Increased acetylcholine release in the rat medial prefrontal cortex during performance of a visual attentional task

Passetti, Filippo; Dalley, Jeff; O’Connell, Mark; Everitt, Barry J.; Robbins, Trevor W.

doi:10.1046/j.1460-9568.2000.00183.x

Cited by 196 publications

(146 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…It has been estimated that the minus phase corresponds to the first 200-400 ms of stimulus processing, while the plus phase follows immediately thereafter, corresponding to the classic P300 signal recordedin ERP's (O'Reilly and Munakata, 2000;O'Reilly, 1996). Other lines of research also indicate the possibility of increased levels of ACh in rats during reward presentation (Passetti et al, 2000). This would coincide with the plus phase in our network model.…”

Section: Ach Modulation Of Attention Via Layer Gainmentioning

confidence: 64%

Attentional control of associative learning—A possible role of the central cholinergic system

Pauli

O’Reilly

2008

Brain Research

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How does attention interact with learning? Kruschke [Kruschke, J.K. (2001). Toward a unified Model of Attention in Associative Learning. J. Math. Psychol. 45, proposed a model (EXIT) that captures Mackintosh's [Mackintosh, N.J. (1975). A theory of attention: Variations in the associability of stimuli with reinforcement. Psychological Review, 82(4), 276-298.] framework for attentional modulation of associative learning. We developed a computational model that showed analogous interactions between selective attention and associative learning, but is significantly simplified and, in contrast to EXIT, is motivated by neurophysiological findings. Competition among input representations in the internal representation layer, which increases the contrast between stimuli, is critical for simulating these interactions in human behavior. Furthermore, this competition is modulated in a way that might be consistent with the phasic activation of the central cholinergic system, which modulates activity in sensory cortices. Specifically, phasic increases in acetylcholine can cause increased excitability of both pyramidal excitatory neurons in cortical layers II/III and cortical GABAergic inhibitory interneurons targeting the same pyramidal neurons. These effects result in increased attentional contrast in our model. This model thus represents an initial attempt to link human attentional learning data with underlying neural substrates. KeywordsSelective attention; Associative learning; Layer gain; Acetylcholine; Neural network Except for moments of a "confused, dazed, scatterbrained state which in French is called distraction, and Zerstreutheit in German" (James, 1890, p. 404), we can hardly attend to more than one object or idea at one point in time. Mechanisms of selective attention control which information influences our behavior and our decisions. The focus of our attention can be redirected endogenously because of internal states, or shifted exogenously because of an innate or acquired salience of sensory stimuli. Endogenous attentional control depends on executive functions of the prefrontal cortex (and in the case of spatial attention, interactions with spatial systems in parietal lobes), which enables us to focus our attention based on our current needs or interests (Corbetta and Shulman, 2002). In contrast, this study addresses the neural mechanisms that drive the acquisition of attentional salience for sensory stimuli, which can then overcome the dominance of executive processes to allow our attention to be directed by significant events in our sensory environment. We developed a computational model of learned attentional salience, intended to capture in a very simplified framework the essential dynamics of processing in sensory and association cortex. The central cholinergic system can play an important additional modulatory role as part of a "circuit breaker" (Corbetta and Shulman, 2002) of the fronto-parietal attention system (see also Kimura et al., 1999). Our model incorporates another potential idea a...

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Section: Ach Modulation Of Attention Via Layer Gainmentioning

confidence: 64%

Attentional control of associative learning—A possible role of the central cholinergic system

Pauli

O’Reilly

2008

Brain Research

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“…Previous experiments indicated that increases in the demands on attentional performance, resulting from long-task periods or pharmacological challenges on performance, as opposed to increases in performance levels, correlate with increases in cortical ACh release in task-performing animals Passetti et al, 2000). This evidence corresponds with the hypothesis that increases in mPFC ACh release above normal performance-associated levels mediate the recruitment of the 'anterior attention system' and the resulting implementation of top-down mechanisms that counteract the performance decrements triggered by challenging conditions .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Removal of cortical cholinergic inputs produces persistent impairments in attentional performance. Furthermore, attentional performance is associated with increases in cortical acetylcholine (ACh) release that are not observed in animals performing tasks controlling for the nonattentional aspects of performance (Dalley et al, 2001;Himmelheber et al, 1997Himmelheber et al, , 2000Kozak et al, 2006;McGaughy et al, 1996McGaughy et al, , 2000Passetti et al, 2000;Sarter, 1997, 2000). The available evidence indicates that the cortical cholinergic input system mediates not one particular aspect of attention but supports a range of attentional abilities, including sustained, selective, and divided attention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a Neuro-Cognitive Animal Model of the Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Disruption of Cortical Cholinergic Neurotransmission Following Repeated Amphetamine Exposure in Attentional Task-Performing, but Not Non-Performing, Rats

Kozak

Martı́nez

Young

et al. 2007

Neuropsychopharmacol

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Impairments in attentional functions and capacities represent core aspects of the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Attentional performance has been demonstrated to depend on the integrity and activity of cortical cholinergic inputs. The neurobiological, behavioral, and cognitive effects of repeated exposure to psychostimulants model important aspects of schizophrenia. In the present experiment, prefrontal acetylcholine (ACh) release was measured in attentional task-performing and non-performing rats pretreated with an escalating dosing regimen of amphetamine (AMPH) and following challenges with AMPH. In non-performing rats, pretreatment with AMPH did not affect the increases in ACh release produced by AMPH-challenges. In contrast, attentional task performanceassociated increases in ACh release were attenuated in AMPH-pretreated and AMPH-challenged rats. This effect of repeated AMPH exposure on ACh release was already present before task-onset, suggesting that the loss of cognitive control that characterized these animals' performance was a result of cholinergic dysregulation. The findings indicate that the demonstration of repeated AMPH-induced dysregulation of the prefrontal cholinergic input system depends on interactions between the effects of repeated AMPH exposure and cognitive performance-associated recruitment of this neuronal system. Repeated AMPH-induced disruption of prefrontal cholinergic activity and attentional performance represents a useful model to investigate the cholinergic mechanisms contributing to the cognitive impairments of schizophrenia.

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“…A representative photomicrograph of a probe track in the prefrontal cortex is shown in a recently published study (Passetti et al 2000). …”

Section: In Vivo Neurochemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Deficits in Impulse Control Associated with Tonically-elevated Serotonergic Function in Rat Prefrontal Cortex

Dalley

Theobald

Eagle

et al. 2002

Neuropsychopharmacology

248

203

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Increased acetylcholine release in the rat medial prefrontal cortex during performance of a visual attentional task

Cited by 196 publications

References 33 publications

Attentional control of associative learning—A possible role of the central cholinergic system

Attentional control of associative learning—A possible role of the central cholinergic system

Toward a Neuro-Cognitive Animal Model of the Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Disruption of Cortical Cholinergic Neurotransmission Following Repeated Amphetamine Exposure in Attentional Task-Performing, but Not Non-Performing, Rats

Deficits in Impulse Control Associated with Tonically-elevated Serotonergic Function in Rat Prefrontal Cortex

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