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Cited by 181Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesMemory and Neural MechanismsNeural dynamics and brain function

Indirection and symbol-like processing in the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia

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Kriete, Trenton, Noelle, David C., Cohen, Jonathan D., O’Reilly, Randall C.·2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.1303547110PMC PMC3799308
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Abstract

The ability to flexibly, rapidly, and accurately perform novel tasks is a hallmark of human behavior. In our everyday lives we are often faced with arbitrary instructions that we must understand and follow, and we are able to do so with remarkable ease. It has frequently been argued that this ability relies on symbol processing, which depends critically on the ability to represent variables and bind them to arbitrary values. Whereas symbol processing is a fundamental feature of all computer systems, it remains a mystery whether and how this ability is carried out by the brain. Here, we provide an example of how the structure and functioning of the prefrontal cortex/basal ganglia working memory system can support variable binding, through a form of indirection (akin to a pointer in computer science). We show how indirection enables the system to flexibly generalize its behavior substantially beyond its direct experience (i.e., systematicity). We argue that this provides a biologically plausible mechanism that approximates a key component of symbol processing, exhibiting both the flexibility, but also some of the limitations, that are associated with this ability in humans.

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  • Cognitive scientists have long hypothesized that variable binding plays a central role in analogical reasoning and abstract reasoning more broadly, potentially allowing generalization of abstract roles across different contexts.

    “Cognitive scientists have long hypothesized that variable binding plays a central role in analogical reasoning, and abstract reasoning more broadly, as it potentially allows generalization of abstract roles across different contexts.”

    From Emergent analogical reasoning in large language models (2023) · cites this paper as [55]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Pucak ML, Levitt JB, Lund JS, Lewis DA (1996) Patterns of intrinsic and associational circuitry in monkey prefrontal cortex. J Comp Neurol 376(4):614-630.

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Authors
Kriete, T., Noelle, D. C., Cohen, J. D., & O’Reilly, R. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
  • University of California, Merced (US)
  • Princeton University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Published
2013-09-23
Volume
110
Issue
41
Pages
16390-16395
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.1303547110
PMC
PMC3799308
OpenAlex
W2107139863
Cited by
181
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 1
FWCI
4.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (D10PC20021)
  • National Cancer Institute (D10PC20021)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
indirection, symbolic processing, prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, working memory, variable binding, systematicity, generalization, cognitive flexibility
MeSH terms
Basal Ganglia, Cognition, Humans, Models, Neurological, Neurons, Symbolism, Prefrontal Cortex

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