Social agent identity cells in the prefrontal cortex of interacting groups of primates

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abb4149
• Publication Date: 2021-10-22T03:58:48Z
• Authors: Raymundo Báez-Men...; Emma P. Mastrobat...; Amy J. Wang; Ziv M. Williams
• Keywords: Neurons; Primates; Mice; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Reward; Social Identification; Social Interaction; Animals; Humans; Prefrontal Cortex; Macaca mulatta

The ability to interact effectively within social groups is essential primate and human behavior. Yet understanding the neural processes that underlie interactive behavior of or by which neurons solve basic problem coding for multiple agents has remained a challenge. By tracking interindividual dynamics three interacting rhesus macaques, we discover detailed representations groups’ in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, reflecting not only other agents’ identities but also their specific interactions, context, actions, outcomes. We show how these cells collectively represent interaction between group members reciprocation, retaliation, past behaviors. they influence animals’ own upcoming decisions form beneficial agent-specific interactions. Together, findings reveal code agency identity others cellular mechanism could support groups.