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SUMMARY:Decision-making computations within prefrontal cortex: so many int
 eresting neuronal signals but how do we make sense of them? - Dr. Steve Ke
 nnerley\, UCL\, Institute of Neurology
DTSTART:20110531T120000Z
DTEND:20110531T130000Z
UID:TALK30624@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:John Mollon
DESCRIPTION:Decision-making frameworks highlight a number of important com
 putations that may be necessary for guiding optimal behaviour. The brain n
 eeds to represent what alternatives are available and compute the variable
 s that will enable efficient choice between alternatives\, such as the cos
 ts and benefits associated with each alternative. Once the choice has been
  made the brain must compute the value of the obtained outcome and generat
 e a prediction error if the actual outcome deviates from the predicted out
 come. These signals could serve to modify and maintain the values associat
 ed with different alternatives\, thereby ensuring that future choices are 
 optimal and adaptive. Here I will discuss recent research from our lab sug
 gesting that single neurons in different frontal cortex regions - in parti
 cular the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)\, lateral prefrontal cortex (LPF
 C) and orbital frontal cortex (OFC) - encode different types of decision-m
 aking computations. Moreover\, I will argue that the value representations
  encoded by neurons in these regions are necessary for reinforcement learn
 ing and optimal decision-making\, as discrete lesions of ACC or OFC cause 
 severe (but dissociable) learning and decision-making impairments. Critica
 lly however\, while many single neurons encode decision value\, they often
  do so with opponent encoding schemes such that value information averages
  away in population analyses. Such averaging effects may have implications
  for human neuroscience methods which average activity across neuronal pop
 ulations. 
LOCATION:Second-floor seminar room\, Department of Experimental Psychology
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