Basolateral amygdala lesions facilitate reward choices after negative feedback in rats.

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) constitute part of a neural circuit important for adaptive, goal-directed learning. One task measuring flexibility of response to changes in reward is discrimination reversal learning. Damage to OFC produces well documented impairments on various forms of reversal learning in rodents, monkeys, and humans. Recent reports show that BLA, though highly interconnected with OFC, may be differentially involved in reversal learning. In the present experiment, we compared the effects of bilateral, ibotenic acid lesions of OFC or BLA (or SHAM) on visual discrimination and reversal learning. Specifically, we used pairwise visual discrimination methods, as is commonly administered in non-human primate studies, and analyzed how animals use positive and negative trial-by-trial feedback, domains not previously explored in a rat study. As expected, OFC lesions displayed significantly slower reversal learning than SHAM and BLA rats across sessions. Rats with BLA lesions, conversely, showed facilitated reversal learning relative to SHAM and OFC groups. Furthermore, a trial-by-trial analysis of the errors committed showed the BLA group benefited more from incorrectly performed trials (or negative feedback) on future choices than either SHAM or OFC rats. This provides evidence that BLA and OFC are involved in updating responses to changes in reward contingency and that the roles are distinct. Our results are discussed in relation to a competitive framework model for OFC and BLA in reward processing.

Large-scale brain networks in the awake, truly resting marmoset monkey.

Resting-state functional MRI is a powerful tool that is increasingly used as a noninvasive method for investigating whole-brain circuitry and holds great potential as a possible diagnostic for disease. Despite this potential, few resting-state studies have used animal models (of which nonhuman primates represent our best opportunity of understanding complex human neuropsychiatric disease), and no work has characterized networks in awake, truly resting animals. Here we present results from a small New World monkey that allows for the characterization of resting-state networks in the awake state. Six adult common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) were acclimated to light, comfortable restraint using individualized helmets. Following behavioral training, resting BOLD data were acquired during eight consecutive 10 min scans for each conscious subject. Group independent component analysis revealed 12 brain networks that overlap substantially with known anatomically constrained circuits seen in the awake human. Specifically, we found eight sensory and "lower-order" networks (four visual, two somatomotor, one cerebellar, and one caudate-putamen network), and four "higher-order" association networks (one default mode-like network, one orbitofrontal, one frontopolar, and one network resembling the human salience network). In addition to their functional relevance, these network patterns bear great correspondence to those previously described in awake humans. This first-of-its-kind report in an awake New World nonhuman primate provides a platform for mechanistic neurobiological examination for existing disease models established in the marmoset.