Neurons in the crow nidopallium caudolaterale encode varying durations of visual working memory periods

Abstract

Adaptive sequential behaviors rely on the bridging and integration of temporally separate information for the realization of prospective goals. Corvids' remarkable behavioral flexibility is thought to depend on the workings of the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), a high-level avian associative forebrain area. We trained carrion crows to remember visual items for three alternating delay durations in a delayed match-to-sample task and recorded single-unit activity from the NCL. Sample-selective delay activity, a correlate of visual working memory, was maintained throughout different working memory durations. Delay responses remained selective for the same preferred sample item across blocks with different delay durations. However, selectivity strength decreased with increasing delay durations, mirroring worsened behavioral performance with longer memory delays. Behavioral relevance of delay activity was further evidenced by reduced encoding of the preferred sample item during error trials. In addition, NCL neurons adapted their time-dependent discharges to blocks of different memory durations, so that delay duration could be successfully classified based on population activity a few trials after the delay duration switched. Therefore, NCL neurons not only maintain information from individual trials, but also keep track of the duration for which this information is needed in the context of the task. These results strengthen the role of corvid NCL in maintaining working memory for flexible control of temporally extended goal-directed behavior.

Evolution of Pallial Areas and Networks Involved in Sociality: Comparison Between Mammals and Sauropsids

“…In birds, neurons of the caudolateral nidopallium display value-related activity (Dykes et al, 2018). In addition, the caudal nidopallium plays a role in decision-making, and at least in crows is involved in complex tasks using flexible working memory (Güntürkün, 2005; Güntürkün and Bugnyar, 2016; Hartmann et al, 2018). Regarding social contexts, mate choice decisions are extremely important because they affect the genetic constitution of offspring and, in some species, the quality/quantity of parental care (Sockman, 2007).…”

Working memory capacity of crows and monkeys arises from similar neuronal computations

“…To resolve this, it is crucial to investigate the avian brain to understand how its different organization can produce such similar behavioral and neurophysiological results. While the neuronal correlates of WM maintenance in birds have been investigated in some detail ( Diekamp et al, 2002; Hartmann et al, 2018; Rinnert et al, 2019; Rose and Colombo, 2005; Veit et al, 2014 ), a neurophysiological investigation of WM capacity limitation is still lacking. The avian forebrain structure, nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) is a critical component of avian WM.…”

Telencephalic regulation of the HPA axis in birds

“…As pointed out earlier, there is debate, however, about whether this area most resembles prefrontal cortex, or basolateral amygdala, an area which is reciprocally connected to prefrontal cortex in mammals, and which has many similar properties ( Martínez-García et al, 2002 ; Martínez-García et al, 2007 ; Medina et al, 2019 ; Pessoa et al, 2019 ). Most of this evidence about similarities is related to the cognitive role of prefrontal cortex, such as working memory ( Diekamp et al, 2002 ; Hartmann et al, 2017 ; Nieder et al, 2020 ; von Eugen et al, 2020 ), and encoding of the value of reward ( Dykes et al, 2018 ; Kalenscher et al, 2005 ; Koenen et al, 2013 ), and not to its role in regulating emotional and stress responses. The area most studied for this is the Lateral Caudal Nidopallium (NCL), which receives strong dopaminergic projections, similar to prefrontal cortex.…”