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Neural responses in macaque prefrontal cortex are linked to strategic exploration

  • 0Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Plos Biology +

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January 30, 2023

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January 30, 2023

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Monkeys strategically explore by reducing reliance on expected value when information gathering is beneficial. This strategic exploration, however, was abolished by counterfactual feedback, highlighting distinct neural circuits for exploration and learning.

Area Of Science

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Primatology

Background

  • Humans strategically explore to gather future-beneficial information.
  • Primates' strategic exploration and its neural basis remain largely unknown.

Purpose Of The Study

  • Investigate if monkeys use strategic exploration based on potential information gain.
  • Examine if monkeys adjust exploration based on choice-information contingency and counterfactual feedback.

Main Methods

  • Designed a sequential choice task for monkeys.
  • Introduced counterfactual feedback about unchosen options.
  • Analyzed neural activity in anterior and mid-cingulate cortex (ACC/MCC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC).

Main Results

  • Monkeys decreased reliance on expected value when exploration was beneficial, independent of uncertainty.
  • Strategic exploration signals were found in ACC/MCC and dlPFC, active when choosing low-value options.
  • Strategic exploration was abolished by counterfactual feedback.
  • Medial OFC activity correlated with learning from counterfactual outcomes, representing reward prediction errors.

Conclusions

  • ACC/MCC-dlPFC circuits support strategic exploration by counteracting expected value signals.
  • Medial OFC circuits support learning from counterfactual outcomes.
  • These circuits enable adaptive foraging by balancing exploitation and exploration.