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The Journal of Neuroscience, May 10, 2006, 26(19):5224-5229; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5175-05.2006

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Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex Resolves Response Conflict in Rats

Sanne de Wit,¹ Yutaka Kosaki,¹ Bernard Walter Balleine,² and Anthony Dickinson¹

¹University of Cambridge, Department of Experimental Psychology, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom, ²University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, California 90024

Correspondence should be addressed to Sanne de Wit, University of Cambridge, Department of Experimental Psychology, Downing street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. Email: sd322{at}cam.ac.uk

The capacity for goal-directed behavior requires not only the encoding of the response-outcome relationship but also the ability to resolve conflict induced by competing responses. Recent neuroimaging studies have identified the prefrontal cortex as critical for resolving conflict between competing responses. At present, however, much of this evidence is indirect, and the necessity of dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) function for the resolution of conflict in goal-directed behavior has not been assessed. Here, we develop a rodent paradigm to investigate response conflict caused by the concurrent activation of a correct and incorrect response. In this paradigm, the outcome of one response also acts as a discriminative stimulus signaling that the other response is correct. Whereas rats with a functional dmPFC are able to resolve this conflict, inactivation of dmPFC using an infusion of muscimol produced a deficit by selectively interfering with their ability to inhibit the incorrect, competing response.

Key words: dorsomedial prefrontal cortex; response conflict; rat; goal-directed behavior; response inhibition; reversible lesion

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Received Dec. 5, 2005; revised March 23, 2006; accepted March 24, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to Sanne de Wit, University of Cambridge, Department of Experimental Psychology, Downing street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. Email: sd322{at}cam.ac.uk

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. de Wit, P. R. Corlett, M. R. Aitken, A. Dickinson, and P. C. Fletcher Differential Engagement of the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex by Goal-Directed and Habitual Behavior toward Food Pictures in Humans J. Neurosci., September 9, 2009; 29(36): 11330 - 11338. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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