Investigation of Anterior Cingulate Cortex Contributions to Hippocampal Cognitive Control

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Project Abstract Properly navigating our daily lives necessitates the judicious use of our limited cognitive resources to yield a desired outcome. This ability, known as cognitive control, has been demonstrated in humans to depend heavily on brain regions in the prefrontal cortex, including the anterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in effortful decision making and performance monitoring. The hippocampus has also been implicated in cognitive control function, particularly when the task depends on prior experience. Single-unit recordings of hippocampal neurons have revealed a coordinated cognitive control signal that predicts cognitive control behavior. The mechanism of cognitive control, and which brain regions contribute to it remains unclear, but the anterior cingulate is the most likely candidate. Aim 1 will explore prefrontal cognitive control representations by using in-vivo single photon calcium imaging to record populations of neurons within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) while rats perform an active place avoidance task. This is a navigation based cognitive control task that will enable us to determine if ACC also expresses a cognitive control signal, like in the signal in hippocampus. Whether or not a similar signal exists does not preclude its involvement in cognitive control. Therefore Aim 2 will selectively inactivate ACC using inhibitory chemogenetics (DREADDs) during the cognitive control task to test for necessity during various behavioral phases. We will also record population neuronal activity from hippocampus CA1 during the manipulations to evaluate the influence of cingulate inactivation on the hippocampal cognitive control signal. Results from this research will reveal how cognitive control is represented in ACC and how this activity influences hippocampal cognitive control, as well as provide a basis for interpreting how dysfunction that affects executive function (such as schizophrenia and frontotemporal dementia) impact the brain. This work furthers Goal 1 of the National Institute of Mental Health – defining the brain mechanisms underlying complex behaviors. Only by addressing how cognitive control is represented and coordinated across multiple diverse brain regions can we begin to construct a wholistic understanding of complex brain functions and mental illness.