A group of scientists from around the world has discovered the neural processes involved in planning. Their findings indicate that the interaction between the brain’s prefrontal cortex and hippocampus enables us to envision future scenarios in order to influence our choices.
When faced with a significant decision, we often take a moment to consider the possible outcomes of various options. This process, known as “mental simulation,” is crucial in our everyday planning and decision-making. However, the specific mechanisms by which the brain achieves this are not fully understood.The study examined how the brain utilizes neural processes for planning. The findings, which were published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, indicate that the interaction between the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus enables us to envision future outcomes to help with decision-making.
Marcelo Mattar, an assistant professor in New York University’s Department of Psychology and one of the authors of the paper, explains that the prefrontal cortex serves as a ‘simulator,’ using a cognitive map stored in the hippocampus to mentally test out potential actions. This research offers insights into the neural and cognitive mechanisms involved in planning, which is a fundamental aspect of both human and animal behavior.Mal intelligence. A deeper understanding of these brain mechanisms could ultimately improve the treatment of disorders affecting decision-making abilities.”
The roles of both the prefrontal cortex — used in planning and decision-making — and hippocampus — used in memory formation and storage — have long been established. However, their specific duties in deliberative decision-making, which are the types of decisions that require us to think before acting, are less clear.
To illuminate the neural mechanisms of planning, Mattar and his colleagues — Kristopher Jensen, a computational neuroscientist at University College London, and Anne Collins, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley — developed a computational model that integrates the two brain regions into a single system.ge London, and Guillaume Hennequin, a professor of computational neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, collaborated to create a computational model for forecasting brain activity during the planning process. They used data from both humans and laboratory rats to verify the model’s reliability. The model, known as a recurrent neural network (RNN), learns patterns from incoming information.
The researchers built on existing knowledge of planning and introduced new layers of complexity, such as “imagined actions,” to better capture the decision-making process, which involves evaluating the consequences of potential choices, similar to how a chess player envisions moves on the board.The brain’s ability to envision different outcomes and situations before making a decision is crucial. These mental simulations, which involve the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, help us quickly adjust to new circumstances, such as finding an alternative route when a road is closed.
Researchers tested this computational model using behavioral and neural data. They conducted an experiment to measure how people navigated a virtual maze on a computer screen and how long they took to decide on each step. This helped confirm the model’s predictions about the hippocampus’ role in decision-making.The researchers used neural recordings from rats navigating a maze to plan their study. They compared the rats’ behavior and brain activity to that of humans performing a similar task. This approach was considered innovative in the field. The results of the study supported the computational model and showed a complex relationship between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Human participants showed increased brain activity when thinking before acting in the maze, while rats displayed similar behavior during their experiments.The neural responses of the rats as they navigated the maze closely matched the simulations created by the model. According to Mattar, this research provides fundamental understanding of how these brain circuits allow us to consider our actions before making decisions. Additionally, the approach of training both human and animal participants as well as RNNs to perform the same task offers a new and fundamental way to gain insights into behaviors, as noted by University of California, Berkeley neurophysiology researchers John Widolski and David Foster, who provided the neural data from experiments with laboratory rats.Per’s analysis.
