title: Theta oscillations integrate functionally segregated sub-regions of the medial prefrontal cortex.
abstract: Reinforcement learning requires the dynamic interplay of several specialized networks distributed across the brain. A potential mechanism to establish accurate temporal coordination among these paths is through the synchronization of neuronal activity to a common rhythm of neuronal firing. Previous EEG studies have suggested that theta oscillatory activity might be crucial in the integration of information from motivational and attentional paths that converge into the medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC) during reward-guided learning. However, due to the low spatial resolution of EEG, this hypothesis has not been directly tested. Here, by combining EEG and fMRI, we show that theta oscillations serve as common substrate for the engagement of separated sub-regions within the mPFC (the pre-Supplementary Motor Area and the dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex), underlying different cognitive operations (encoding of outcome valence and unsigned prediction errors) through separate functional paths (the Salience and the Central Executive Networks).
authors.affiliation: Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group [Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL], L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08097, Spain; Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mas-Herrero
authors.affiliation: Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group [Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL], L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08097, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Psychology of Education, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08035, Spain. Electronic address: josepmarco@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marco-Pallarés
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012201:Reward; D013826:Theta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Medial prefrontal cortex; Reinforcement learning; Reward processing; Theta oscillations