Source Paper
Bilateral Orbital Prefrontal Cortex Lesions in Rhesus Monkeys Disrupt Choices Guided by Both Reward Value and Reward Contingency
Alicia Izquierdo, Robin K. Suda, Elisabeth A. Murray
Journal of Neuroscience • 2004
View Abstract
The orbital prefrontal cortex (PFo) operates as part of a network involved in reward-based learning and goal-directed behavior. To test whether the PFo is necessary for guiding behavior based on the value of expected reward outcomes, we compared four rhesus monkeys with two-stage bilateral PFo removals and six unoperated controls for their responses to reinforcer devaluation, a task that assesses the monkeys' abilities to alter choices of objects when the value of the underlying food has changed. For comparison, the same monkeys were tested on a standard test of flexible stimulus-reward learning, namely object reversal learning. Relative to controls, monkeys with bilateral PFo removals showed a significant attenuation of reinforcer devaluation effects on each of two separate assessments, one performed shortly after surgery and the other ∼19 months after surgery; the operated monkeys were also impaired on object reversal learning. The same monkeys, however, were unimpaired in acquisition of object discrimination learning problems and responded like controls when allowed to choose foods alone, either on a food preference test among six different foods or after selective satiation. Thus, satiety mechanisms and the ability to assign value to familiar foods appear to be intact in monkeys with PFo lesions. The pattern of results suggests that the PFo is critical for response selection based on predicted reward outcomes, regardless of whether the value of the outcome is predicted by affective signals (reinforcer devaluation) or by visual signals conveying reward contingency (object reversal learning).
Food Preference Test
Objective: Assesses monkeys' ability to choose among six different foods when allowed to select foods alone, to evaluate whether satiety mechanisms and the ability to assign value to familiar foods are intact
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Materials1
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Protocol Steps
Food Preference Test Setup
Present monkeys with six different food options and allow them to select foods alone without experimenter intervention
Note: Test conducted to assess monkeys' ability to choose among multiple food options independently
View evidence from paper
“allowed to choose foods alone, either on a food preference test among six different foods”
Record Food Selections
Document which foods the monkeys choose during the preference test
Note: Responses recorded for both lesioned and control monkeys
View evidence from paper
“responded like controls when allowed to choose foods alone, either on a food preference test among six different foods”