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Differential phase-amplitude coupling in nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex reflects decision-making during a delay discounting task

Azocar, V. H. ; Petersson, P. LU ; Fuentes, R. and Fuentealba, J. A. (2024) In Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 134.
Abstract

Background: The impulsive choice is characterized by the preference for a small immediate reward over a bigger delayed one. The mechanisms underlying impulsive choices are linked to the activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). While the study of functional connectivity between brain areas has been key to understanding a variety of cognitive processes, it remains unclear whether functional connectivity differentiates impulsive-control decisions. Methods: To study the functional connectivity both between and within NAc, OFC, and DLS during a delay discounting task, we concurrently recorded local field potential in NAc, OFC, and DLS in rats. We then quantified the degree... (More)

Background: The impulsive choice is characterized by the preference for a small immediate reward over a bigger delayed one. The mechanisms underlying impulsive choices are linked to the activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). While the study of functional connectivity between brain areas has been key to understanding a variety of cognitive processes, it remains unclear whether functional connectivity differentiates impulsive-control decisions. Methods: To study the functional connectivity both between and within NAc, OFC, and DLS during a delay discounting task, we concurrently recorded local field potential in NAc, OFC, and DLS in rats. We then quantified the degree of phase-amplitude coupling (PAC), coherence, and Granger Causality between oscillatory activities in animals exhibiting either a high (HI) or low (LI) tendency for impulsive choices. Results: Our results showed a differential pattern of PAC during decision-making in OFC and NAc, but not in DLS. While theta-gamma PAC in OFC was associated with self-control decisions, a higher delta-gamma PAC in both OFC and NAc biased decisions toward impulsive choices in both HI and LI groups. Furthermore, during the reward event, Granger Causality analysis indicated a stronger NAc➔OFC gamma contribution in the HI group, while the LI group showed a higher OFC➔NAc gamma contribution. Conclusions: The overactivity in NAc during reward in the HI group suggests that exacerbated contribution of NAcCore can lead to an overvaluation of reward that biases the behavior toward the impulsive choice.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Delay discounting, Electrophysiology, Impulsivity, Nucleus Accumbens, Orbitofrontal cortex, Phase-amplitude coupling
in
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
volume
134
article number
111064
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:38917880
  • scopus:85197035392
ISSN
0278-5846
DOI
10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111064
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2a6da378-a814-4816-900c-d2cd5843b4e5
date added to LUP
2024-09-10 14:44:24
date last changed
2024-09-10 14:45:28
@article{2a6da378-a814-4816-900c-d2cd5843b4e5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: The impulsive choice is characterized by the preference for a small immediate reward over a bigger delayed one. The mechanisms underlying impulsive choices are linked to the activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). While the study of functional connectivity between brain areas has been key to understanding a variety of cognitive processes, it remains unclear whether functional connectivity differentiates impulsive-control decisions. Methods: To study the functional connectivity both between and within NAc, OFC, and DLS during a delay discounting task, we concurrently recorded local field potential in NAc, OFC, and DLS in rats. We then quantified the degree of phase-amplitude coupling (PAC), coherence, and Granger Causality between oscillatory activities in animals exhibiting either a high (HI) or low (LI) tendency for impulsive choices. Results: Our results showed a differential pattern of PAC during decision-making in OFC and NAc, but not in DLS. While theta-gamma PAC in OFC was associated with self-control decisions, a higher delta-gamma PAC in both OFC and NAc biased decisions toward impulsive choices in both HI and LI groups. Furthermore, during the reward event, Granger Causality analysis indicated a stronger NAc➔OFC gamma contribution in the HI group, while the LI group showed a higher OFC➔NAc gamma contribution. Conclusions: The overactivity in NAc during reward in the HI group suggests that exacerbated contribution of NAcCore can lead to an overvaluation of reward that biases the behavior toward the impulsive choice.</p>}},
  author       = {{Azocar, V. H. and Petersson, P. and Fuentes, R. and Fuentealba, J. A.}},
  issn         = {{0278-5846}},
  keywords     = {{Delay discounting; Electrophysiology; Impulsivity; Nucleus Accumbens; Orbitofrontal cortex; Phase-amplitude coupling}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Differential phase-amplitude coupling in nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex reflects decision-making during a delay discounting task}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111064}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111064}},
  volume       = {{134}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}