Learned predictions of error likelihood in the anterior cingulate cortex.
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the related medial wall play a critical role in recruiting cognitive control. Although ACC exhibits selective error and conflict responses, it has been unclear how these develop and become context-specific. With use of a modified stop-signal task, we show from integrated computational neural modeling and neuroimaging studies that ACC learns to predict error likelihood in a given context, even for trials in which there is no error or response conflict. These results support a more general error-likelihood theory of ACC function based on reinforcement learning, of which conflict and error detection are special cases.
Brown
Joshua W
JW
Department of Psychology, CB 1125, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. jwbrown@artsci.wustl.edu
Braver
Todd S
TS
D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003463:Cues; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008959:Models, Neurological; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D011337:Probability Learning; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology
D004298:Dopamine