Representation of outcome risk and action in the anterior caudate nucleus.
The anterior caudate nucleus is essential for goal-directed behavior because it links outcome information to actions. It is well known that caudate neurons provide a variety of reward-related and action signals. However, it is still unclear how the two signals are integrated. We investigated whether and how outcome risk modulates spatial representation. We recorded neural activity in the anterior caudate nucleus while monkeys made saccades to multiple spatial targets, each associated with either fixed (safe) or variable (risky) amount of reward. We report that individual neurons combined the outcome reward signal with spatial information about the direction of saccades. These signals could be reliably read out from the populations of neurons. Moreover, the prospect of a risky outcome improved the quality of spatial information. These results provide direct evidence that global spatial representation in the caudate is modulated by outcome, which can be important for flexible control of behavior, particularly during learning and habit formation, when outcomes vary.
['Yanike|Marianna|M|', 'Ferrera|Vincent P|VP|']
D000200:Action Potentials D000818:Animals D002421:Caudate Nucleus D002755:Choice Behavior D003463:Cues D008253:Macaca mulatta D008297:Male D008568:Memory D009474:Neurons D009949:Orientation D011237:Predictive Value of Tests D011930:Reaction Time D012201:Reward D012306:Risk D012309:Risk-Taking D012438:Saccades
risk basal ganglia decision making electrophysiology neuronal populations nonhuman primates