Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5K8, Canada.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Mar 16;107(11):5248-53. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0906194107. Epub 2010 Mar 1.
Accomplishing even simple tasks depend on neuronal circuits to configure how incoming sensory stimuli map onto responses. Controlling these stimulus-response (SR) mapping rules relies on a cognitive control network comprising the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Single neurons within the ACC convey information about currently relevant SR mapping rules and signal unexpected action outcomes, which can be used to optimize behavioral choices. However, its functional significance and the mechanistic means of interaction with other nodes of the cognitive control network remain elusive and poorly understood. Here, we report that core aspects of cognitive control are encoded by rhythmic theta-band activity within neuronal circuits in the ACC. Throughout task performance, theta-activity predicted which of two SR mapping rules will be established before processing visual target information. Task-selective theta-activity emerged particularly early during those trials, which required the adjustment of SR rules following an erroneous rule representation in the preceding trial. These findings demonstrate a functional correlation of cognitive control processes and oscillatory theta-band activity in macaque ACC. Moreover, we report that spike output of a subset of cells in ACC is synchronized to predictive theta-activity, suggesting that the theta-cycle could serve as a temporal reference for coordinating local task selective computations across a larger network of frontal areas and the hippocampus to optimize and adjust the processing routes of sensory and motor circuits to achieve efficient sensory-motor control.
完成即使是简单的任务也依赖于神经元回路来配置传入的感觉刺激如何映射到反应上。控制这些刺激-反应 (SR) 映射规则依赖于一个认知控制网络，该网络包括前扣带皮层 (ACC)。ACC 内的单个神经元传递有关当前相关 SR 映射规则的信息，并发出意外的动作结果的信号，这可用于优化行为选择。然而，其功能意义及其与认知控制网络的其他节点相互作用的机制手段仍然难以捉摸和理解甚少。在这里，我们报告说，认知控制的核心方面是由 ACC 中的神经元回路中的节律性θ波段活动编码的。在整个任务执行过程中，θ 活动预测了在处理视觉目标信息之前将建立两个 SR 映射规则中的哪一个。在那些需要在前一个试验中错误表示规则后调整 SR 规则的试验中，任务选择性θ活动特别早地出现。这些发现表明在猕猴 ACC 中认知控制过程和振荡θ波段活动之间存在功能相关性。此外，我们报告说，ACC 中一小部分细胞的尖峰输出与预测性θ活动同步，这表明θ 周期可以作为跨更大的额区和海马体网络协调局部任务选择性计算的时间参考，以优化和调整感觉和运动回路的处理路径，从而实现有效的感觉-运动控制。
