title: Neural correlates of task switching in prefrontal cortex and primary auditory cortex in a novel stimulus selection task for rodents.
abstract: Animals can selectively respond to a target sound despite simultaneous distractors, just as humans can respond to one voice at a crowded cocktail party. To investigate the underlying neural mechanisms, we recorded single-unit activity in primary auditory cortex (A1) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats selectively responding to a target sound from a mixture. We found that prestimulus activity in mPFC encoded the selection rule-which sound from the mixture the rat should select. Moreover, electrically disrupting mPFC significantly impaired performance. Surprisingly, prestimulus activity in A1 also encoded selection rule, a cognitive variable typically considered the domain of prefrontal regions. Prestimulus changes correlated with stimulus-evoked changes, but stimulus tuning was not strongly affected. We suggest a model in which anticipatory activation of a specific network of neurons underlies the selection of a sound from a mixture, giving rise to robust and widespread rule encoding in both brain regions.
authors.affiliation: Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, 132 Barker Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley, 132 Barker Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. Electronic address: xrodgers@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chris C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.affiliation: Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, 132 Barker Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, 132 Barker Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley, 132 Barker Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: DeWeese
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans