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Oyama K, Hori Y, Mimura K, Nagai Y, Eldridge MAG, Saunders RC, Miyakawa N, Hirabayashi T, Hori Y, Inoue KI, Suhara T, Takada M, Higuchi M, Richmond BJ, Minamimoto T. Chemogenetic Disconnection between the Orbitofrontal Cortex and the Rostromedial Caudate Nucleus Disrupts Motivational Control of Goal-Directed Action. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6267-6275. [PMID: 35794012 PMCID: PMC9374131 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0229-22.2022] [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: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and its major downstream target within the basal ganglia-the rostromedial caudate nucleus (rmCD)-are involved in reward-value processing and goal-directed behavior. However, a causal contribution of the pathway linking these two structures to goal-directed behavior has not been established. Using the chemogenetic technology of designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs with a crossed inactivation design, we functionally and reversibly disrupted interactions between the OFC and rmCD in two male macaque monkeys. We injected an adeno-associated virus vector expressing an inhibitory designer receptor, hM4Di, into the OFC and contralateral rmCD, the expression of which was visualized in vivo by positron emission tomography and confirmed by postmortem immunohistochemistry. Functional disconnection of the OFC and rmCD resulted in a significant and reproducible loss of sensitivity to the cued reward value for goal-directed action. This decreased sensitivity was most prominent when monkeys had accumulated a certain amount of reward. These results provide causal evidence that the interaction between the OFC and the rmCD is needed for motivational control of action on the basis of the relative reward value and internal drive. This finding extends the current understanding of the physiological basis of psychiatric disorders in which goal-directed behavior is affected, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In daily life, we routinely adjust the speed and accuracy of our actions on the basis of the value of expected reward. Abnormalities in these kinds of motivational adjustments might be related to behaviors seen in psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. In the current study, we show that the connection from the orbitofrontal cortex to the rostromedial caudate nucleus is essential for motivational control of action in monkeys. This finding expands our knowledge about how the primate brain controls motivation and behavior and provides a particular insight into disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder in which altered connectivity between the orbitofrontal cortex and the striatum has been implicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Oyama
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Yukiko Hori
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Koki Mimura
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Yuji Nagai
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Mark A G Eldridge
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Richard C Saunders
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Naohisa Miyakawa
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Hirabayashi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Yuki Hori
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Inoue
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama 484-8506, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Suhara
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Masahiko Takada
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama 484-8506, Japan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Barry J Richmond
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Takafumi Minamimoto
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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2
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Eldridge MAG, Hines BE, Murray EA. The visual prefrontal cortex of anthropoids: interaction with temporal cortex in decision making and its role in the making of "visual animals". Curr Opin Behav Sci 2021; 41:22-29. [PMID: 33796638 PMCID: PMC8009333 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The ventral prefrontal cortex (PFC) of primates-a region strongly implicated in decision making-receives highly processed visual sensory inputs from the inferior temporal cortex (ITC) and perirhinal cortex (PRC) and can therefore be considered visual PFC. Usually, the functions of temporal cortex and visual PFC have been discussed in separate literatures. By considering them together, we aim to clarify the ways in which fronto-temporal networks guide decision making. After discussing the ways in which visual PFC interacts with temporal cortex to promote decision making, we offer specific predictions about the selective roles of the ITC- and PRC-based fronto-temporal networks. Finally, we suggest that an increased reliance on visual PFC in anthropoid primates led to our emergence as 'visual' animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A G Eldridge
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Brendan E Hines
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Elisabeth A Murray
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
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3
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Pelletier G, Aridan N, Fellows LK, Schonberg T. A Preferential Role for Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex in Assessing "the Value of the Whole" in Multiattribute Object Evaluation. J Neurosci 2021; 41:5056-5068. [PMID: 33906899 PMCID: PMC8197643 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0241-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Everyday decision-making commonly involves assigning values to complex objects with multiple value-relevant attributes. Drawing on object recognition theories, we hypothesized two routes to multiattribute evaluation: assessing the value of the whole object based on holistic attribute configuration or summing individual attribute values. In two samples of healthy human male and female participants undergoing eye tracking and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while evaluating novel pseudo objects, we found evidence for both forms of evaluation. Fixations to and transitions between attributes differed systematically when the value of pseudo objects was associated with individual attributes or attribute configurations. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and perirhinal cortex were engaged when configural processing was required. These results converge with our recent findings that individuals with vmPFC lesions were impaired in decisions requiring configural evaluation but not when evaluating the sum of the parts. This suggests that multiattribute decision-making engages distinct evaluation mechanisms relying on partially dissociable neural substrates, depending on the relationship between attributes and value.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Decision neuroscience has only recently begun to address how multiple choice-relevant attributes are brought together during evaluation and choice among complex options. Object recognition research makes a crucial distinction between individual attribute and holistic/configural object processing, but how the brain evaluates attributes and whole objects remains unclear. Using fMRI and eye tracking, we found that the vmPFC and the perirhinal cortex contribute to value estimation specifically when value was related to whole objects, that is, predicted by the unique configuration of attributes and not when value was predicted by the sum of individual attribute values. This perspective on the interactions between subjective value and object processing mechanisms provides a novel bridge between the study of object recognition and reward-guided decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Pelletier
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Nadav Aridan
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Lesley K Fellows
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Tom Schonberg
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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Averbeck BB, Murray EA. Hypothalamic Interactions with Large-Scale Neural Circuits Underlying Reinforcement Learning and Motivated Behavior. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:681-694. [PMID: 32762959 PMCID: PMC7483858 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Biological agents adapt behavior to support the survival needs of the individual and the species. In this review we outline the anatomical, physiological, and computational processes that support reinforcement learning (RL). We describe two circuits in the primate brain that are linked to specific aspects of learning and goal-directed behavior. The ventral circuit, that includes the amygdala, ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and ventral striatum, has substantial connectivity with the hypothalamus. The dorsal circuit, that includes inferior parietal cortex, dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, and the dorsal striatum, has minimal connectivity with the hypothalamus. The hypothalamic connectivity suggests distinct roles for these circuits. We propose that the ventral circuit defines behavioral goals, and the dorsal circuit orchestrates behavior to achieve those goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno B Averbeck
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-4415, USA.
| | - Elisabeth A Murray
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-4415, USA
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Mormann F, Bausch M, Knieling S, Fried I. Neurons in the Human Left Amygdala Automatically Encode Subjective Value Irrespective of Task. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:265-272. [PMID: 29206940 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala plays an important role in the computation of internal reward signals. In animals it has been shown to enable a stimulus to indicate the current value of a reinforcer. However, the exact nature of the current value representations in humans remains unknown. Specifically, do neurons of the human amygdala represent current value signals only in tasks requiring valuation? We recorded from 406 neurons in the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal cortex, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus of 6 neurosurgical patients while subjects repeatedly viewed 40 different pictures of sweet or salty "junk food" items in 2 different tasks. Neural activity during stimulus inspection in a valuation task reflected food preferences in the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, and entorhinal cortex. Notably, only left amygdala activity represented these food preferences even in a sweet-salty classification task. Valuation signals of the left amygdala thus appear to be stimulus-, not-task driven.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Mormann
- Division of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Computation and Neural Systems, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - M Bausch
- Division of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - S Knieling
- Division of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - I Fried
- Department of Neurosurgery and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Functional Neurosurgery Unit and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
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6
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Abstract
The perirhinal cortex (PRC) serves as the gateway to the hippocampus for episodic memory formation and plays a part in retrieval through its backward connectivity to various neocortical areas. First, I present the evidence suggesting that PRC neurons encode both experientially acquired object features and their associative relations. Recent studies have revealed circuit mechanisms in the PRC for the retrieval of cue-associated information, and have demonstrated that, in monkeys, PRC neuron-encoded information can be behaviourally read out. These studies, among others, support the theory that the PRC converts visual representations of an object into those of its associated features and initiates backward-propagating, interareal signalling for retrieval of nested associations of object features that, combined, extensionally represent the object meaning. I propose that the PRC works as the ventromedial hub of a 'two-hub model' at an apex of the hierarchy of a distributed memory network and integrates signals encoded in other downstream cortical areas that support diverse aspects of knowledge about an object.
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7
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Vaidya AR, Pujara MS, Petrides M, Murray EA, Fellows LK. Lesion Studies in Contemporary Neuroscience. Trends Cogn Sci 2019; 23:653-671. [PMID: 31279672 PMCID: PMC6712987 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Studies of humans with focal brain damage and non-human animals with experimentally induced brain lesions have provided pivotal insights into the neural basis of behavior. As the repertoire of neural manipulation and recording techniques expands, the utility of studying permanent brain lesions bears re-examination. Studies on the effects of permanent lesions provide vital data about brain function that are distinct from those of reversible manipulations. Focusing on work carried out in humans and nonhuman primates, we address the inferential strengths and limitations of lesion studies, recent methodological developments, the integration of this approach with other methods, and the clinical and ecological relevance of this research. We argue that lesion studies are essential to the rigorous assessment of neuroscience theories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avinash R Vaidya
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Carney Institute for Brain Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Maia S Pujara
- Section on the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Michael Petrides
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Elisabeth A Murray
- Section on the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lesley K Fellows
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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8
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Temporal Coding of Reward Value in Monkey Ventral Striatal Tonically Active Neurons. J Neurosci 2019; 39:7539-7550. [PMID: 31363063 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0869-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The rostromedioventral striatum is critical for behavior dependent on evaluating rewards. We asked what contribution tonically active neurons (TANs), the putative striatal cholinergic interneurons, make in coding reward value in this part of the striatum. Two female monkeys were given the option to accept or reject an offered reward in each trial, the value of which was signaled by a visual cue. Forty-five percent of the TANs use temporally modulated activity to encode information about discounted value. These responses were significantly better represented using principal component analysis than by just counting spikes. The temporal coding is straightforward: the spikes are distributed according to a sinusoidal envelope of activity that changes gain, ranging from positive to negative according to discounted value. Our results show that the information about the relative value of an offered reward is temporally encoded in neural spike trains of TANs. This temporal coding may allow well tuned, coordinated behavior to emerge.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Ever since the discovery that neurons use trains of pulses to transmit information, it seemed self-evident that information would be encoded into the pattern of the spikes. However, there is not much evidence that spike patterns encode cognitive information. We find that a set of interneurons, the tonically active neurons (TANs) in monkeys' striatum, use temporal patterns of response to encode information about the discounted value of offered rewards. The code seems straightforward: a sinusoidal envelope that changes gain according to the discounted value of the offer, describes the rate of spiking across time. This temporal modulation may provide a means to synchronize these interneurons and the activity of other neural elements including principal output neurons.
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9
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Setogawa T, Mizuhiki T, Matsumoto N, Akizawa F, Kuboki R, Richmond BJ, Shidara M. Neurons in the monkey orbitofrontal cortex mediate reward value computation and decision-making. Commun Biol 2019; 2:126. [PMID: 30963114 PMCID: PMC6451015 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0363-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Choice reflects the values of available alternatives; more valuable options are chosen more often than less valuable ones. Here we studied whether neuronal responses in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) reflect the value difference between options, and whether there is a causal link between OFC neuronal activity and choice. Using a decision-making task where two visual stimuli were presented sequentially, each signifying a value, we showed that when the second stimulus appears many neurons encode the value difference between alternatives. Later when the choice occurs, that difference signal disappears and a signal indicating the chosen value emerges. Pharmacological inactivation of OFC neurons coding for choice-related values increases the monkey's latency to make a choice and the likelihood that it will choose the less valuable alternative, when the value difference is small. Thus, OFC neurons code for value information that could be used to directly influence choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Setogawa
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 Japan
- Department of Health and Human Services, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-4415 USA
| | - Takashi Mizuhiki
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 Japan
- Doctoral Program in Kansei, Behavioral and Brain Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 Japan
| | - Narihisa Matsumoto
- Human Informatics Research Institute, AIST, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 Japan
| | - Fumika Akizawa
- Doctoral Program in Kansei, Behavioral and Brain Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 Japan
| | - Ryosuke Kuboki
- Doctoral Program in Kansei, Behavioral and Brain Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 Japan
| | - Barry J. Richmond
- Department of Health and Human Services, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-4415 USA
| | - Munetaka Shidara
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 Japan
- Doctoral Program in Kansei, Behavioral and Brain Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 Japan
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Louail M, Gilissen E, Prat S, Garcia C, Bouret S. Refining the ecological brain: Strong relation between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and feeding ecology in five primate species. Cortex 2019; 118:262-274. [PMID: 31030897 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
To survive in complex and seasonal environments, primates are thought to rely upon cognitive capacities such as decision-making and episodic memory, which enable them to plan their daily foraging path. According to the Ecological Brain hypothesis, feeding ecology has driven the expansion of the brain to support the corresponding development of cognitive skills. Recent works in cognitive neurosciences indicate that cognitive operations such as decision-making or subjective evaluation (which are contextual and dependent upon episodic memory), relied critically upon a small part of the frontal lobe, often referred to as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). Several authors suggested that this area might be important for foraging, but this has never been tested. In the present study, we quantified the relation between the size of the VMPFC (along with other cerebral measures: the whole brain, the gyrus rectus and the somatosensory cortex) and key socio-ecological variables in five primate species (Macaca mulatta, Macaca fuscata, Gorilla gorilla, Pan troglodytes and Homo sapiens). We hypothesized that the size of the VMPFC would be greater in primates with a large dietary spectrum and complex foraging strategies. We also hypothesized that the impact of feeding ecology would be stronger on this specific region than on other regions (somatosensory cortex) or on more global cerebral measures (e.g., whole brain). In line with these hypotheses, we found that all cerebral measures were more strongly related to feeding ecology than group size, a proxy for social complexity. As expected, the VMPFC volume is more precisely related to feeding ecology than the whole brain, and appears to be critically related to dietary quality. Thus, combining a comparative approach with predictions coming both from behavioral ecology and cognitive neurosciences, our study provides evidence that feeding ecology played a key role in the development of specific cognitive skills, which rely upon the expansion of a specific cortical area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot Louail
- Team Motivation Brain & Behavior, ICM - Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, CNRS UMR 7225 - INSERM U1127 - UPMC UMR S 1127, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; UMR 7194 (HNHP), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Alliance Sorbonne Université, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium; Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Prat
- UMR 7194 (HNHP), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Alliance Sorbonne Université, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Garcia
- UMR 7206 Eco-anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, CNRS - MNHN - Paris Diderot, Alliance Sorbonne Université, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Bouret
- Team Motivation Brain & Behavior, ICM - Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, CNRS UMR 7225 - INSERM U1127 - UPMC UMR S 1127, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
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11
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Although alterations in medial temporal lobe structures have been previously associated with use of cannabis, one of the most widely used illicit drugs, whether such alterations are a cause or effect of cannabis use has been unclear. METHODS In this cross-sectional observational study involving 404 twins/siblings, we have compared cortical thickness and surface area between groups of gender-matched sibling-pairs (concordant cannabis unexposed, concordant exposed and discordant for cannabis exposure) using permutation tests after controlling for potential confounds. Bi-variate polygenic model was used to assess the genetic and environmental contributions underlying cortical morphological phenotypes and frequency of cannabis use. RESULTS Cortical thickness of the right entorhinal cortex was significantly lower in the concordant exposed siblings compared to both discordant unexposed and discordant exposed groups [false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected, q < 0.05]. The association between the right entorhinal cortex thickness and frequency of cannabis use is due to the contribution of significant shared additive genetic (ρg = -0.19 ± 0.08; p = 0.02) factors but not unique environment (ρe = 0.05 ± 0.09; p = 0.53). Significantly lower surface area of the right entorhinal cortex in discordant exposed group compared with the discordant unexposed group furnishes preliminary evidence in support of causal effect of cannabis use (FDR-corrected, q < 0.05). However, bi-variate polygenic model-based analysis did not show any significant effect. CONCLUSIONS Shared genetic liability may underlie the association between cannabis exposure and thinner right entorhinal cortex. Prospective longitudinal studies are necessary to definitively disentangle the cause-effect relationships of cannabis use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhadip Paul
- Institute of Psychiatry,Psychology & Neuroscience,King's College London,UK
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12
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La Camera G, Bouret S, Richmond BJ. Contributions of Lateral and Orbital Frontal Regions to Abstract Rule Acquisition and Reversal in Monkeys. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:165. [PMID: 29615854 PMCID: PMC5867347 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to learn and follow abstract rules relies on intact prefrontal regions including the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Here, we investigate the specific roles of these brain regions in learning rules that depend critically on the formation of abstract concepts as opposed to simpler input-output associations. To this aim, we tested monkeys with bilateral removals of either LPFC or OFC on a rapidly learned task requiring the formation of the abstract concept of same vs. different. While monkeys with OFC removals were significantly slower than controls at both acquiring and reversing the concept-based rule, monkeys with LPFC removals were not impaired in acquiring the task, but were significantly slower at rule reversal. Neither group was impaired in the acquisition or reversal of a delayed visual cue-outcome association task without a concept-based rule. These results suggest that OFC is essential for the implementation of a concept-based rule, whereas LPFC seems essential for its modification once established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giancarlo La Camera
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, United States.,Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, United States.,Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sebastien Bouret
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Team Motivation Brain and Behavior, CNRS/ICM - Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, Paris, France
| | - Barry J Richmond
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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13
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Shadlen MN, Shohamy D. Decision Making and Sequential Sampling from Memory. Neuron 2017; 90:927-39. [PMID: 27253447 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Decisions take time, and as a rule more difficult decisions take more time. But this only raises the question of what consumes the time. For decisions informed by a sequence of samples of evidence, the answer is straightforward: more samples are available with more time. Indeed, the speed and accuracy of such decisions are explained by the accumulation of evidence to a threshold or bound. However, the same framework seems to apply to decisions that are not obviously informed by sequences of evidence samples. Here, we proffer the hypothesis that the sequential character of such tasks involves retrieval of evidence from memory. We explore this hypothesis by focusing on value-based decisions and argue that mnemonic processes can account for regularities in choice and decision time. We speculate on the neural mechanisms that link sampling of evidence from memory to circuits that represent the accumulated evidence bearing on a choice. We propose that memory processes may contribute to a wider class of decisions that conform to the regularities of choice-reaction time predicted by the sequential sampling framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N Shadlen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Daphna Shohamy
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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14
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PET imaging-guided chemogenetic silencing reveals a critical role of primate rostromedial caudate in reward evaluation. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13605. [PMID: 27922009 PMCID: PMC5150653 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The rostromedial caudate (rmCD) of primates is thought to contribute to reward value processing, but a causal relationship has not been established. Here we use an inhibitory DREADD (Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drug) to repeatedly and non-invasively inactivate rmCD of macaque monkeys. We inject an adeno-associated viral vector expressing the inhibitory DREADD, hM4Di, into the rmCD bilaterally. To visualize DREADD expression in vivo, we develop a non-invasive imaging method using positron emission tomography (PET). PET imaging provides information critical for successful chemogenetic silencing during experiments, in this case the location and level of hM4Di expression, and the relationship between agonist dose and hM4Di receptor occupancy. Here we demonstrate that inactivating bilateral rmCD through activation of hM4Di produces a significant and reproducible loss of sensitivity to reward value in monkeys. Thus, the rmCD is involved in making normal judgments about the value of reward.
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15
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San-Galli A, Varazzani C, Abitbol R, Pessiglione M, Bouret S. Primate Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Neurons Continuously Encode the Willingness to Engage in Reward-Directed Behavior. Cereb Cortex 2016; 28:73-89. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aurore San-Galli
- Team Motivation, Brain & Behavior, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), CNRS UMR 7225, INSERM U 1127, Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris, France
| | - Chiara Varazzani
- Team Motivation, Brain & Behavior, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), CNRS UMR 7225, INSERM U 1127, Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris, France
| | - Raphaelle Abitbol
- Team Motivation, Brain & Behavior, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), CNRS UMR 7225, INSERM U 1127, Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris, France
| | - Mathias Pessiglione
- Team Motivation, Brain & Behavior, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), CNRS UMR 7225, INSERM U 1127, Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris, France
| | - Sebastien Bouret
- Team Motivation, Brain & Behavior, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), CNRS UMR 7225, INSERM U 1127, Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris, France
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16
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Whissell PD, Tohyama S, Martin LJ. The Use of DREADDs to Deconstruct Behavior. Front Genet 2016; 7:70. [PMID: 27242888 PMCID: PMC4868840 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2016.00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A central goal in understanding brain function is to link specific cell populations to behavioral outputs. In recent years, the selective targeting of specific neural circuits has been made possible with the development of new experimental approaches, including chemogenetics. This technique allows for the control of molecularly defined subsets of cells through engineered G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which have the ability to activate or silence neuronal firing. Through chemogenetics, neural circuits are being linked to behavioral outputs at an unprecedented rate. Further, the coupling of chemogenetics with imaging techniques to monitor neural activity in freely moving animals now makes it possible to deconstruct the complex whole-brain networks that are fundamental to behavioral states. In this review, we highlight a specific chemogenetic application known as DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs). DREADDs are used ubiquitously to modulate GPCR activity in vivo and have been widely applied in the basic sciences, particularly in the field of behavioral neuroscience. Here, we focus on the impact and utility of DREADD technology in dissecting the neural circuitry of various behaviors including memory, cognition, reward, feeding, anxiety and pain. By using DREADDs to monitor the electrophysiological, biochemical, and behavioral outputs of specific neuronal types, researchers can better understand the links between brain activity and behavior. Additionally, DREADDs are useful in studying the pathogenesis of disease and may ultimately have therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Whissell
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sarasa Tohyama
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Loren J Martin
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga, ON, Canada
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17
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Boorman ED, Rajendran VG, O'Reilly JX, Behrens TE. Two Anatomically and Computationally Distinct Learning Signals Predict Changes to Stimulus-Outcome Associations in Hippocampus. Neuron 2016; 89:1343-1354. [PMID: 26948895 PMCID: PMC4819449 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2015] [Revised: 11/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Complex cognitive processes require sophisticated local processing but also interactions between distant brain regions. It is therefore critical to be able to study distant interactions between local computations and the neural representations they act on. Here we report two anatomically and computationally distinct learning signals in lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) and the dopaminergic ventral midbrain (VM) that predict trial-by-trial changes to a basic internal model in hippocampus. To measure local computations during learning and their interaction with neural representations, we coupled computational fMRI with trial-by-trial fMRI suppression. We find that suppression in a medial temporal lobe network changes trial-by-trial in proportion to stimulus-outcome associations. During interleaved choice trials, we identify learning signals that relate to outcome type in lOFC and to reward value in VM. These intervening choice feedback signals predicted the subsequent change to hippocampal suppression, suggesting a convergence of signals that update the flexible representation of stimulus-outcome associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erie D Boorman
- Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Russell Square House, 10-12 Russell Square London WC1B 5EH, UK.
| | - Vani G Rajendran
- Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Jill X O'Reilly
- Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Tim E Behrens
- Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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18
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Eldridge MAG, Lerchner W, Saunders RC, Kaneko H, Krausz KW, Gonzalez FJ, Ji B, Higuchi M, Minamimoto T, Richmond BJ. Chemogenetic disconnection of monkey orbitofrontal and rhinal cortex reversibly disrupts reward value. Nat Neurosci 2015; 19:37-9. [PMID: 26656645 PMCID: PMC4866611 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
To study how the interaction between orbitofrontal (OFC) and rhinal (Rh) cortices influences the judgment of reward size, we reversibly disconnected these regions using the hM4Di-DREADD (Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drug). Repeated inactivation reduced sensitivity to differences in reward size in two monkeys. Results suggest that retrieval of relative stimulus values from memory appears to depend on interaction between Rh and OFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A G Eldridge
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Walter Lerchner
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard C Saunders
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Kaneko
- Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, National Institute of Radiological Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kristopher W Krausz
- Laboratory of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Frank J Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Bin Ji
- Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, National Institute of Radiological Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, National Institute of Radiological Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takafumi Minamimoto
- Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, National Institute of Radiological Science, Chiba, Japan
| | - Barry J Richmond
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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19
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Atrophic Patterns of the Frontal-Subcortical Circuits in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130017. [PMID: 26066658 PMCID: PMC4466229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Atrophy of the cortical thickness and gray matter volume are regarded as sensitive markers for the early clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study aimed to investigate differences in atrophy patterns in the frontal-subcortical circuits between MCI and AD, assess whether these differences were essential for the pathologic basis of cognitive impairment. A total of 131 individuals were recruited, including 45 with cognitively normal controls (CN), 46 with MCI, and 40 with AD. FreeSurfer software was used to perform volumetric measurements of the frontal-subcortical circuits from 3.0T magnetic resonance (MR) scans. Data revealed that both MCI and AD subjects had a thinner cortex in the left caudal middle frontal gyrus and the left lateral orbitofrontal gyrus compared with CN individuals. The left lateral orbitofrontal gyrus was also thinner in AD compared with MCI patients. There were no statistically significant differences in the cortical mean curvature among the three groups. Both MCI and AD subjects exhibited smaller bilateral hippocampus volumes compared with CN individuals. The volumes of the bilateral hippocampus and the right putamen were also smaller in AD compared with MCI patients. Logistic regression analyses revealed that the left lateral orbitofrontal gyrus and bilateral hippocampus were risk factors for cognitive impairment. These current results suggest that atrophy was heterogeneous in subregions of the frontal-subcortical circuits in MCI and AD patients. Among these subregions, the reduced thickness of the left lateral orbitofrontal and the smaller volume of the bilateral hippocampus seemed to be markers for predicting cognitive impairment.
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20
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Walton ME, Chau BKH, Kennerley SW. Prioritising the relevant information for learning and decision making within orbital and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2015; 1:78-85. [PMID: 26937446 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2014.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Our environment and internal states are frequently complex, ambiguous and dynamic, meaning we need to have selection mechanisms to ensure we are basing our decisions on currently relevant information. Here, we review evidence that orbitofrontal (OFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) play conserved, critical but distinct roles in this process. While OFC may use specific sensory associations to enhance task-relevant information, particularly in the context of learning, VMPFC plays a role in ensuring irrelevant information does not impinge on the decision in hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Walton
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bolton K H Chau
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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21
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Small effect of upcoming reward outcomes on visual cue-related neuronal activity in macaque area TE during conditional associations. Neurosci Res 2014; 88:28-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2014.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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22
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Assessing value representation in animals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 109:64-9. [PMID: 25092260 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2014.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Among all factors modulating our motivation to perform a given action, the ability to represent its outcome is clearly the most determining. Representation of outcomes, rewards in particular, and how they guide behavior, have sparked much research. Both practically and theoretically, understanding the relationship between the representation of outcome value and the organization of goal directed behavior implies that these two processes can be assessed independently. Most of animal studies essentially used instrumental actions as a proxy for the expected goal-value. The purpose of this article is to consider alternative measures of expected outcome value in animals, which are critical to understand the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms relating the representation of the expected outcome to the organization of the behavior oriented towards its obtention. This would be critical in the field of decision making or social interactions, where the value of multiple items must often be compared and/or shared among individuals to determine the course of actions.
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23
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A. Suzuki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003;
| | - Yuji Naya
- Department of Psychology, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
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24
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Bunce JG, Zikopoulos B, Feinberg M, Barbas H. Parallel prefrontal pathways reach distinct excitatory and inhibitory systems in memory-related rhinal cortices. J Comp Neurol 2014; 521:4260-83. [PMID: 23839697 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2013] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
To investigate how prefrontal cortices impinge on medial temporal cortices we labeled pathways from the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and posterior orbitofrontal cortex (pOFC) in rhesus monkeys to compare their relationship with excitatory and inhibitory systems in rhinal cortices. The ACC pathway terminated mostly in areas 28 and 35 with a high proportion of large terminals, whereas the pOFC pathway terminated mostly through small terminals in area 36 and sparsely in areas 28 and 35. Both pathways terminated in all layers. Simultaneous labeling of pathways and distinct neurochemical classes of inhibitory neurons, followed by analyses of appositions of presynaptic and postsynaptic fluorescent signal, or synapses, showed overall predominant association with spines of putative excitatory neurons, but also significant interactions with presumed inhibitory neurons labeled for calretinin, calbindin, or parvalbumin. In the upper layers of areas 28 and 35 the ACC pathway was associated with dendrites of neurons labeled with calretinin, which are thought to disinhibit neighboring excitatory neurons, suggesting facilitated hippocampal access. In contrast, in area 36 pOFC axons were associated with dendrites of calbindin neurons, which are poised to reduce noise and enhance signal. In the deep layers, both pathways innervated mostly dendrites of parvalbumin neurons, which strongly inhibit neighboring excitatory neurons, suggesting gating of hippocampal output to other cortices. These findings suggest that the ACC, associated with attention and context, and the pOFC, associated with emotional valuation, have distinct contributions to memory in rhinal cortices, in processes that are disrupted in psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie G Bunce
- Neural Systems Lab, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215
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