Delayed Response Task Learning
Objective: To study responses of dopamine neurons to reward and conditioned stimuli during successive steps of learning a delayed response task, and to examine dopamine neuron activity during performance of cognitive tasks
This is a Delayed Response Task Learning protocol using monkey as the model organism. The procedure involves 7 procedural steps, 2 equipment items. Extracted from a 1993 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
monkey
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Pre-training in simple reaction time task • Training on delayed response task via intermediate tasks • Presentation of instruction cue
Primary readouts
- Phasic responses of dopamine neurons to primary liquid reward delivery
- Percentage of dopamine neurons responding to reward during learning (25% of 76 neurons) versus after learning (9% of 163 neurons)
- Phasic responses to instruction cue (58% of 76 neurons during learning, 44% of 163 neurons after learning)
- Phasic responses to trigger stimulus (38% of neurons during learning, 40% after learning)
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Pre-training in simple reaction time task
Monkeys were first trained to perform a simple reaction time task before beginning the delayed response task training
Note: This served as baseline training before the main experimental task
View evidence from paper
“Monkeys that had previously learned a simple reaction time task were trained to perform a spatial delayed response task”
Training on delayed response task via intermediate tasks
Monkeys were trained to perform a spatial delayed response task through two intermediate tasks
Note: The task involved learning successive steps with increasing cognitive demands
View evidence from paper
“trained to perform a spatial delayed response task via two intermediate tasks”
Presentation of instruction cue
The instruction cue was presented as the first stimulus in each trial, indicating the target of the upcoming arm movement
Note: This was a conditioned stimulus with behavioral significance
View evidence from paper
“the instruction cue, which was the first stimulus in each trial and indicated the target of the upcoming arm movement”
Delay period
A delay period occurred between the instruction stimulus and the trigger stimulus
Note: Dopamine neuron activity was monitored during this delay
View evidence from paper
“the delay between the instruction and trigger stimuli”
Presentation of trigger stimulus
The trigger stimulus was presented as a conditioned incentive stimulus predicting reward and eliciting saccadic eye movement and arm reaching movement
Note: This stimulus had motivational significance and predicted reward delivery
View evidence from paper
“the trigger stimulus, which was a conditioned incentive stimulus predicting reward and eliciting a saccadic eye movement and an arm reaching movement”
Reward delivery
Primary liquid reward was delivered following correct task performance
Note: Dopamine neuron responses to reward were recorded during and after learning
View evidence from paper
“delivery of primary liquid reward”
Electrophysiological recording during task performance
Dopamine neuron activity was recorded throughout task performance, including responses to instruction cue, trigger stimulus, and reward delivery
Note: Recordings were made from dopamine neurons in areas A8, A9, and A10
View evidence from paper
“study responses of dopamine neurons to reward and conditioned stimuli during several steps of learning a behavioral task”