Time encoding migrates from prefrontal cortex to dorsal striatum during learning of a self-timed response duration task

Author(s)

Tunes, Gabriela C. ; de Oliveira, Eliezyer Fermino ; Vieira, Estevao U. P. ; Caetano, Marcelo S. ; Cravo, Andre M. ; Bussotti Reyes, Marcelo

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: eLIFE; v. 11, p. 19-pg., 2022-09-28.

Abstract

Although time is a fundamental dimension of life, we do not know how brain areas cooperate to keep track and process time intervals. Notably, analyses of neural activity during learning are rare, mainly because timing tasks usually require training over many days. We investigated how the time encoding evolves when animals learn to time a 1.5 s interval. We designed a novel training protocol where rats go from naive- to proficient-level timing performance within a single session, allowing us to investigate neuronal activity from very early learning stages. We used pharmacological experiments and machine-learning algorithms to evaluate the level of time encoding in the medial prefrontal cortex and the dorsal striatum. Our results show a double dissociation between the medial prefrontal cortex and the dorsal striatum during temporal learning, where the former commits to early learning stages while the latter engages as animals become proficient in the task. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/05473-2 - Eletrophysiologycal caracterization of prefrontal-striatal pathway activity in temporal task learning
• Grantee: Eliezyer Fermino de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 14/50909-8 - INCT 2014: Behavior, Cognition and Teaching (INCT-ECCE): relational learning and symbolic functioning
• Grantee: Deisy das Graças de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/20277-0 - Computational and systems neuroscience
• Grantee: Antonio Carlos Roque da Silva Filho
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/03729-2 - Investigating the neural substrates of temporal task learning
• Grantee: Eliezyer Fermino de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• FAPESP's process: 17/25161-8 - The representation of temporal information in neural activity
• Grantee: André Mascioli Cravo
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants