Communication between the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Ventral Tegmental Area during a Cost-Benefit Reversal Task

Abstract

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is implicated in value-based decision making, anticipation, and adaptation; however, how ACC activity modulates these behaviors is unclear. One possibility is via the ACC's connections with the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a dopaminergic region implicated in motivation and feedback processing. We tested this by monitoring ACC and VTA local field potentials in rats performing a cost-benefit reversal task that elicited both value-based and anticipatory choices. Partial directed coherence analyses revealed that elevated 4-Hz ACC-to-VTA signaling accompanied decisions that appeared to be anticipatory. ACC-to-VTA signaling also occurred post-reversal, consistent with it being involved in the initiation of non-default behavior. An analysis of 4-Hz signals in the other direction (VTA-to-ACC) revealed that it was elevated when the rats committed errors and that this signal was followed by behavioral adaptation. Together, these findings suggest that bidirectional communication between the ACC and VTA supports behavioral flexibility. Elston et al. find that the initiation and persistence of non-default behavior are associated with increases in top-down, ACC-to-VTA signaling. Additionally, the authors show that error-related feedback integration and subsequent behavioral adaptation accompany increases in bottom-up, VTA-to-ACC signaling. These results indicate that bidirectional ACC-VTA signaling is important for behavioral flexibility.