Skip to main content

Main menu

  • HOME
  • CONTENT
    • Early Release
    • Featured
    • Current Issue
    • Issue Archive
    • Collections
    • Podcast
  • ALERTS
  • FOR AUTHORS
    • Information for Authors
    • Fees
    • Journal Clubs
    • eLetters
    • Submit
  • EDITORIAL BOARD
  • ABOUT
    • Overview
    • Advertise
    • For the Media
    • Rights and Permissions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Feedback
  • SUBSCRIBE

User menu

  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Neuroscience
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Neuroscience

Advanced Search

Submit a Manuscript
  • HOME
  • CONTENT
    • Early Release
    • Featured
    • Current Issue
    • Issue Archive
    • Collections
    • Podcast
  • ALERTS
  • FOR AUTHORS
    • Information for Authors
    • Fees
    • Journal Clubs
    • eLetters
    • Submit
  • EDITORIAL BOARD
  • ABOUT
    • Overview
    • Advertise
    • For the Media
    • Rights and Permissions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Feedback
  • SUBSCRIBE
PreviousNext
Research Articles, Behavioral/Cognitive

Opposing Roles of the Dorsolateral and Dorsomedial Striatum in the Acquisition of Skilled Action Sequencing in Rats

Karly M. Turner, Anna Svegborn, Mia Langguth, Colin McKenzie and Trevor W. Robbins
Journal of Neuroscience 9 March 2022, 42 (10) 2039-2051; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1907-21.2022
Karly M. Turner
1Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
2Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
3School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Karly M. Turner
Anna Svegborn
1Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
2Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Anna Svegborn
Mia Langguth
1Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
2Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Colin McKenzie
1Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
2Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Trevor W. Robbins
1Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
2Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

The shift in control from dorsomedial to dorsolateral striatum during skill and habit formation has been well established, but whether striatal subregions orchestrate this shift cooperatively or competitively remains unclear. Cortical inputs have also been implicated in the shift toward automaticity, but it is unknown whether they mirror their downstream striatal targets across this transition. We addressed these questions using a five step heterogeneous action sequencing task in male rats that is optimally performed by automated chains of actions. By optimizing automatic habitual responding, we discovered that loss of function in the dorsomedial striatum accelerated sequence acquisition. In contrast, loss of function in the dorsolateral striatum impeded acquisition of sequencing, demonstrating functional opposition within the striatum. Unexpectedly, the mPFC was not involved; however, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex was critical. These results shift current theories about striatal control of behavior to a model of competitive opposition, where the dorsomedial striatum interferes with the development of dorsolateral-striatum dependent behavior.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We provide the most direct evidence to date that the dorsomedial and dorsolateral striatum compete for control in the acquisition of habitual action sequences. The dorsolateral striatum was critical for sequencing behavior, but loss of dorsomedial striatum function enhanced acquisition. In addition, we found that the mPFC was not required for the formation of automated actions. Using a task that optimizes habitual responding, we demonstrate that the arbitration of dorsomedial and dorsolateral control is not modulated by medial prefrontal cortical activity. However, we find evidence for the role of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex in action sequencing. These results have implications for our understanding of how habits and skills form.

  • automaticity
  • habit
  • orbitofrontal cortex
  • prefrontal cortex
  • skill
  • striatum

SfN exclusive license.

View Full Text

Member Log In

Log in using your username and password

Enter your Journal of Neuroscience username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
Back to top

In this issue

The Journal of Neuroscience: 42 (10)
Journal of Neuroscience
Vol. 42, Issue 10
9 Mar 2022
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • About the Cover
  • Index by author
  • Ed Board (PDF)
Email

Thank you for sharing this Journal of Neuroscience article.

NOTE: We request your email address only to inform the recipient that it was you who recommended this article, and that it is not junk mail. We do not retain these email addresses.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Opposing Roles of the Dorsolateral and Dorsomedial Striatum in the Acquisition of Skilled Action Sequencing in Rats
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from Journal of Neuroscience
(Your Name) thought you would be interested in this article in Journal of Neuroscience.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Print
View Full Page PDF
Citation Tools
Opposing Roles of the Dorsolateral and Dorsomedial Striatum in the Acquisition of Skilled Action Sequencing in Rats
Karly M. Turner, Anna Svegborn, Mia Langguth, Colin McKenzie, Trevor W. Robbins
Journal of Neuroscience 9 March 2022, 42 (10) 2039-2051; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1907-21.2022

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Respond to this article
Request Permissions
Share
Opposing Roles of the Dorsolateral and Dorsomedial Striatum in the Acquisition of Skilled Action Sequencing in Rats
Karly M. Turner, Anna Svegborn, Mia Langguth, Colin McKenzie, Trevor W. Robbins
Journal of Neuroscience 9 March 2022, 42 (10) 2039-2051; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1907-21.2022
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Introduction
    • Materials and Methods
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF

Keywords

  • automaticity
  • habit
  • orbitofrontal cortex
  • prefrontal cortex
  • skill
  • striatum

Responses to this article

Respond to this article

Jump to comment:

No eLetters have been published for this article.

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

Research Articles

  • Oxidative stress-induced damage to the developing hippocampus is mediated by GSK3beta
  • Disruption of endosomal sorting in Schwann cells leads to defective myelination and endosomal abnormalities observed in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
  • Depolarizing NaV and hyperpolarizing KV channels are co-trafficked in sensory neurons
Show more Research Articles

Behavioral/Cognitive

  • Spontaneous Alpha-Band Oscillations Bias Subjective Contrast Perception
  • The role of visual experience in individual differences of brain connectivity
  • A Neurodevelopmental Shift in Reward Circuitry from Mother's to Nonfamilial Voices in Adolescence
Show more Behavioral/Cognitive
  • Home
  • Alerts
  • Visit Society for Neuroscience on Facebook
  • Follow Society for Neuroscience on Twitter
  • Follow Society for Neuroscience on LinkedIn
  • Visit Society for Neuroscience on Youtube
  • Follow our RSS feeds

Content

  • Early Release
  • Current Issue
  • Issue Archive
  • Collections

Information

  • For Authors
  • For Advertisers
  • For the Media
  • For Subscribers

About

  • About the Journal
  • Editorial Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
(JNeurosci logo)
(SfN logo)

Copyright © 2022 by the Society for Neuroscience.
JNeurosci Online ISSN: 1529-2401

The ideas and opinions expressed in JNeurosci do not necessarily reflect those of SfN or the JNeurosci Editorial Board. Publication of an advertisement or other product mention in JNeurosci should not be construed as an endorsement of the manufacturer’s claims. SfN does not assume any responsibility for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising from or related to any use of any material contained in JNeurosci.