single medial prefrontal neurons cope with error单一的内侧前额叶神经元处理错误.pdfVIP

Single Medial Prefrontal Neurons Cope with Error Thomas Michelet*, Bernard Bioulac, Dominique Guehl, Michel Goillandeau, Pierre Burbaud ´ CNRS UMR 5227 MAC Mouvement - Adaptation – Cognition, Universite Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France Abstract Learning from mistakes is a key feature of human behavior. However, the mechanisms underlying short-term adaptation to erroneous action are still poorly understood. One possibility relies on the modulation of attentional systems after an error. To explore this possibility, we have designed a Stroop-like visuo-motor task in monkeys that favors incorrect action. Using this task, we previously found that single neurons recorded from the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were closely tuned to behavioral performance and, more particularly, that the activity of most neurons was biased towards the evaluation of erroneous action. Here we describe single neurons engaged in both error detection and response alertness processing, whose activation is closely associated with the improvement of subsequent behavioral performance. Specifically, we show that the effect of a warning stimulus on neuronal firing is enhanced after an erroneous response rather than a successful one and that this outcome is correlated with an error rate decrease. Our results suggest that the anterior cingulate cortex, which exhibits this activity, serves as a powerful computational locus for rapid behavioral adaptation. Citation: Michelet T, Bioulac B, Guehl D, Goillandeau M, Burbaud P (2009) Single Medial Prefrontal Neurons Cope with Error. PLoS ONE 4(7): e6240. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0006240 ´ Editor: Georges Chapouthier, L’universite Pierre et Marie Curie, France Received May 7, 2009; Accepted June 3, 2009; Publishe