This review examines evidence for a neurobiological explanation of executive functions of working memory. We suggest that executive control stems from information about task rules acquired by mixed selective, adaptive coding, multifunction neurons in the prefrontal cortex. Their output dynamically links the cortical-wide networks needed to complete the task. The linking may occur via synchronizing of neural rhythms, which may explain why we have a limited capacity for simultaneous thought.
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Roy et al show that the activity of neurons in the prefrontal cortex (pFC) are linked to categorical decisions. Monkeys were trained to categorize a set of computer-generated images as “cats” vs “dogs”. Then, they were shown ambiguous images were centered on a category boundary, that is, they were a mix of 50% of cats and dogs and therefore had no category information. The monkeys guessed at their category membership. Activity to the same ambiguous image differed significantly, depending on the monkey’s decision about the image’s category. Thus, pFC activity reflects categorical decisions.
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Earl Miller is quoted on NBCnews.com. In brief: Don’t multitask and if you do don’t drive.
NBCnews.com: The ‘smart life’: How connected cars, clothes and homes could fry your brain -
Miller Lab alumnus David Freedman has been awarded tenure at the University of Chicago. Congrats, Dave! We’re happy, proud, and not surprised.
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Our work with Stefano Fusi’s Lab makes The Wall Street Journal.
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Miller Lab alumnus Jon Wallis and crew studied two different types of cost-benefit decisions (delay vs effort). They found that different neurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal, and anterior cingulate encoded the different types of decisions. Thus, rather than have neurons encode decisions on an abstract level, frontal cortex neurons encode stimuli based on their exact consequences.
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Blogger John Borghi lists the most highly cited papers in neuroscience and has kind words for Miller and Cohen (2001). Thanks, John!
- Miller, E.K. and Cohen, J.D. (2001) An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex function. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 24:167-202.
Designated a Current Classic by Thomson Scientific as among the most cited papers in Neuroscience and Behavior. View PDF »
- Miller, E.K. and Cohen, J.D. (2001) An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex function. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 24:167-202.
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Bob Desimone (Director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT) demonstrates auto-synchronization of metronomes
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There was a segment titled “There’s No More Single Tasking”
Watch it here (archived):
http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/the-lost-ability-to-do-one-task-at-a-time/525fff6b78c90a6d7e00020f -
Miller Lab alumnus Melissa Warden wins NYSCF Robertson Neuroscience Award. Melissa is now a professor at Cornell. Congrats, Melissa!