Metacognitive behavior and prefrontal neuronal activity in the rhesus monkey
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1
Kyoto University, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Japan
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2
Kyoto University, Kokoro Research Center, Japan
To investigate the neural basis of metamemory, the ability to monitor one’s own memory processes, we recorded single-neuron activity from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex while a rhesus monkey performed a modified spatial working memory task. The key feature of this task was that the monkey was sometimes allowed to freely choose either to take or escape from a memory test (FrC trials) and was sometimes forced to take the test (FoT trials). Memory performance was better in the FrC trials than in the FoT trials, indicating that the monkey tended to choose the escape option when it was likely to make an error. This suggests that the monkey used its metamnemonic ability while performing the task. We observed neurons with directionally selective delay-period activity, and preliminary analysis indicates that the directional selectivity of these neurons tended to disappear when the monkey chose to escape from the memory test. Our results provide insights into the relationship between metacognitive behavior and memory-related activity of prefrontal neurons in monkeys.
Conference:
The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes, Toronto, Canada, 22 Mar - 26 Mar, 2010.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Abstracts
Citation:
Funahashi
S and
Tanaka
A
(2010). Metacognitive behavior and prefrontal neuronal activity in the rhesus monkey.
Conference Abstract:
The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.14.00090
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Received:
29 Jun 2010;
Published Online:
29 Jun 2010.
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Correspondence:
S. Funahashi, Kyoto University, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto, Japan, sfunahashi@mbox.kudpc.kyoto-u.ac.jp