科学家们在12月在线出版的《自然—神经科学》期刊上报告说，在制定会取得成功结果的决定中，大脑额极皮层区域中的神经细胞发挥了重要作用。新研究首次报告了该区域的直接神经成像记录，同时指出，这一区域的反应模式并不如以前认为的那么复杂，实际上非常简单。
当猴子在作出一项任务的决定时，Satoshi Tsujimoto和同事记录了其额极皮层区的神经元反应。他们发现，这些神经细胞编码了猴子早期作决定的行为过程，但时间发生在猴子接到它是否应作出正确反应的反馈信息时。
这种神经细胞的简单反应特征令人惊奇，因为额极皮层区的其他神经细胞有典型的复杂活动模式。然而，这些反应却有重要的含义。我们需要学习重复有成功结果的行为，但要鉴别出具体的成功行为却是一件困难的事，尤其是在行为和结果产生时有诸多的干扰因素。新研究显示，额极区域的神经细胞负责提供早期决定所需要的信息，确保产生成功结果的正确决定得到认可。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Nature Neuroscience 6 December 2009 | doi:10.1038/nn.2453
Evaluating self-generated decisions in frontal pole cortex of monkeys
Satoshi Tsujimoto1,2, Aldo Genovesio1,3 & Steven P Wise1
The frontal pole cortex (FPC) expanded markedly during human evolution, but its function remains uncertain in both monkeys and humans. Accordingly, we examined single-cell activity in this area. On every trial, monkeys decided between two response targets on the basis of a 'stay' or 'shift' cue. Feedback followed at a fixed delay. FPC cells did not encode the monkeys' decisions when they were made, but did so later on, as feedback approached. This finding indicates that the FPC is involved in monitoring or evaluating decisions. Using a control task and delayed feedback, we found that decision coding lasted until feedback only when the monkeys combined working memory with sensory cues to 'self-generate' decisions, as opposed to when they simply followed trial-by-trial instructions. A role in monitoring or evaluating self-generated decisions could account for FPC's expansion during human evolution.
1 Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
2 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Nada-Ku, Kobe, Japan.
3 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
