The central amygdala projection to the substantia nigra reflects prediction error information in appetitive conditioning

Knowledge about cause and effect relationships (e.g., virus–epidemic) is essential for predicting changes in the environment and for anticipating the consequences of events and one's own actions. Although there is evidence that predictions and learning from prediction errors are instrumental in acquiring causal knowledge, it is unclear whether prediction error circuitry remains involved in the mental representation and evaluation of causal knowledge already stored in semantic memory. In an fMRI study, participants assessed whether pairs of words were causally related (e.g., virus–epidemic) or noncausally associated (e.g., emerald–ring). In a second fMRI study, a task cue prompted the participants to evaluate either the causal or the noncausal associative relationship between pairs of words. Causally related pairs elicited higher activity in OFC, amygdala, striatum, and substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area than noncausally associated pairs. These regions were also more activated by the causal than by the associative task cue. This network overlaps with the mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic network known to code prediction errors, suggesting that prediction error processing might participate in assessments of causality even under conditions when it is not explicitly required to make predictions.

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Aberrant reward prediction error during Pavlovian appetitive learning in alexithymia

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience ◽

10.1093/scan/nsz089 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 1119-1129

Author(s):

Francesca Starita ◽

Mattia Pietrelli ◽

Caterina Bertini ◽

Giuseppe di Pellegrino

Keyword(s):

Prediction Error ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Extensive Literature ◽

Prediction Errors ◽

Appetitive Conditioning ◽

Emotional Stimuli ◽

Internal Representations ◽

Reward Prediction ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Emotional Value

Abstract Extensive literature shows that alexithymia, a subclinical trait defined by difficulties in identifying and describing feelings, is characterized by multifaceted impairments in processing emotional stimuli. Nevertheless, its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we hypothesize that alexithymia may be characterized by an alteration in learning the emotional value of encountered stimuli and test this by assessing differences between individuals with low (LA) and high (HA) levels of alexithymia in the computation of reward prediction errors (RPEs) during Pavlovian appetitive conditioning. As a marker of RPE, the amplitude of the feedback-related negativity (FRN) event-related potential was assessed while participants were presented with two conditioned stimuli (CS) associated with expected or unexpected feedback, indicating delivery of reward or no-reward. No-reward (vs reward) feedback elicited the FRN both in LA and HA. However, unexpected (vs expected) feedback enhanced the FRN in LA but not in HA, indicating impaired computation of RPE in HA. Thus, although HA show preserved sensitivity to rewards, they cannot use this response to update the value of CS that predict them. This impairment may hinder the construction of internal representations of emotional stimuli, leaving individuals with alexithymia unable to effectively recognize, respond and regulate their response to emotional stimuli.

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Temporally limited role of substantia nigra-central amygdala connections in surprise-induced enhancement of learning

European Journal of Neuroscience ◽

10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06272.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 27 (11) ◽

pp. 3043-3049 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

H. J. Lee ◽

J. M. Youn ◽

M. Gallagher ◽

P. C. Holland

Keyword(s):

Substantia Nigra ◽

Central Amygdala ◽

Limited Role

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Contribution of substantia nigra glutamate to prediction error signals in schizophrenia: a combined magnetic resonance spectroscopy/functional imaging study

npj Schizophrenia ◽

10.1038/npjschz.2014.1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

David M White ◽

Nina V Kraguljac ◽

Meredith A Reid ◽

Adrienne C Lahti

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Substantia Nigra ◽

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ◽

Functional Imaging ◽

Prediction Error ◽

Imaging Study ◽

Resonance Spectroscopy ◽

Functional Imaging Study

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Immunocytochemical methodology for the localization of neuronal antigens at the ultrastructural level

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100161941 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 876-877

Author(s):

Jorge Pecci Saavedra ◽

Mark Connaughton ◽

Juan José López ◽

Alicia Brusco

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Substantia Nigra ◽

Polyclonal Antibodies ◽

Ultrastructural Level ◽

Point Of View ◽

Nerve Tissue ◽

Tissue Fixation ◽

Optimal Conditions ◽

Interpeduncular Nucleus ◽

Technical Point

The use of antibodies as labels for the localization of specific molecules in the nervous systan has been extensively applied in recent years. Both monoand polyclonal antibodies or antisera have been employed. The knowledge of the organization of neuronal connectivities, gliovascular relationships, glioneuronal relationships and other features of nerve tissue has greatly increased.A number of areas of the nervous systan have been analyzed in our laboratory, including the nuclei of the raphe system, the reticular formation, interpeduncular nucleus, substantia nigra, caudate nucleus, putamen, pallidum, spinal cord, pineal gland and others.From a technical point of view, a number of variables needed to be taken into account in order to obtain reliable and reproducible results. The design of the optimal conditions of tissue fixation, embedding, sectioning, dilution of antibodies, and adaptation of Sternberger PAP technique were sane of the parameters taken into account to optimize the results. It is critical that each step of the technique be defined for each particular case.

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