A selective role for the mPFC during choice and deliberation, but not spatial memory retention over short delays.

Autor: Kidder KS; Psychology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA., Miles JT; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA., Baker PM; Psychology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA., Hones VI; Psychology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA., Gire DH; Psychology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA., Mizumori SJY; Psychology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Hippocampus [Hippocampus] 2021 Jul; Vol. 31 (7), pp. 690-700. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Jan 28.
DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23306
Abstrakt: Important interactions between memory and decision-making processes are required to maintain high-levels of spatial working memory task performance. Past research reveals that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HPC) are both vital structures involved in these processes. Recent evidence suggests that interactions between these two structures are dynamic and task dependent. However, there exists uncertainty surrounding the specific conditions that recruit mPFC contributions to these tasks, specifically regarding its role in retaining information online during delay periods. To address this issue, we tested rats on a spatial-delayed alternation task in which we utilized a closed-loop optogenetic system to transiently disrupt mPFC activity during different task epochs (delay, choice, return). By analyzing the effects of mPFC disruption on choice accuracy and a deliberative behavior known as vicarious-trial-and-error (VTE), our study revealed several interesting findings regarding the role of the mPFC in spatial-working memory tasks. The main findings include: (a) choice accuracy in the spatial-delayed alternation (SDA) task was impaired when the mPFC was disrupted during the choice epoch and not delay or return epochs, (b) mPFC disruption resulted in a non-epoch specific reduction in VTE occurrence which correlated with impairments in task performance. Taken together, findings from this study suggest that, during spatial decision-making, contributions made by the mPFC are specific to points of deliberation and choice (not delay), and that VTEs are a deliberative behavior which relies on intact mPFC function.
(© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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