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Value-Based Search Efficiency Is Encoded in the Substantia Nigra Reticulata Firing Rate, Spiking Irregularity and

Abdolvahed Narmashiri1,2, Mojtaba Abbaszadeh2, Mohammad Hossein Nadian2

  • 1Bio-intelligence Research Unit, Sharif Brain Center, Electrical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 1458889694, Iran.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|December 20, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Neural mechanisms of visual search for valuable objects were explored. The substantia nigra reticulata (SNr) shows stronger inhibition during efficient search, facilitating faster target acquisition.

Keywords:
basal ganglialocal field potentialmacaque monkeysearch efficiencysingle-unit recordingspiking variabilitysubstantia nigra reticulatavalue memoryvisual search

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Visual Perception

Background:

  • Valuable objects can be rapidly identified in visual search, but the underlying neural processes are not fully understood.
  • The substantia nigra reticulata (SNr) is implicated in object value memory and gaze control, suggesting a potential role in visual search.
  • Previous research highlights the SNr's involvement in sensorimotor functions and reward processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural mechanisms of visual search for valuable targets, specifically focusing on the role of the substantia nigra reticulata (SNr).
  • To determine how SNr activity differs during efficient versus inefficient visual search for high-value objects.
  • To correlate SNr neural activity with behavioral measures of search efficiency.

Main Methods:

  • Single-unit activity of the SNr was recorded in male macaque monkeys during visual search tasks.
  • Monkeys searched for a valuable target object among low-value distractors, engaging in both efficient and inefficient search conditions.
  • Analysis included comparing SNr firing rates and irregularity between target-present (TP) and target-absent (TA) trials, alongside time-frequency analysis of local field potentials (LFPs).

Main Results:

  • Efficient visual search correlated with increased inhibition and spiking irregularity in the SNr during target-present (TP) trials compared to target-absent (TA) trials.
  • Distinct firing rates between TP and TA trials emerged rapidly (within ~100 ms) after display onset, with magnitude linked to search times and efficiency.
  • Gamma band power in LFPs showed significant modulation related to search efficiency, and reduced SNr firing in efficient TP trials may disinhibit the superior colliculus.

Conclusions:

  • The substantia nigra reticulata (SNr) plays a crucial role in the neural computation of efficient visual search for valuable items.
  • Rapid modulation of SNr activity, characterized by inhibition and altered firing patterns, facilitates the prioritization and selection of valuable targets.
  • This SNr-mediated process, potentially through disinhibition of downstream targets like the superior colliculus, aids in rapid saccadic eye movements towards valuable rewards in complex visual scenes.