Modulation of value-based decision making behavior by subregions of the rat prefrontal cortex

Abstract

Rationale During value-based decision-making, organisms make choices on the basis of reward expectations, which have been formed during prior action-outcome learning. Although it is known that neuronal manipulations of different subregions of the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) have qualitatively different effects on behavioral tasks involving value-based decision-making, it is unclear how these regions contribute to the underlying component processes. Objectives Assessing how different regions of the rodent PFC contribute to component processes of value-based decisionmaking behavior, including reward (or positive feedback) learning, punishment (or negative feedback) learning, response persistence, and exploration versus exploitation. Methods We performed behavioral modeling of data of rats in a probabilistic reversal learning task after pharmacological inactivation of five PFC subregions, to assess how inactivation of these different regions affected the structure of responding of animals in the task. Results Our results show reductions in reward and punishment learning after PFC subregion inactivation. The prelimbic, infralimbic, lateral orbital, and medial orbital PFC particularly contributed to punishment learning, and the prelimbic and lateral orbital PFC to reward learning. In addition, response persistence depended on the infralimbic and medial orbital PFC. As a result, pharmacological inactivation of the infralimbic and lateral orbitofrontal cortex reduced the number of reversals achieved, whereas inactivation of the prelimbic and medial orbitofrontal cortex decreased the number of rewards obtained. Finally, using simulated data, we explain discrepancies with a previous study and demonstrate complex, interacting relationships between conventional measures of probabilistic reversal learning performance, such as win-stay/lose-switch behavior, and component processes of value-based decision-making. Conclusions Together, our data suggest that distinct components of value-based learning and decision-making are generated in medial and orbital PFC regions, displaying functional specialization and overlap, with a prominent role of large parts of the PFC in negative feedback processing.

Influence of ovarian hormones on value-based decision-making systems: Contribution to sexual dimorphisms in mental disorders

“…Animal as well as human studies suggest the PFC as the main candidate for updating action and outcome relationship and facilitating flexible learning, while distinct parts of this region contribute to different aspects of learning (Walker et al, 2008;Dalton et al, 2016;Verharen et al, 2020). For example, in a recent rodent study, Verharen et al (2020) demonstrated that pharmacological impairment of the infralimbic cortex and medial OFC resulted in lower punishment learning rates, impairment of prelimbic cortex and lateral OFC was followed by combined negative effects in reward and punishment learning, and overall PFC impairment reduced learning in general.…”

Sex-dependent effects of chronic intermittent voluntary alcohol consumption on attentional, not motivational, measures during probabilistic learning and reversal

“…Similarly, the probability of using WSLS strategies across time was~0.5, suggesting these strategies were not used effectively for learning. Indeed, dissociations in learning and WSLS have been reported before [84]. It will be important to investigate the extent to which the later proexploratory phenotype relies on an early attentional decrement, or if these are orthogonal effects of chronic EtOH experience.…”

Social play is critical for the development of prefrontal inhibitory synapses and cognitive flexibility in rats

“…By contrast, CTL rats used a strategy whereby they integrated component processes such as sensitivity to positive and negative feedback, and weighing the benefits of exploration versus exploitation and response persistence. We and others have previously shown that component processes underlying reversal learning require functional activity in PFC regions 19,20 . Thus, the use of a simplified cognitive strategy in SPD rats indicates altered PFC functionality in these animals.…”

“…S1a-d). We next performed computational trial-by-trial analysis of the behavioural data 20,21 to reveal possible alterations in the component processes subserving probabilistic reversal learning (see Online Methods). The behaviour of CTL rats was best described by a Rescorla-Wagner Q-learning model throughout testing, but the SPD rats came to display behaviour congruent with a simpler heuristic strategy as reversal learning progressed ( Fig.…”