TY - JOUR
T1 - Multimodal encoding of novelty, reward, and learning in the primate nucleus basalis of meynert
AU - Martinez-Rubio, Clarissa
AU - Paulk, Angelique C.
AU - McDonald, Eric J.
AU - Widge, Alik S.
AU - Eskandar, Emad N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 the authors.
PY - 2018/2/21
Y1 - 2018/2/21
N2 - Associative learning is crucial for daily function, involving a complex network of brain regions. One region, the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM), is a highly interconnected, largely cholinergic structure implicated in multiple aspects of learning. We show that single neurons in the NBM of nonhuman primates (NHPs; n=2 males; Macaca mulatta) encode learning a new association through spike rate modulation. However, the power of low-frequency local field potential (LFP) oscillations decreases in response to novel, not-yet-learned stimuli but then increase as learning progresses. Both NBM and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex encode confidence in novel associations by increasing low-and high-frequency LFP power in anticipation of expected rewards. Finally, NBM high-frequency power dynamics are anticorrelated with spike rate modulations. Therefore, novelty, learning, and reward anticipation are separately encoded through differentiable NBM signals. By signaling both the need to learn and confidence in newly acquired associations, NBM may play a key role in coordinating cortical activity throughout the learning process.
AB - Associative learning is crucial for daily function, involving a complex network of brain regions. One region, the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM), is a highly interconnected, largely cholinergic structure implicated in multiple aspects of learning. We show that single neurons in the NBM of nonhuman primates (NHPs; n=2 males; Macaca mulatta) encode learning a new association through spike rate modulation. However, the power of low-frequency local field potential (LFP) oscillations decreases in response to novel, not-yet-learned stimuli but then increase as learning progresses. Both NBM and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex encode confidence in novel associations by increasing low-and high-frequency LFP power in anticipation of expected rewards. Finally, NBM high-frequency power dynamics are anticorrelated with spike rate modulations. Therefore, novelty, learning, and reward anticipation are separately encoded through differentiable NBM signals. By signaling both the need to learn and confidence in newly acquired associations, NBM may play a key role in coordinating cortical activity throughout the learning process.
KW - Encoding cognitive state
KW - Learning
KW - Local field potential
KW - Nucleus basalis of Meynert
KW - Single neuron activity
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U2 - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2021-17.2017
DO - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2021-17.2017
M3 - Article
C2 - 29348191
AN - SCOPUS:85042418847
SN - 0270-6474
VL - 38
SP - 1942
EP - 1958
JO - Journal of Neuroscience
JF - Journal of Neuroscience
IS - 8
ER -