Suzuki H, Azuma M
Brain Res. 1977 May 13;126(3):497-508. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(77)90600-x.
We trained monkeys to make rapid key-release when a tiny light spot dimmed, so that they gazed at the spot until it dimmed. While the animal was performing the gaze task, we recorded unit activity in the prefrontal cortex and found that many neurons increased in discharge rate during the gaze trial (G neuron) with a variety of discharge patterns: many units were activated continuously during the gaze period; others were activated phasically only in an earlier portion of the gaze period. The activation of the G neurons was little influenced by stimulus parameters, such as the size, intensity and position of the light spot. However, it was dependent on behavioral state of the animal: error trials with delayed key-release showed a weak activation while extinction procedure induced enhanced activation in the initial several trials. The dependence of the activation on the behavioral state may suggest that the activation is at least involved in attentional process during gazing at a behavioral cue.
我们训练猴子在一个微小的光斑变暗时迅速松开按键，以便它们凝视光斑直至其变暗。当动物执行凝视任务时，我们记录了前额叶皮层中的神经元活动，发现许多神经元在凝视试验期间（G神经元）放电率增加，具有多种放电模式：许多单元在凝视期间持续被激活；其他单元仅在凝视期的较早部分被相位性激活。G神经元的激活受刺激参数（如光斑的大小、强度和位置）的影响很小。然而，它取决于动物的行为状态：按键释放延迟的错误试验显示激活较弱，而消退程序在最初几次试验中诱导激活增强。激活对行为状态的依赖性可能表明，这种激活至少参与了在凝视行为线索时的注意力过程。
