The role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during sequence learning is specific for spatial information
The role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during sequence learning is specific for spatial information
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DOI：
10.1093/cercor/11.7.628
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发表时间：
2001-07-01
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Pascual-Leone, A
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Robertson, EM;Tormos, JM;Pascual-Leone, A
许多研究表明，背外侧前额叶皮层参与了技能的获得，包括程序序列学习。然而，它在序列学习中的具体作用仍然不确定。这种类型的技能已被深入研究使用的系列反应时间任务。我们使用了这个任务的三个版本：一个标准任务，刺激的位置提示反应;一个非标准任务，刺激的颜色与正确的反应有关;和一个组合任务，颜色和位置同时提示反应。我们将这些任务中的每一个都称为基于可用于指导学习的线索的位置，颜色和组合任务。组合任务通常显示出技能获得的增强，这是由两个同时和一致的线索驱动的结果。在执行这些任务之前，使用重复的经颅磁刺激破坏背外侧前额叶皮层的功能。这完全阻止了位置任务中的学习，而序列学习在颜色和组合任务中的发生程度相似。因此，在前额叶刺激后，在组合任务中预期的学习增强消失了，这与在组合任务中只有颜色线索可用于指导序列学习一致。在顶叶皮层刺激后，观察到这两种效应。因此，背外侧前额叶皮层在序列学习中所起的关键作用只与空间线索有关。我们认为，背外侧前额叶皮层在短期内运作，以保留和操纵空间信息，使皮层和皮层下结构学习一个可预测的行动序列。这些功能可能来自背外侧前额叶皮层在空间工作记忆中的更广泛作用。这些结果反对背外侧前额叶皮层构成的神经元基板的一部分，负责一般方面的内隐或外显序列学习。
Many studies have implicated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the acquisition of skill, including procedural sequence learning. However, the specific role it performs in sequence learning has remained uncertain. This type of skill has been intensively studied using the serial reaction time task. We used three versions of this task: a standard task where the position of the stimulus cued the response; a non-standard task where the color of the stimulus was related to the correct response; and a combined task where both the color and position simultaneously cued the response. We refer to each of these tasks based upon the cues available for guiding learning as position, color and combined tasks. The combined task usually shows an enhancement of skill acquisition, a result of being driven by two simultaneous and congruent cues. Prior to the performance of each of these tasks the function of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was disrupted using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. This completely prevented learning within the position task, while sequence learning occurred to a similar extent in both the color and combined tasks. So, following prefrontal stimulation the expected learning enhancement in the combined task was lost, consistent with only a color cue being available to guide sequence learning in the combined task. Neither of these effects was observed following stimulation at the parietal cortex. Hence the critical role played by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in sequence learning is related exclusively to spatial cues. We suggest that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex operates over the short term to retain and manipulate spatial information to allow cortical and subcortical structures to learn a predictable sequence of actions. Such functions may emerge from the broader role the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has in spatial working memory. These results argue against the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex constituting part of the neuronal substrate responsible for general aspects of implicit or explicit sequence learning.