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Published on: September 10, 2018
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Reward-based decision signals in parietal cortex are partially embodied
Jan Kubanek1, Lawrence H Snyder2
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri 63130 jan@eye-hand.wustl.edu.
Summary
Parietal cortex neurons in the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) and parietal reach region (PRR) encode target desirability. LIP neurons show stronger encoding for saccade-based decisions, while PRR neurons encode reach-based decisions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Decision Science
Background:
- The parietal cortex is implicated in spatial decision-making, but it's unclear if it handles general decisions or action-specific ones.
- Previous research suggests the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) encodes decision variables related to target selection.
- The role of specific parietal regions in decisions involving different actions remains to be fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether specific parietal cortex regions are involved in general spatial decision-making or decisions tied to specific actions.
- To differentiate the neural encoding of target desirability in the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) and the parietal reach region (PRR) during saccade versus reach decisions.
- To explore the neural basis of action-specific decision representations in the parietal cortex.
Main Methods:
- Engaged rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in a reward-based decision task requiring selection of targets based on desirability.
- Instructed monkeys to use either eye movements (saccades) or arm movements (reaches) to make their choices.
- Recorded neuronal discharge activity in the LIP and PRR of the parietal cortex during the decision-making task.
Main Results:
- Both LIP and PRR neurons encoded target desirability, a key decision variable.
- Target desirability was encoded significantly more strongly in LIP for saccade-based choices compared to reach-based choices.
- PRR neurons selectively encoded target desirability only for reach-based decisions, not for saccades.
Conclusions:
- Decision-making processes appear to involve dedicated parietal circuits that are specific to particular actions.
- These findings support the hypothesis that the parietal cortex forms intentional representations of decisions as they develop.
- The study highlights a neural link between cognitive decision processes and motor actions, contributing to theories of embodied cognition.
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