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General mechanisms of task engagement in the primate frontal cortex

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Grohn

    (University of Oxford)

  • Nima Khalighinejad

    (University of Oxford)

  • Caroline I Jahn

    (University of Oxford
    Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University)

  • Alessandro Bongioanni

    (University of Oxford
    CEA, INSERM, Université Paris-Saclay, NeuroSpin Center)

  • Urs Schüffelgen

    (University of Oxford)

  • Jerome Sallet

    (University of Oxford
    18 Avenue Doyen Lepine)

  • Matthew F. S. Rushworth

    (University of Oxford)

  • Nils Kolling

    (18 Avenue Doyen Lepine
    University of Oxford
    Pôle EST)

Abstract

Staying engaged is necessary to maintain goal-directed behaviors. Despite this, engagement exhibits continuous, intrinsic fluctuations. Even in experimental settings, animals, unlike most humans, repeatedly and spontaneously move between periods of complete task engagement and disengagement. We, therefore, looked at behavior in male macaques (macaca mulatta) in four tasks while recording fMRI signals. We identified consistent autocorrelation in task disengagement. This made it possible to build models capturing task-independent engagement. We identified task general patterns of neural activity linked to impending sudden task disengagement in mid-cingulate gyrus. By contrast, activity centered in perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) was associated with maintenance of performance across tasks. Importantly, we carefully controlled for task-specific factors such as the reward history and other motivational effects, such as response vigor, in our analyses. Moreover, we showed pgACC activity had a causal link to task engagement: transcranial ultrasound stimulation of pgACC changed task engagement patterns.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Grohn & Nima Khalighinejad & Caroline I Jahn & Alessandro Bongioanni & Urs Schüffelgen & Jerome Sallet & Matthew F. S. Rushworth & Nils Kolling, 2024. "General mechanisms of task engagement in the primate frontal cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49128-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49128-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alessandro Bongioanni & Davide Folloni & Lennart Verhagen & Jérôme Sallet & Miriam C. Klein-Flügge & Matthew F. S. Rushworth, 2021. "Activation and disruption of a neural mechanism for novel choice in monkeys," Nature, Nature, vol. 591(7849), pages 270-274, March.
    2. Tanja Müller & Miriam C. Klein-Flügge & Sanjay G. Manohar & Masud Husain & Matthew A. J. Apps, 2021. "Neural and computational mechanisms of momentary fatigue and persistence in effort-based choice," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Marco K. Wittmann & Nils Kolling & Rei Akaishi & Bolton K. H. Chau & Joshua W. Brown & Natalie Nelissen & Matthew F. S. Rushworth, 2016. "Predictive decision making driven by multiple time-linked reward representations in the anterior cingulate cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Nima Khalighinejad & Neil Garrett & Luke Priestley & Patricia Lockwood & Matthew F. S. Rushworth, 2021. "A habenula-insular circuit encodes the willingness to act," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Frederic M. Stoll & Vincent Fontanier & Emmanuel Procyk, 2016. "Specific frontal neural dynamics contribute to decisions to check," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-14, September.
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