Contrasting Roles for Orbitofrontal Cortex and Amygdala in Credit Assignment and Learning in Macaques.
Recent studies have challenged the view that orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and amygdala mediate flexible reward-guided behavior. We trained macaques to perform an object discrimination reversal task during fMRI sessions and identified a lateral OFC (lOFC) region in which activity predicted adaptive win-stay/lose-shift behavior. Amygdala and lOFC activity was more strongly coupled on lose-shift trials. However, lOFC-amygdala coupling was also modulated by the relevance of reward information in a manner consistent with a role in establishing how credit for reward should be assigned. Day-to-day fluctuations in signals and signal coupling were correlated with day-to-day fluctuation in performance. A second experiment confirmed the existence of signals for adaptive stay/shift behavior in lOFC and reflecting irrelevant reward in the amygdala in a probabilistic learning task. Our data demonstrate that OFC and amygdala each make unique contributions to flexible behavior and credit assignment.
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3UD, Oxford, UK; Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong. Electronic address: boltonchau@gmail.com.
Bolton K H
BK
Chau
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3UD, Oxford, UK.
Jérôme
J
Sallet
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3UD, Oxford, UK.
Georgios K
GK
Papageorgiou
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3UD, Oxford, UK.
MaryAnn P
MP
Noonan
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3UD, Oxford, UK; MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK.
Andrew H
AH
Bell
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3UD, Oxford, UK.
Mark E
ME
Walton
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3UD, Oxford, UK.
Matthew F S
MF
Rushworth
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000679:Amygdala / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012201:Reward; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D010100:Oxygen