Neuronal mechanisms for social information processing.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Experimental Psychology
Abstract
Uncertainty influences the perceived value of rewards and affects our decision strategies. We learn about uncertainty through personal experience and by observing the actions and outcomes of others. This proposal investigates the brain processes underlying the learning of uncertainty from own and social experience.
The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the amygdala have been shown to play crucial roles in value-based decision making, and interaction between these brain structures is thought to be critical for learning. However, it is unclear how they differentially contribute to learning about the uncertainty of choice options. Furthermore, it is not known whether they differentially encode the uncertainty learned through personal experiences compared to that learned through observation.
To address these questions, we train monkeys in a behavioural task involving decision-making and observation of choices made by a partner monkey. We perform simultaneous recording of single-neuron activity in the OFC and amygdala. We quantify and characterize uncertainty using economic principles, relating this rigorous uncertainty measure to the neuronal activity. We explore the neural correlates of uncertainty across the recorded brain regions. Furthermore, we employ ultrasound stimulation to investigate the specific roles and interactions between these brain regions during the learning process.
Our primary objective is to identify neurons that encode uncertainty associated with either the subject's own choices or those observed from others. Second, we aim to compare the timing of activation and uncertainty-coding between the OFC and amygdala neurons to infer the direction of information flow during the learning of uncertainty. Third, using ultrasound stimulation to disrupt activity in each brain region, we seek to discern the specific contribution of each area and their interactions during the learning process.
We expect specific neuronal populations to robustly encode uncertainty within both OFC and amygdala. Some of these neurons may exhibit distinct response patterns based on whether uncertainty arises from own experiences or from observational learning. We expect differences in activation and coding times between the two areas, implying a directional flow of information during the uncertainty learning process. Using ultrasound stimulation, we anticipate gaining insights into the precise roles played by the OFC and amygdala and their interplay during the learning of uncertainty information.
This study will advance our understanding of social information processing in the brain, by elucidating how the OFC and amygdala specifically code and update uncertainty information in a social context. These results will provide insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying uncertainty processing, which may also be dysfunctional in conditions such as anxiety and addiction.
The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the amygdala have been shown to play crucial roles in value-based decision making, and interaction between these brain structures is thought to be critical for learning. However, it is unclear how they differentially contribute to learning about the uncertainty of choice options. Furthermore, it is not known whether they differentially encode the uncertainty learned through personal experiences compared to that learned through observation.
To address these questions, we train monkeys in a behavioural task involving decision-making and observation of choices made by a partner monkey. We perform simultaneous recording of single-neuron activity in the OFC and amygdala. We quantify and characterize uncertainty using economic principles, relating this rigorous uncertainty measure to the neuronal activity. We explore the neural correlates of uncertainty across the recorded brain regions. Furthermore, we employ ultrasound stimulation to investigate the specific roles and interactions between these brain regions during the learning process.
Our primary objective is to identify neurons that encode uncertainty associated with either the subject's own choices or those observed from others. Second, we aim to compare the timing of activation and uncertainty-coding between the OFC and amygdala neurons to infer the direction of information flow during the learning of uncertainty. Third, using ultrasound stimulation to disrupt activity in each brain region, we seek to discern the specific contribution of each area and their interactions during the learning process.
We expect specific neuronal populations to robustly encode uncertainty within both OFC and amygdala. Some of these neurons may exhibit distinct response patterns based on whether uncertainty arises from own experiences or from observational learning. We expect differences in activation and coding times between the two areas, implying a directional flow of information during the uncertainty learning process. Using ultrasound stimulation, we anticipate gaining insights into the precise roles played by the OFC and amygdala and their interplay during the learning of uncertainty information.
This study will advance our understanding of social information processing in the brain, by elucidating how the OFC and amygdala specifically code and update uncertainty information in a social context. These results will provide insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying uncertainty processing, which may also be dysfunctional in conditions such as anxiety and addiction.
