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Learning of anticipatory responses in single neurons of the human medial temporal lobe

Author

Listed:
  • Leila Reddy

    (Université de Toulouse, Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paul Sabatier
    CNRS, UMR 5549, Faculté de Médecine de Purpan)

  • Marlene Poncet

    (Université de Toulouse, Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paul Sabatier
    CNRS, UMR 5549, Faculté de Médecine de Purpan)

  • Matthew W. Self

    (Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (KNAW))

  • Judith C. Peters

    (Neuroimaging & Neuromodeling Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)
    Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University)

  • Linda Douw

    (VU University Medical Center
    Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging/Massachusetts General Hospital)

  • Edwin van Dellen

    (Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht
    VU University Medical Center)

  • Steven Claus

    (Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland
    VU University Medical Center)

  • Jaap C. Reijneveld

    (VU University Medical Center)

  • Johannes C. Baayen

    (VU University Medical Center)

  • Pieter R. Roelfsema

    (Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (KNAW)
    Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit
    Academic Medical Center)

Abstract

Neuronal processes underlying the formation of new associations in the human brain are not yet well understood. Here human participants, implanted with depth electrodes in the brain, learned arbitrary associations between images presented in an ordered, predictable sequence. During learning we recorded from medial temporal lobe (MTL) neurons that responded to at least one of the pictures in the sequence (the preferred stimulus). We report that as a result of learning, single MTL neurons show asymmetric shifts in activity and start firing earlier in the sequence in anticipation of their preferred stimulus. These effects appear relatively early in learning, after only 11 exposures to the stimulus sequence. The anticipatory neuronal responses emerge while the subjects became faster in reporting the next item in the sequence. These results demonstrate flexible representations that could support learning of new associations between stimuli in a sequence, in single neurons in the human MTL.

Suggested Citation

  • Leila Reddy & Marlene Poncet & Matthew W. Self & Judith C. Peters & Linda Douw & Edwin van Dellen & Steven Claus & Jaap C. Reijneveld & Johannes C. Baayen & Pieter R. Roelfsema, 2015. "Learning of anticipatory responses in single neurons of the human medial temporal lobe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms9556
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9556
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    Cited by:

    1. Marcel Bausch & Johannes Niediek & Thomas P. Reber & Sina Mackay & Jan Boström & Christian E. Elger & Florian Mormann, 2021. "Concept neurons in the human medial temporal lobe flexibly represent abstract relations between concepts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.

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