Differential phase-amplitude coupling in nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex reflects decision-making during a delay discounting task
(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.
(Less)
- author
- Azocar, V. H. ; Petersson, P. LU ; Fuentes, R. and Fuentealba, J. A.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-08
- 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}}, }