Research article summary (published 10 Oct 2007):

Amygdala tractography predicts functional connectivity and learning during feedback-guided decision-making.

Full Abstract

Flexibly adapting behavior in dynamic environments relies on fronto-limbic networks that include the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and striatum. Animal work demonstrates that interactions among these regions are critical for flexible feedback-guided learning, but it remains unknown to what extent such anatomical-functional interactions operate in humans. Here, we use connectivity analyses in both structural and functional MRI to further our understanding of how brain circuits work in conjunction to promote goal-directed behavior. In particular, fiber tracking based on diffusion-weighted imaging provides information about anatomical connectivity between brain structures, and functional MRI provides estimates of functional connectivity between structures. We found that, during a feedback-guided reversal learning task, the strength of estimated white matter tracts from the amygdala to the hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex, and ventral striatum predicted both how subjects adapted their behavior following positive and negative feedback, and the functional connectivity (estimated from functional MRI time series) between the amygdala and these regions. In addition, we identified a dissociation between an amygdala-hippocampus circuit that predicted response switching, and an amygdala-orbitofrontal cortex circuit that predicted learning following rule reversals. These findings provide novel insights into how the anatomy and functioning of amygdala-related brain circuits mediate different aspects of feedback-guided learning behavior.

Author information

Author/s: Cohen, Michael X (MX); Elger, Christian E (CE); Weber, Bernd (B);

Affiliation: Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Germany. mcohen(-atsign-)ucdavis.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: NeuroImage (Neuroimage), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Feb; vol 39 (issue 3) : pp 1396-407

Dates: Created 2008/01/15; Completed 2008/03/25;

PMID: 17997112, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Amygdala - physiology Decision Making - physiology Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Feedback - physiology Female Humans Individuality

Individuality Learning - physiology Magnetic Resonance Imaging Male Nerve Net - physiology Psychomotor Performance - physiology Reversal Learning - physiology Reward

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Anatomy of a decision: striato-orbitofrontal interactions in reinforcement learning, decision making, and reversal. 30 Mar 2006
• Computational principles of movement neuroscience. 30 Oct 2000
• The impact of affect and frequency on lexical decision: the role of the amygdala and inferior frontal cortex. 30 Apr 2006
• Reinforcement learning signals in the human striatum distinguish learners from nonlearners during reward-based decision making. 19 Nov 2007
• Online reservoir adaptation by intrinsic plasticity for backpropagation-decorrelation and echo state learning. May 2007
• Neural substrates of choice selection in adults and adolescents: development of the ventrolateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices. 20 Nov 2006
• The contribution of ventrolateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to response reversal. 2 Sep 2007
• ERP correlates of feedback and reward processing in the presence and absence of response choice. 16 Aug 2004
• Performance variability enables adaptive plasticity of 'crystallized' adult birdsong. 18 Dec 2007
• Gaze-centered updating of remembered visual space during active whole-body translations. 27 Nov 2006

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.