Influence of catecholamines on reward-related neuronal activity in monkey orbitofrontal cortex

Reward-related neuronal activity and its regulation by catecholaminergic input were investigated in the orbitofrontal cortex of the behaving monkey by means of extracellular unit recording and microiontophoretic application of drugs. Neuronal activity was modulated by reward situations and catecholamines. The activity of a majority of the noradrenaline-sensitive cells decreased and of the dopamine sensitive cells increased during food acquisition behavior. The results suggest that catecholamines could be involved in reward-related neuronal activity in the monkey orbitofrontal cortex.