Neural correlates of flexible cognition

Abstract: New probes now allow high density recordings of activity in primates. We report on findings from two collaborations with the Buffalo lab in which primates were trained to perform complex tasks, in which we explore the emergence of schemas. In the first study, macaque monkeys navigated in a visually rich virtual reality environment. We find that while many neurons in hippocampus show place-like responses, the population as a whole tends to primarily encode relevant task epochs. In a second study, we report early findings from analysis of local field potentials in primates and in humans during performance of the Wisconsin card sorting task. In this task, one must learn by trial and error which of several features of presented stimuli are rewarded. Recordings during task performance demonstrate differential encoding of positive and negative errors, and signatures of brain-wide information flow.  We will discuss a novel extension of dynamic mode decomposition suitable for extracting spatiotemporal activity patterns from LFP signals. 

MORE INFO 

• PSLNeuro organizers: Karim Benchenane, Laurent Bourdieu, Vincent Hakim, Srdjan Ostojic, German Sumbre, Michael Zugaro
• "Adrienne Fairhall, specialist in theoretical neuroscience, visiting professor at the ENS" (Interview)