Abstract
The objective of this perspective article is to examine columnar inter-laminar integration during the executive control of behavior.The integration hypothesis posits that perceptual and behavioral signals are integrated within the prefrontal cortical inter-laminar microcircuits. Inter-laminar minicolumnar activity previously recorded from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of nonhuman primates, trained in a visual delay match-to-sample (DMS) task, was re-assessed from an integrative perspective. Biomorphic multielectrode arrays (MEAs) played a unique role in the in vivo recording of columnar cell firing in the dlPFC layers 2/3 and 5/6. Several integrative aspects stem from these experiments: 1. Functional integration of perceptual and behavioral signals across cortical layers during executive control. The integrative effect of dlPFC minicolumns was shown by: (i) increased correlated firing on correct vs. error trials; (ii) decreased correlated firing when the number of non-matching images increased; and (iii) similar spatial firing preference across cortical-striatal cells during spatial-trials, and less on object-trials. 2. Causal relations to integration of cognitive signals by the minicolumnar turbo-engines. The inter-laminar integration between the perceptual and executive circuits was facilitated by stimulating the infra-granular layers with firing patterns obtained from supra-granular layers that enhanced spatial preference of percent correct performance on spatial trials. 3. Integration across hierarchical levels of the brain. The integration of intention signals (visual spatial, direction) with movement preparation (timing, velocity) in striatum and with the motor command and posture in midbrain is also discussed. These findings provide evidence for inter-laminar integration of executive control signals within brain’s prefrontal cortical microcircuits.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 116 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Neuroanatomy |
| Volume | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 14 2017 |
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Keywords
- Coordination
- Cortical layers
- Cortical minicolumns
- Executive function
- Integration
- Microcircuits
- Prefrontal cortex
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Anatomy
- Neuroscience (miscellaneous)
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Cite this
What is the evidence for inter-laminar integration in a prefrontal cortical minicolumn? / Opris, Ioan; Chang, Stephano; Noga, Brian R.
In: Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, Vol. 11, 116, 14.12.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - What is the evidence for inter-laminar integration in a prefrontal cortical minicolumn?
AU - Opris, Ioan
AU - Chang, Stephano
AU - Noga, Brian R
PY - 2017/12/14
Y1 - 2017/12/14
N2 - The objective of this perspective article is to examine columnar inter-laminar integration during the executive control of behavior.The integration hypothesis posits that perceptual and behavioral signals are integrated within the prefrontal cortical inter-laminar microcircuits. Inter-laminar minicolumnar activity previously recorded from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of nonhuman primates, trained in a visual delay match-to-sample (DMS) task, was re-assessed from an integrative perspective. Biomorphic multielectrode arrays (MEAs) played a unique role in the in vivo recording of columnar cell firing in the dlPFC layers 2/3 and 5/6. Several integrative aspects stem from these experiments: 1. Functional integration of perceptual and behavioral signals across cortical layers during executive control. The integrative effect of dlPFC minicolumns was shown by: (i) increased correlated firing on correct vs. error trials; (ii) decreased correlated firing when the number of non-matching images increased; and (iii) similar spatial firing preference across cortical-striatal cells during spatial-trials, and less on object-trials. 2. Causal relations to integration of cognitive signals by the minicolumnar turbo-engines. The inter-laminar integration between the perceptual and executive circuits was facilitated by stimulating the infra-granular layers with firing patterns obtained from supra-granular layers that enhanced spatial preference of percent correct performance on spatial trials. 3. Integration across hierarchical levels of the brain. The integration of intention signals (visual spatial, direction) with movement preparation (timing, velocity) in striatum and with the motor command and posture in midbrain is also discussed. These findings provide evidence for inter-laminar integration of executive control signals within brain’s prefrontal cortical microcircuits.
AB - The objective of this perspective article is to examine columnar inter-laminar integration during the executive control of behavior.The integration hypothesis posits that perceptual and behavioral signals are integrated within the prefrontal cortical inter-laminar microcircuits. Inter-laminar minicolumnar activity previously recorded from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of nonhuman primates, trained in a visual delay match-to-sample (DMS) task, was re-assessed from an integrative perspective. Biomorphic multielectrode arrays (MEAs) played a unique role in the in vivo recording of columnar cell firing in the dlPFC layers 2/3 and 5/6. Several integrative aspects stem from these experiments: 1. Functional integration of perceptual and behavioral signals across cortical layers during executive control. The integrative effect of dlPFC minicolumns was shown by: (i) increased correlated firing on correct vs. error trials; (ii) decreased correlated firing when the number of non-matching images increased; and (iii) similar spatial firing preference across cortical-striatal cells during spatial-trials, and less on object-trials. 2. Causal relations to integration of cognitive signals by the minicolumnar turbo-engines. The inter-laminar integration between the perceptual and executive circuits was facilitated by stimulating the infra-granular layers with firing patterns obtained from supra-granular layers that enhanced spatial preference of percent correct performance on spatial trials. 3. Integration across hierarchical levels of the brain. The integration of intention signals (visual spatial, direction) with movement preparation (timing, velocity) in striatum and with the motor command and posture in midbrain is also discussed. These findings provide evidence for inter-laminar integration of executive control signals within brain’s prefrontal cortical microcircuits.
KW - Coordination
KW - Cortical layers
KW - Cortical minicolumns
KW - Executive function
KW - Integration
KW - Microcircuits
KW - Prefrontal cortex
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85043787589&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85043787589&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fnana.2017.00116
DO - 10.3389/fnana.2017.00116
M3 - Article
VL - 11
JO - Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
JF - Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
SN - 1662-5129
M1 - 116
ER -