Reward prospect weighs on motor decision processes, enhancing the selection of appropriate actions and the inhibition of others. While many studies have investigated the neuronal basis of reward representations and of cortical control of actions, the neuronal correlates of the influences of reward prospect on motor decisions are less clear. We recorded from the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) of 2 male macaque monkeys performing a modified version of the Stop-signal (countermanding) task. This task challenges motor decisions by requiring responding to a frequent Go stimulus, but to suppress this response when a rare Stop signal is presented during the reaction time. We unbalanced the motivation to respond or to suppress the response by presenting a cue informing on three different rewards schedules: In one case, Go trials were rewarded more than Stop trials; in another case, Stop trials were rewarded more than Go trials; in the last case, both types of trials were rewarded equally. Monkeys adopted different strategies according to reward information provided by the cue: The higher the reward for Stop trials, the higher their ability to suppress the response and the slower their response to Go stimuli. PMd neuronal activity evolved in time and correlated with the behavior: PMd signaled first the cue salience, representing the chance to earn the highest reward at stake, then reflected the shaping of the motor choice by the motivation to move or to stop. These findings represent a neuronal correlate of the influence of reward information on motor decision.

Neuronal activity in the premotor cortex of monkeys reflects both cue salience and motivation for action generation and inhibition / Giamundo, M.; Giarrocco, F.; Brunamonti, E.; Fabbrini, F.; Pani, P.; Ferraina, S.. - In: THE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE. - ISSN 0270-6474. - 41:36(2021), pp. 7591-7606. [10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0641-20.2021]

Neuronal activity in the premotor cortex of monkeys reflects both cue salience and motivation for action generation and inhibition

Giamundo M.
Primo
;
Brunamonti E.;Pani P.
;
Ferraina S.
Ultimo
2021

Abstract

Reward prospect weighs on motor decision processes, enhancing the selection of appropriate actions and the inhibition of others. While many studies have investigated the neuronal basis of reward representations and of cortical control of actions, the neuronal correlates of the influences of reward prospect on motor decisions are less clear. We recorded from the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) of 2 male macaque monkeys performing a modified version of the Stop-signal (countermanding) task. This task challenges motor decisions by requiring responding to a frequent Go stimulus, but to suppress this response when a rare Stop signal is presented during the reaction time. We unbalanced the motivation to respond or to suppress the response by presenting a cue informing on three different rewards schedules: In one case, Go trials were rewarded more than Stop trials; in another case, Stop trials were rewarded more than Go trials; in the last case, both types of trials were rewarded equally. Monkeys adopted different strategies according to reward information provided by the cue: The higher the reward for Stop trials, the higher their ability to suppress the response and the slower their response to Go stimuli. PMd neuronal activity evolved in time and correlated with the behavior: PMd signaled first the cue salience, representing the chance to earn the highest reward at stake, then reflected the shaping of the motor choice by the motivation to move or to stop. These findings represent a neuronal correlate of the influence of reward information on motor decision.
2021
Countermanding task; Inhibitory control; Monkey; Motivation; Motor control; Premotor cortex; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cognition; Cues; Macaca mulatta; Male; Motivation; Motor Cortex; Neural Inhibition; Neurons; Psychomotor Performance; Reaction Time
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Neuronal activity in the premotor cortex of monkeys reflects both cue salience and motivation for action generation and inhibition / Giamundo, M.; Giarrocco, F.; Brunamonti, E.; Fabbrini, F.; Pani, P.; Ferraina, S.. - In: THE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE. - ISSN 0270-6474. - 41:36(2021), pp. 7591-7606. [10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0641-20.2021]
File allegati a questo prodotto
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1605404
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 1
  • Scopus 8
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 7
social impact