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The Journal of Neuroscience, November 29, 2006, 26(48):12471-12478; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4101-06.2006

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Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Monkey Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Sends Task-Selective Signals Directly to the Superior Colliculus

Kevin Johnston¹ and Stefan Everling^1,2

¹Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5K8, and ²Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Kevin Johnston, The Centre for Brain and Mind, Robarts Research Institute, 100 Perth Drive, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5K8. Email: kjohnst9{at}uwo.ca

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been implicated in the ability to perform complex behaviors requiring the implementation of cognitive control. A central supposition of models of prefrontal function is that the DLPFC engages control by selectively modulating the activity of target structures to which it is connected, but no studies in the primate have directly investigated DLPFC output signals. Here, we recorded the activity of DLPFC neurons identified as sending a direct projection to the superior colliculus, a midbrain oculomotor structure, while monkeys performed alternating blocks of trials in which they had to look toward a flashed peripheral stimulus (prosaccades) and trials in which they had to look away from the stimulus in the opposite direction (antisaccades). We report the first direct evidence that the primate DLPFC sends task-selective signals to a target structure. This supports the notion that the DLPFC orchestrates the activity of other brain areas in accordance with task requirements.

Key words: prefrontal cortex; monkey; corticotectal; superior colliculus; antidromic; antisaccade

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Received Sept. 19, 2006; revised Oct. 24, 2006; accepted Oct. 26, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Kevin Johnston, The Centre for Brain and Mind, Robarts Research Institute, 100 Perth Drive, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5K8. Email: kjohnst9{at}uwo.ca

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