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Cerebral Cortex Advance Access originally published online on March 20, 2008
Cerebral Cortex 2008 18(12):2748-2761; doi:10.1093/cercor/bhn033
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Published by Oxford University Press 2008.

Transient Neuronal Correlations Underlying Goal Selection and Maintenance in Prefrontal Cortex

Satoshi Tsujimoto, Aldo Genovesio and Steven P. Wise

Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 49, Room B1EE17, 49 Convent Drive, MSC 4401, Bethesda, MD 20892-4401, USA

Address correspondence to Satoshi Tsujimoto, Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 49, Room B1EE17, 49 Convent Drive, MSC 4401, Bethesda, MD 20892-4401, USA. Email: tsujimotos{at}mail.nih.gov.

We reported previously that as monkeys used abstract response strategies to choose spatial goals, 1 population of prefrontal cortex neurons encoded future goals (F cells), whereas a largely separate population encoded previous goals (P cells). Here, to better understand the mechanisms of goal selection and maintenance, we studied correlated activity among pairs of these neurons. Among the 3 possible types of pairs, F-F and F-P pairs often exhibited significant correlations when and after monkeys selected future goals but P–P pairs rarely did. These correlations were stronger when monkeys shifted from a previous goal than when they stayed with that goal. In addition, members of F–F pairs usually preferred the same goal and thus shared both prospective coding and spatial tuning properties. In contrast, cells composing F–P pairs usually had different spatial preferences and thus shared neither coding nor spatial tuning properties. On the assumption that the neurons composing a pair send convergent outputs to target neurons, their correlated activity could enhance their efficacy in context-dependent goal selection, goal maintenance, and the transformation of goal choices into action.

Key Words: attentional selection • behavioral neurophysiology • cell assemblies • frontal lobe • working memory


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