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Parallel processing of working memory and temporal information by distinct types of cortical projection neurons.

ABSTRACT: It is unclear how different types of cortical projection neurons work together to support diverse cortical functions. We examined the discharge characteristics and inactivation effects of intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons-two major types of cortical excitatory neurons that project to cortical and subcortical structures, respectively-in the deep layer of the medial prefrontal cortex in mice performing a delayed response task. We found stronger target-dependent firing of IT than PT neurons during the delay period. We also found the inactivation of IT neurons, but not PT neurons, impairs behavioral performance. In contrast, PT neurons carry more temporal information than IT neurons during the delay period. Our results indicate a division of labor between IT and PT projection neurons in the prefrontal cortex for the maintenance of working memory and for tracking the passage of time, respectively.

SUBMITTER: Bae JW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8285375 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Parallel processing of working memory and temporal information by distinct types of cortical projection neurons.

Bae Jung Won JW Jeong Huijeong H Yoon Young Ju YJ Bae Chan Mee CM Lee Hyeonsu H Paik Se-Bum SB Jung Min Whan MW

Nature communications 20210716 1

It is unclear how different types of cortical projection neurons work together to support diverse cortical functions. We examined the discharge characteristics and inactivation effects of intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons-two major types of cortical excitatory neurons that project to cortical and subcortical structures, respectively-in the deep layer of the medial prefrontal cortex in mice performing a delayed response task. We found stronger target-dependent firing of IT ...[more]

PMID: 34272368

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Project description:The Working Memory model of human memory, first introduced by Baddeley and Hitch (1974), has been one of the most influential psychological constructs in cognitive psychology and human neuroscience. However the neuronal correlates of core components of this model have yet to be fully elucidated. Here we present data from two studies where human temporal cortical single neuron activity was recorded during tasks differentially affecting the maintenance component of verbal working memory. In Study One we vary the presence or absence of distracting items for the entire period of memory storage. In Study Two we vary the duration of storage so that distractors filled all, or only one-third of the time the memory was stored. Extracellular single neuron recordings were obtained from 36 subjects undergoing awake temporal lobe resections for epilepsy, 25 in Study one, 11 in Study two. Recordings were obtained from a total of 166 lateral temporal cortex neurons during performance of one of these two tasks, 86 study one, 80 study two. Significant changes in activity with distractor manipulation were present in 74 of these neurons (45%), 38 Study one, 36 Study two. In 48 (65%) of those there was increased activity during the period when distracting items were absent, 26 Study One, 22 Study Two. The magnitude of this increase was greater for Study One, 47.6%, than Study Two, 8.1%, paralleling the reduction in memory errors in the absence of distracters, for Study One of 70.3%, Study Two 26.3% These findings establish that human lateral temporal cortex is part of the neural system for working memory, with activity during maintenance of that memory that parallels performance, suggesting it represents active rehearsal. In 31 of these neurons (65%) this activity was an extension of that during working memory encoding that differed significantly from the neural processes recorded during overt and silent language tasks without a recent memory component, 17 Study one, 14 Study two. Contrary to the Baddeley model, that activity during verbal working memory maintenance often represented activity specific to working memory rather than speech or language.

Dataset Information

Parallel processing of working memory and temporal information by distinct types of cortical projection neurons.

Publications

Parallel processing of working memory and temporal information by distinct types of cortical projection neurons.

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