhythms (from 0.08 to 0.1 s).
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20
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Heskje J, Heslin K, De Corte BJ, Walsh KP, Kim Y, Han S, Carlson ES, Parker KL. Cerebellar D1DR-expressing neurons modulate the frontal cortex during timing tasks. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 170:107067. [PMID: 31404656 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.107067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Converging lines of evidence suggest that the cerebellum plays an integral role in cognitive function through its interactions with association cortices like the medial frontal cortex (MFC). It is unknown precisely how the cerebellum influences the frontal cortex and what type of information is reciprocally relayed between these two regions. A subset of neurons in the cerebellar dentate nuclei, or the homologous lateral cerebellar nuclei (LCN) in rodents, express D1 dopamine receptors (D1DRs) and may play a role in cognitive processes. We investigated how pharmacologically blocking LCN D1DRs influences performance in an interval timing task and impacts neuronal activity in the frontal cortex. Interval timing requires executive processes such as working memory, attention, and planning and is known to rely on both the frontal cortex and cerebellum. In our interval timing task, male rats indicated their estimates of the passage of a period of several seconds by making lever presses for a water reward. We have shown that a cue-evoked burst of low-frequency activity in the MFC initiates ramping activity (i.e., monotonic increases or decreases of firing rate over time) in single MFC neurons. These patterns of activity are associated with successful interval timing performance. Here we explored how blocking right LCN D1DRs with the D1DR antagonist SCH23390 influences timing performance and neural activity in the contralateral (left) MFC. Our results indicate that blocking LCN D1DRs impaired some measures of interval timing performance. Additionally, ramping activity of MFC single units was significantly attenuated. These data provide insight into how catecholamines in the LCN may drive MFC neuronal dynamics to influence cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonah Heskje
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Kelsey Heslin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Benjamin J De Corte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Kyle P Walsh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Youngcho Kim
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Sangwoo Han
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Erik S Carlson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States; Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Puget Sound Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Seattle, WA 98108, United States
| | - Krystal L Parker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States.
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21
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Tzagarakis C, Thompson A, Rogers RD, Pellizzer G. The Degree of Modulation of Beta Band Activity During Motor Planning Is Related to Trait Impulsivity. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:1. [PMID: 30705624 PMCID: PMC6344424 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Impulsivity is a prominent personality trait, and a key modulating component of neurologic and psychiatric disorders. How impulsivity is related to the brain mechanisms associated with action planning is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the relation between impulsivity and the modulation of beta band oscillatory activity associated with action planning and execution. Given that beta power decreases during action planning and decreases further during action execution, we hypothesized that during planning the level of beta band power of more impulsive individuals would be closer to the level reached during execution than that of less impulsive individuals. This could explain the tendency to "jump the gun" (commission errors) in high impulsivity. To test this hypothesis, we recruited healthy volunteers (50 participants analyzed) and used the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale questionnaire to evaluate their impulsivity as high or low. We then recorded their brain neuromagnetic signals while they performed an instructed-delay task that induced different levels of action planning by varying the number of spatial cues, hence the uncertainty, about the location of the upcoming target. During the early cue period of the task, we found a posterior (source localized in the occipito-parietal areas) and a left fronto-central group of channels (source localized in the left sensorimotor areas) where beta power was modulated by number of cues, whereas during the late cue period only the left fronto-central group was modulated. We found that the decrease of relative beta band power during action planning in the left fronto-central group of channels was more pronounced in the high impulsivity group than in the low impulsivity group. In addition, we found that the beta band-mediated functional connectivity between the posterior and the left fronto-central groups of channels was weaker in the high impulsivity group than in the low impulsivity group during the early cue period. Furthermore, high impulsives made more commission and movement errors in the task than low impulsives. These results reveal neural mechanisms through which impulsivity affects action planning and open the way for further study of the role of beta band activity in impulsivity, especially in the context of disease and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charidimos Tzagarakis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Brain Sciences Center, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Thompson
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Robert D. Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Giuseppe Pellizzer
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Brain Sciences Center, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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22
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Abstract
The striatum controls food-related actions and consumption and is linked to feeding disorders, including obesity and anorexia nervosa. Two populations of neurons project from the striatum: direct pathway medium spiny neurons and indirect pathway medium spiny neurons. The selective contribution of direct pathway medium spiny neurons and indirect pathway medium spiny neurons to food-related actions and consumption remains unknown. Here, we used in vivo electrophysiology and fiber photometry in mice (of both sexes) to record both spiking activity and pathway-specific calcium activity of dorsal striatal neurons during approach to and consumption of food pellets. While electrophysiology revealed complex task-related dynamics across neurons, population calcium was enhanced during approach and inhibited during consumption in both pathways. We also observed ramping changes in activity that preceded both pellet-directed actions and spontaneous movements. These signals were heterogeneous in the spiking units, with neurons exhibiting either increasing or decreasing ramps. In contrast, the population calcium signals were homogeneous, with both pathways having increasing ramps of activity for several seconds before actions were initiated. An analysis comparing population firing rates to population calcium signals also revealed stronger ramping dynamics in the calcium signals than in the spiking data. In a second experiment, we trained the mice to perform an action sequence to evaluate when the ramping signals terminated. We found that the ramping signals terminated at the beginning of the action sequence, suggesting they may reflect upcoming actions and not preconsumption activity. Plasticity of such mechanisms may underlie disorders that alter action selection, such as drug addiction or obesity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Alterations in striatal function have been linked to pathological consumption in disorders, such as obesity and drug addiction. We recorded spiking and population calcium activity from the dorsal striatum during ad libitum feeding and an operant task that resulted in mice obtaining food pellets. Dorsal striatal neurons exhibited long ramps in activity that preceded actions by several seconds, and may reflect upcoming actions. Understanding how the striatum controls the preparation and generation of actions may lead to improved therapies for disorders, such as drug addiction or obesity.
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23
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Emmons EB, De Corte BJ, Kim Y, Parker KL, Matell MS, Narayanan NS. Rodent Medial Frontal Control of Temporal Processing in the Dorsomedial Striatum. J Neurosci 2017; 37:8718-8733. [PMID: 28821670 PMCID: PMC5588464 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1376-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although frontostriatal circuits are critical for the temporal control of action, how time is encoded in frontostriatal circuits is unknown. We recorded from frontal and striatal neurons while rats engaged in interval timing, an elementary cognitive function that engages both areas. We report four main results. First, "ramping" activity, a monotonic change in neuronal firing rate across time, is observed throughout frontostriatal ensembles. Second, frontostriatal activity scales across multiple intervals. Third, striatal ramping neurons are correlated with activity of the medial frontal cortex. Finally, interval timing and striatal ramping activity are disrupted when the medial frontal cortex is inactivated. Our results support the view that striatal neurons integrate medial frontal activity and are consistent with drift-diffusion models of interval timing. This principle elucidates temporal processing in frontostriatal circuits and provides insight into how the medial frontal cortex exerts top-down control of cognitive processing in the striatum.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to guide actions in time is essential to mammalian behavior from rodents to humans. The prefrontal cortex and striatum are critically involved in temporal processing and share extensive neuronal connections, yet it remains unclear how these structures represent time. We studied these two brain areas in rodents performing interval-timing tasks and found that time-dependent "ramping" activity, a monotonic increase or decrease in neuronal activity, was a key temporal signal. Furthermore, we found that striatal ramping activity was correlated with and dependent upon medial frontal activity. These results provide insight into information-processing principles in frontostriatal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Krystal L Parker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, and
| | - Matthew S Matell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085
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24
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Murakami M, Shteingart H, Loewenstein Y, Mainen ZF. Distinct Sources of Deterministic and Stochastic Components of Action Timing Decisions in Rodent Frontal Cortex. Neuron 2017; 94:908-919.e7. [PMID: 28521140 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.04.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The selection and timing of actions are subject to determinate influences such as sensory cues and internal state as well as to effectively stochastic variability. Although stochastic choice mechanisms are assumed by many theoretical models, their origin and mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we investigated this issue by studying how neural circuits in the frontal cortex determine action timing in rats performing a waiting task. Electrophysiological recordings from two regions necessary for this behavior, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and secondary motor cortex (M2), revealed an unexpected functional dissociation. Both areas encoded deterministic biases in action timing, but only M2 neurons reflected stochastic trial-by-trial fluctuations. This differential coding was reflected in distinct timescales of neural dynamics in the two frontal cortical areas. These results suggest a two-stage model in which stochastic components of action timing decisions are injected by circuits downstream of those carrying deterministic bias signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayoshi Murakami
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Hanan Shteingart
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yonatan Loewenstein
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Neurobiology, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences and the Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Zachary F Mainen
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
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25
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Dalley JW, Robbins TW. Fractionating impulsivity: neuropsychiatric implications. Nat Rev Neurosci 2017; 18:158-171. [PMID: 28209979 DOI: 10.1038/nrn.2017.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 377] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to make decisions and act quickly without hesitation can be advantageous in many settings. However, when persistently expressed, impulsive decisions and actions are considered risky, maladaptive and symptomatic of such diverse brain disorders as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, drug addiction and affective disorders. Over the past decade, rapid progress has been made in the identification of discrete neural networks that underlie different forms of impulsivity - from impaired response inhibition and risky decision making to a profound intolerance of delayed rewards. Herein, we review what is currently known about the neural and psychological mechanisms of impulsivity, and discuss the relevance and application of these new insights to various neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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26
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Chemogenetic Activation of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons Affects Attention, but not Impulsivity, in the Five-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1315-1325. [PMID: 27748741 PMCID: PMC5437879 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Attentional impairments and exaggerated impulsivity are key features of psychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and addiction. These deficits in attentional performance and impulsive behaviors have been associated with aberrant dopamine (DA) signaling, but it remains unknown whether these deficits result from enhanced DA neuronal activity in the midbrain. Here, we took a novel approach by testing the impact of chemogenetically activating DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) on attention and impulsivity in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) in rats. We found that activation of DA neurons in both the VTA and SNc impaired attention by increasing trial omissions. In addition, SNc DA neuron activation decreased attentional accuracy. Surprisingly, enhanced DA neuron activity did not affect impulsive action in this task. These results show that enhanced midbrain DA neuronal activity induces deficits in attentional performance, but not impulsivity. Furthermore, DA neurons in the VTA and SNc have different roles in regulating attention. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural substrates underlying attention deficits and impulsivity, and provide valuable insights to improve treatment of these symptoms.
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27
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Persistent Neuronal Activity in Anterior Cingulate Cortex Correlates with Sustained Attention in Rats Regardless of Sensory Modality. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43101. [PMID: 28230158 PMCID: PMC5322335 DOI: 10.1038/srep43101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has long been thought to regulate conflict between an object of attention and distractors during goal-directed sustained attention. However, it is unclear whether ACC serves to sustained attention itself. Here, we developed a task in which the time course of sustained attention could be controlled in rats. Then, using pharmacological lesion experiments, we employed it to assess function of ACC in sustained attention. We then recorded neuronal activity in ACC using multichannel extracellular recording techniques and identified specific ACC neurons persistently activated during the period of attention. Further experiments showed that target modality had minimal influence on the neuronal activity, and distracting external sensory input during the attention period did not perturb persistent neuronal activity. Additionally, minimal trial-to-trial variability in neuronal activity observed during sustained attention supports a role for ACC neurons in that behavior. Therefore, we conclude that the ACC neuronal activity correlates with sustained attention.
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28
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Miyazaki K, Miyazaki K, Doya K. [Brain computation mechanism of prediction and decision making by dorsal raphe serotonin neurons]. Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2017; 149:34-39. [PMID: 28049876 DOI: 10.1254/fpj.149.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
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29
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Robbins TW, Dalley JW. Dissecting Impulsivity: Brain Mechanisms and Neuropsychiatric Implications. NEBRASKA SYMPOSIUM ON MOTIVATION 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-51721-6_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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30
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Luchicchi A, Mnie-Filali O, Terra H, Bruinsma B, de Kloet SF, Obermayer J, Heistek TS, de Haan R, de Kock CPJ, Deisseroth K, Pattij T, Mansvelder HD. Sustained Attentional States Require Distinct Temporal Involvement of the Dorsal and Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2016; 10:70. [PMID: 27630545 PMCID: PMC5005373 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2016.00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Attending the sensory environment for cue detection is a cognitive operation that occurs on a time scale of seconds. The dorsal and ventral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) contribute to separate aspects of attentional processing. Pyramidal neurons in different parts of the mPFC are active during cognitive behavior, yet whether this activity is causally underlying attentional processing is not known. We aimed to determine the precise temporal requirements for activation of the mPFC subregions during the seconds prior to cue detection. To test this, we used optogenetic silencing of dorsal or ventral mPFC pyramidal neurons at defined time windows during a sustained attentional state. We find that the requirement of ventral mPFC pyramidal neuron activity is strictly time-locked to stimulus detection. Inhibiting the ventral mPFC 2 s before or during cue presentation reduces response accuracy and hampers behavioral inhibition. The requirement for dorsal mPFC activity on the other hand is temporally more loosely related to a preparatory attentional state, and short lapses in pyramidal neuron activity in dorsal mPFC do not affect performance. This only occurs when the dorsal mPFC is inhibited during the entire preparatory period. Together, our results reveal that a dissociable temporal recruitment of ventral and dorsal mPFC is required during attentional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Luchicchi
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ouissame Mnie-Filali
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Huub Terra
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan Bruinsma
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sybren F de Kloet
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joshua Obermayer
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tim S Heistek
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Roel de Haan
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Christiaan P J de Kock
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tommy Pattij
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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31
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Kim H, Ährlund-Richter S, Wang X, Deisseroth K, Carlén M. Prefrontal Parvalbumin Neurons in Control of Attention. Cell 2016; 164:208-218. [PMID: 26771492 PMCID: PMC4715187 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 294] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
While signatures of attention have been extensively studied in sensory systems, the neural sources and computations responsible for top-down control of attention are largely unknown. Using chronic recordings in mice, we found that fast-spiking parvalbumin (FS-PV) interneurons in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) uniformly show increased and sustained firing during goal-driven attentional processing, correlating to the level of attention. Elevated activity of FS-PV neurons on the timescale of seconds predicted successful execution of behavior. Successful allocation of attention was characterized by strong synchronization of FS-PV neurons, increased gamma oscillations, and phase locking of pyramidal firing. Phase-locked pyramidal neurons showed gamma-phase-dependent rate modulation during successful attentional processing. Optogenetic silencing of FS-PV neurons deteriorated attentional processing, while optogenetic synchronization of FS-PV neurons at gamma frequencies had pro-cognitive effects and improved goal-directed behavior. FS-PV neurons thus act as a functional unit coordinating the activity in the local mPFC circuit during goal-driven attentional processing. Increased firing of mPFC PV interneurons is a signature of top-down attention Attention is characterized by synchronization of mPFC PV neurons and elevated gamma Local pyramidal neurons show gamma-phase-dependent rate modulation during attention Synchronization of mPFC PV neurons at gamma frequencies has pro-cognitive effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoseok Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg 8, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sofie Ährlund-Richter
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg 8, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xinming Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg 8, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, W080 Clark Center, 318 Campus Drive West, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Bioengineering, W080 Clark Center, 318 Campus Drive West, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, W080 Clark Center, 318 Campus Drive West, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Marie Carlén
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg 8, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Parker KL, Chen KH, Kingyon JR, Cavanagh JF, Narayanan NS. Medial frontal ∼4-Hz activity in humans and rodents is attenuated in PD patients and in rodents with cortical dopamine depletion. J Neurophysiol 2015; 114:1310-20. [PMID: 26133799 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00412.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The temporal control of action is a highly conserved and critical mammalian behavior. Here, we investigate the neuronal basis of this process using an interval timing task. In rats and humans, instructional timing cues triggered spectral power across delta and theta bands (2-6 Hz) from the medial frontal cortex (MFC). Humans and rodents with dysfunctional dopamine have impaired interval timing, and we found that both humans with Parkinson's disease (PD) and rodents with local MFC dopamine depletion had attenuated delta and theta activity. In rodents, spectral activity in this range could functionally couple single MFC neurons involved in temporal processing. Without MFC dopamine, these neurons had less functional coupling with delta/theta activity and less temporal processing. Finally, in humans this 2- to 6-Hz activity was correlated with executive function in matched controls but not in PD patients. Collectively, these findings suggest that cue-evoked low-frequency rhythms could be a clinically important biomarker of PD that is translatable to rodent models, facilitating mechanistic inquiry and the development of neurophysiological biomarkers for human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal L Parker
- Department of Neurology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Kuan-Hua Chen
- Department of Neurology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Johnathan R Kingyon
- Department of Neurology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Nandakumar S Narayanan
- Department of Neurology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; Aging Mind and Brain Initiative, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; and
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Parker KL. Timing Tasks Synchronize Cerebellar and Frontal Ramping Activity and Theta Oscillations: Implications for Cerebellar Stimulation in Diseases of Impaired Cognition. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:190. [PMID: 26834650 PMCID: PMC4716138 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Timing is a fundamental and highly conserved mammalian capability, yet the underlying neural mechanisms are widely debated. Ramping activity of single neurons that gradually increase or decrease activity to encode the passage of time has been speculated to predict a behaviorally relevant temporal event. Cue-evoked low-frequency activity has also been implicated in temporal processing. Ramping activity and low-frequency oscillations occur throughout the brain and could indicate a network-based approach to timing. Temporal processing requires cognitive mechanisms of working memory, attention, and reasoning, which are dysfunctional in neuropsychiatric disease. Therefore, timing tasks could be used to probe cognition in animals with disease phenotypes. The medial frontal cortex and cerebellum are involved in cognition. Cerebellar stimulation has been shown to influence medial frontal activity and improve cognition in schizophrenia. However, the mechanism underlying the efficacy of cerebellar stimulation is unknown. Here, we discuss how timing tasks can be used to probe cerebellar interactions with the frontal cortex and the therapeutic potential of cerebellar stimulation. The goal of this theory and hypothesis manuscript is threefold. First, we will summarize evidence indicating that in addition to motor learning, timing tasks involve cognitive processes that are present within both the cerebellum and medial frontal cortex. Second, we propose methodologies to investigate the connections between these areas in patients with Parkinson's disease, autism, and schizophrenia. Lastly, we hypothesize that cerebellar transcranial stimulation may rescue medial frontal ramping activity, theta oscillations, and timing abnormalities, thereby restoring executive function in diseases of impaired cognition. This hypothesis could inspire the use of timing tasks as biomarkers for neuronal and cognitive abnormalities in neuropsychiatric disease and promote the therapeutic potential of the cerebellum in diseases of impaired cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal L Parker
- Department of Neurology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa , Iowa City, IA , USA
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