Abstract
In a typical sequential sensory discrimination task, subjects are required to make a decision based on comparing a sensory stimulus against the memory trace left by a previous stimulus. What is the neuronal substrate for such comparisons and the resulting decisions? This question was studied by recording neuronal responses in a variety of cortical areas of awake monkeys (Macaca mulatta), trained to carry out a vibrotactile sequential discrimination task. We describe methods to analyse responses obtained during the comparison and decision phases of the task, and describe the resulting findings from recordings in secondary somatosensory cortical area (S2). A subset of neurons in S2 become highly correlated with the monkey's decision in the task.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1843-1850 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
Volume | 357 |
Issue number | 1428 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 29 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Keywords
- Decisions
- Sequential discrimination
- Somatosensory cortex