Cited by 97Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesMemory and Neural MechanismsNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

The anterior cingulate cortex directs exploration of alternative strategies

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Tervo, D. Gowanlock R., Kuleshova, Elena, Manakov, Maxim, Proskurin, Mikhail, Karlsson, Mattias, Lustig, Andy, Behnam, Reza, Karpova, Alla Y.·2021·Neuron

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

The ability to adjust one's behavioral strategy in complex environments is at the core of cognition. Doing so efficiently requires monitoring the reliability of the ongoing strategy and, when appropriate, switching away from it to evaluate alternatives. Studies in humans and non-human primates have uncovered signals in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that reflect the pressure to switch away from the ongoing strategy, whereas other ACC signals relate to the pursuit of alternatives. However, whether these signals underlie computations that actually underpin strategy switching or merely reflect tracking of related variables remains unclear. Here we provide causal evidence that the rodent ACC actively arbitrates between persisting with the ongoing behavioral strategy and temporarily switching away to re-evaluate alternatives. Furthermore, by individually perturbing distinct output pathways, we establish that the two associated computations-determining whether to switch strategy and committing to the pursuit of a specific alternative-are segregated in the ACC microcircuitry.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.028

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Authors
Tervo, D. G. R., Kuleshova, E., Manakov, M., Proskurin, M., Karlsson, M., Lustig, A., Behnam, R., & Karpova, A. Y.
Affiliations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Karpova, Alla Y.
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-06
Volume
109
Issue
11
Pages
1876-1887.e6
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3156958386
Cited by
97
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1
FWCI
8.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
anterior cingulate cortex, strategy switching, behavioral flexibility, strategy monitoring, microcircuitry, rodent behavior, causal manipulation
MeSH terms
Animals, Decision Making, Exploratory Behavior, Feeding Behavior, Gyrus Cinguli, Male, Pyramidal Tracts, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats

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