2014-08-21
In the recently published paper we focused on the investigation of generality in neural mechanisms underlying perceptual decision making across species. Therefore, we recorded single-neuron activity in the pigeon nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL). This area is a non-laminated associative forebrain structure thought to be functionally equivalent to mammalian prefrontal cortex. The freely moving subject performed a well established visual categorisation task. Whereas the majority of NCL neurons unspecifically upregulated or downregulated activity during stimulus presentation, ~20% of neurons exhibited differential activity for the sample stimuli and predicted upcoming choices. Moreover, neural activity in these neurons was ramping up during stimulus presentation and remained elevated until a choice was initiated. This response pattern is similar to that found in monkey prefrontal and parietal cortices in saccadic choice tasks. In addition, many NCL neurons coded for movement direction during choice execution and differentiated between choice outcomes (reward and punishment). By means of these results we further implicate the NCL to be involved in the selection and execution of operant responses, an interpretation resonating well with the results of previous lesion studies. The resemblance of the response patterns of NCL neurons to those observed in mammalian cortex suggests that, despite differing neural architectures, mechanisms for perceptual decision making are similar across classes of vertebrates.
In the recently published paper we focused on the investigation of generality in neural mechanisms underlying perceptual decision making across species. Therefore, we recorded single-neuron activity in the pigeon nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL). This area is a non-laminated associative forebrain structure thought to be functionally equivalent to mammalian prefrontal cortex. The freely moving subject performed a well established visual categorisation task. Whereas the majority of NCL neurons unspecifically upregulated or downregulated activity during stimulus presentation, ~20% of neurons exhibited differential activity for the sample stimuli and predicted upcoming choices. Moreover, neural activity in these neurons was ramping up during stimulus presentation and remained elevated until a choice was initiated. This response pattern is similar to that found in monkey prefrontal and parietal cortices in saccadic choice tasks. In addition, many NCL neurons coded for movement direction during choice execution and differentiated between choice outcomes (reward and punishment). By means of these results we further implicate the NCL to be involved in the selection and execution of operant responses, an interpretation resonating well with the results of previous lesion studies. The resemblance of the response patterns of NCL neurons to those observed in mammalian cortex suggests that, despite differing neural architectures, mechanisms for perceptual decision making are similar across classes of vertebrates.
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