Comparative Analysis of Neuron Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex of the Rat Brain in the States of Productive and Nonproductive Work

The aim of this study was to investigate neuron activity in prefrontal cortex cells in animals in different neuromental states. Spike activity was recorded extracellularly from prefrontal cortex neurons in rats performing the behavioral task of making a conditioned signal-driven choice in a two-ring maze. On each experimental day, periods of productive and nonproductive work were identified in the sequence of trials, the difference being a predominance of correct or incorrect selections. Comparative analysis of neuron activity in six different versions of the program (correct excursions to the left and right in the productive and nonproductive states and erroneous excursions) revealed significant differences in collective neuron activity profiles accompanied by reinforced excursions to one side in the nonproductive state. This was linked with activation of the activity profile formed at the beginning of training accompanying reinforced excursions to this side. A dynamic mechanism for substitution of decision-taking strategies depending on the animal’s state is proposed, involving inhibition of old models on learning in the productive state and weakening of this control mechanism in the nonproductive state. © 2021, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.