Different Levels of Category Abstraction by Different Dynamics in Different Prefrontal Areas

Neuron. 2018 Feb 7;97(3):716-726.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.009. Epub 2018 Jan 27.

Abstract

Categories can be grouped by shared sensory attributes (i.e., cats) or a more abstract rule (i.e., animals). We explored the neural basis of abstraction by recording from multi-electrode arrays in prefrontal cortex (PFC) while monkeys performed a dot-pattern categorization task. Category abstraction was varied by the degree of exemplar distortion from the prototype pattern. Different dynamics in different PFC regions processed different levels of category abstraction. Bottom-up dynamics (stimulus-locked gamma power and spiking) in the ventral PFC processed more low-level abstractions, whereas top-down dynamics (beta power and beta spike-LFP coherence) in the dorsal PFC processed more high-level abstractions. Our results suggest a two-stage, rhythm-based model for abstracting categories.

Keywords: abstraction; beta oscillations; bottom-up; category; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; gamma oscillations; top-down; ventrolateral prefrontal cortex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Beta Rhythm
  • Female
  • Gamma Rhythm
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Male
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology*
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiology*
  • Recognition, Psychology / physiology