Lateral orbitofrontal cortex anticipates choices and integrates prior with current information

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14823
• Publication Date: 2017-03-24T10:24:35Z
• Authors: Ramon Nogueira; Juan M. Abolafia; Jan Drugowitsch; Emili Balaguer-Ba...; Maria V. Sanchez-...; Rubén Moreno-Bote
• Keywords: Orbitofrontal cortex; Stimulus (psychology)

Abstract Adaptive behavior requires integrating prior with current information to anticipate upcoming events. Brain structures related this computation should bring relevant signals from the recent past into present. Here we report that rats can integrate most sensory information, thereby improving on a perceptual decision-making task outcome-dependent trial history. We find anticipatory in orbitofrontal cortex about choice increase over time and are even present before stimulus onset. These neuronal also represent second-order combinations of state variables. The encoding choice, variables resides, up movement onset, overlapping populations. representation onset its build-up once is presented suggest plays role transforming immediate choices using compact state-space representation.