Uncertainty modulates visual maps during noninstrumental information demand

Yvonne Li, Nabil Daddaoua, Mattias Horan, Nicholas C. Foley and Jacqueline Gottlieb ()
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Yvonne Li: Columbia University
Nabil Daddaoua: Columbia University
Mattias Horan: Columbia University
Nicholas C. Foley: Columbia University
Jacqueline Gottlieb: Columbia University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Animals are intrinsically motivated to obtain information independently of instrumental incentives. This motivation depends on two factors: a desire to resolve uncertainty by gathering accurate information and a desire to obtain positively-valenced observations, which predict favorable rather than unfavorable outcomes. To understand the neural mechanisms, we recorded parietal cortical activity implicated in prioritizing stimuli for spatial attention and gaze, in a task in which monkeys were free (but not trained) to obtain information about probabilistic non-contingent rewards. We show that valence and uncertainty independently modulated parietal neuronal activity, and uncertainty but not reward-related enhancement consistently correlated with behavioral sensitivity. The findings suggest uncertainty-driven and valence-driven information demand depend on partially distinct pathways, with the former being consistently related to parietal responses and the latter depending on additional mechanisms implemented in downstream structures.

Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-33585-2

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33585-2

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