Task 6

Question 1

6.1: What’s part of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)?

Answer 1

• pregenual ACC –> social processing
• subgenual ACC–> in mPFC; reward-related processing
• -> often loosely defined

Question 2

6.1: Which function does the ACC generally have?

Answer 2

• “a”ffective cortex of CC

- value based -affective & self-centred

Question 3

6.1: What’s part of the medial cingulate cortex (MCC)?

Answer 3

• posterior (pMCC)

- anterior (aMCC)

Question 4

6.1: Which function does the MCC generally have?

Answer 4

• “m”otor part of CC

- motor related, based on previous action outcome monitoring

Question 5

6.1: What’s the last division that makes up the CC next to ACC & MCC?

Answer 5

posterior CC (PCC)

Question 6

6.1: What is CC’s relation to the superior frontal gyrus (SFG)?

Answer 6

• SFG= larger section that includes (pre)-SMA

- -> above aMCC

Question 7

6.2: What’s the functional role of the (a)MCC in goal-directed decision making?

Answer 7

• error detection after comparing intended & actual movement
• encodes relationship between an action & the outcome (reward & error)
  ==> encodes whether an action is worth performing based on the value of the expected outcome

Question 8

6.2: What’s the role of the SFG in goal-directed decision making?

Answer 8

• implicated in task control & action selection when set of rules is changed or when action rules must be selected
• involved in ERN

Question 9

6.2: What’s the proposed functional division between the anterior/inferior MCC and posterior/superior part (SFG/pre-SMA actually)?

Answer 9

• aMCC: error detection & encoding of action-outcome associations
• pre-SMA (Rushworth: SFG): response conflict monitoring & selection of action-selection rules when actions are changed or initiated

Question 10

6.2: What’s a parallel of this dual organization with the similar dual organization of the object
selection regions, as discussed in task 5?

Answer 10

-separate structures for storing/updating outcome
information & for using it to come to a current decision
–> Object selection:
-aMCC (action-outcome associations) similar to -> lOFC: keeps track of changing values of objects
– pMCC –> vmPFC: concrete decisions

Question 11

6.2: What’s the link with task 1 & what was said there about voluntary action selection?

Answer 11

o SFG/pre-SMA: uses stored action-outcome associations to decide about the best action in ongoing situation ==> ACTION SELECTION

Question 12

6.3: Camille et al’s experiment –> rationale; research question

Answer 12

• neural substrates of action value have yet to be definitively established
• separate structures for stimulus-value vs. action-value learning?

Question 13

6.3: Camille et al’s experiment –> basic findings

Answer 13

• -> OFC damage:
• sig. more errors while learning initial associations & completed sig. fewer trails in stimulus-value task
• sig. more likely to shift away/strategy after win in stimulus value task
• -> MCC damage:
• sig. more errors while learning initial action-value associations
• sig. more likely to shift away after win in action-value task
• -> no sign. differences after losses

Question 14

6.3: Camille et al’s experiment –> conclusion of role of OFC & MCC

Answer 14

• OFC: role in value-based choices between stimuli

- MCC: role in value-based choices between actions

Question 15

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) -previous research on MCC

Answer 15

• MCC: involved in ERN

- as a result of habenular inhibition

Question 16

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) - hypotheses

Answer 16

1. Larger activity in habenular on errors with negative feedback vs lower activity on correct responses with positive feedback
2. Selective increase in MCC activity for negative feedback on errors

Question 17

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) - methods

Answer 17

o DAMP task-observing two balls
o Watch it role across screen 
o Had to say which ball seems faster 
o Task difficulty was adapted
--> Wanted to keep difficulty constant (how often person was correct/incorrect) 
--> creates response conflict

Question 18

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) - results –> when was ventral striatum activated?

Answer 18

Ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens) was activated only when positive feedback occurred (correct answer trial) –> probably due to phasic DOPA release

Question 19

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) - results –> when was habenular complex (HC) active?

Answer 19

• HC: more highly activated during negative feedback (in error answer trial) than all other conditions
• HC: more highly activated in correct trials without feedback, than error trials without feedback (bc of uncertainty)

Question 20

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) - results –> pattern of HC activity on error trials (without vs with feedback)

Answer 20

• Without= higher uncertainty –> you don’t expect error –> higher inhibition of HC (lower activation in HC)
• With= lower uncertainty –> you expect punishment –> lower inhibition of HC (higher activity in HC)

Question 21

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) - which structure does HC inhibit?

Answer 21

• midbrain nuclei (VTA & substantia nigra pars compacta)
• -> inhibits DOPA release
• -> disinhibits MCC

Question 22

6.4: fMRI experiment by Ullsperger et al. (2003) - when does MCC show its highest activity?

Answer 22

MCC specifically reacts on errors followed by informative (negative) feedback

Question 23

6. 5: Describe ERN (=error-related negativity)

- -> what does it reflect?

Answer 23

• peaking between 50-130 ms after error response

Question 24

6.5: What’s the presumed source of the ERN?

Answer 24

MCC

Question 25

6.5: ERN - links with Ullsperger et al (2003) model –> when & why did ERN occur in his experiment?

Answer 25

-ERN results from disinhibited neuronal activity in MCC attributable to phasic depression of the dopaminergic activity on errors

Question 26

6.4: When & why is MCC (dis)inhibited in Ullsperger et al’s study (2003)?

Answer 26

• MCC specifically reacts on errors followed by informative (negative) feedback
• dopa activation –> MCC inhibited
• HC active –> inhibits midbrain nuclei –> phasic depression of dopa –> MCC disinhibited –> SO MCC active

Question 27

6. 5: ERN - links with Rushworth et al (2004) (correct model)
   - -> role of MCC
   - -> role of pre-SMA

Answer 27

• MCC: detects when actions have led to errors
• error detection is just one aspect of a more general MCC role in associating actions with their outcomes even when these are positive rewards
• -> pre-SMA: monitoring of response conflict before error commission

Question 28

6.6: ERN & error-monitoring + psychopathology –> distinction activity in ACC & MCC

Answer 28

• ACC –> emotional/affective activity

- MCC –> cognitive activity

Question 29

6.6: ERN & error-monitoring –> OCD

Answer 29

• hyperactive error-processing
• larger ERNs
• magnitude of ERN correlated to OCD symptoms
• higher ACC resting activity

Question 30

6.6: ERN & error-monitoring –> Depression

Answer 30

• hyperactive error processing
• increased ERN
• increased feedback negativity signal (negative dip shortly after feedback; indicates worse than expected outcome)

Question 31

6.6: ERN & error-monitoring –> Schizophrenia

Answer 31

• HYPOactive error processing
• decreased ERN
• ACC: smaller BOLD signal to go/no-go task
• negative symptoms: motivational deficits, loss of speech, catatonia, reduced performance monitoring
• -> inverse correlation betw. negative symptoms & ERN magnitude

Question 32

6.4: pre-SMA in Ullsperger model

Answer 32

errors led to higher activity regardless of feedback compared to being correct

Question 33

6.4: Ullsperger model –> MCC

Answer 33

most active when making error when getting feedback

Question 34

6.4: Ullsperger model –> habenular complex

Answer 34

• error –> no feedback ==> less active
• error –> feedback ==> very active
• correct –>no feedback –> very active (bc of uncertainty)
• correct –> feedback –> less active

Question 35

Which brain area does DOPA usally inhibit?

Answer 35

DOPA inhibits MCC activity

Question 36

What is conflict theory & is it correct?

Answer 36

ERN related to response conflict; not dissociated ==> INCORRECT! THEY ARE ACTUALLY DISSOCIATED!