加州大学圣地亚哥分校Takaki Komiyama研究团队的一项最新研究，揭示了学习过程中区域特异性和历史相关值编码的可塑性，这一意料之外的大脑区域影响“价值观”。 该研究于2019年5月9日发表在一流学术期刊《细胞》杂志上。

为了研究操控价值关的区域特异性和可塑性，小组对小鼠进行了基于价值的决策任务训练，并对6个皮质区域的神经活动进行了细胞分辨率成像。历史和价值相关的信号在各个区域都很普遍，但它们的强度和时间模式不同。 在小鼠中，压后皮质(RSC)独特地编码了历史和价值相关的信号，这些信号具有跨试验的持续群体活动模式。 这种独特的RSC编码出现在任务学习过程中，在更遥远的历史信号中有很强的增长。急性失活RSC选择性地损害了基于奖励历史的行为策略。 结果表明，RSC可以灵活地改变其历史编码，并持续地对与价值相关的信号进行编码，以支持自适应行为。

通常，决策由可选的主观价值驱动，这种价值是通过经验形成的。为了支持这一基本行为，大脑必须编码并保持主观价值。

附：英文原文

Title: Area-Specificity and Plasticity of History-Dependent Value Coding During Learning

Author: Ryoma Hattori, Bethanny Danskin, Zeljana Babic, Nicole Mlynaryk, Takaki Komiyama

Issue&Volume: Jun 13, 2019 Volume 177Issue 7 

Abstract: Decision making is often driven by the subjective value of available options, a value which is formed through experience. To support this fundamental behavior, the brain must encode and maintain the subjective value. To investigate the area specificity and plasticity of value coding, we trained mice in a value-based decision task and imaged neural activity in 6 cortical areas with cellular resolution. History- and value-related signals were widespread across areas, but their strength and temporal patterns differed. In expert mice, the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) uniquely encoded history- and value-related signals with persistent population activity patterns across trials. This unique encoding of RSC emerged during task learning with a strong increase in more distant history signals. Acute inactivation of RSC selectively impaired the reward-history-based behavioral strategy. Our results indicate that RSC flexibly changes its history coding and persistently encodes value-related signals to support adaptive behaviors.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.027

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)30446-5