The Neural Substrates of Cognitive Event-Related Potentials: A Review of Animal Models of P3

Abstract

O~e reaso.n to study the electrical activity of the brain is that the knowledge game.d might be useful for understanding the neural basis of cognitive functlOns. I~other words, endogenous or cognitive event-related potentials (~RPs), which are. averaged field potentials that are sensitive to manipulahons of psychological variables, could provide evidence to constrain theories on the brain mechanisms that mediate cognition. The success of this approach, however, depends on the extent to which two types of relationships can be s~bsta~tiated: relationships between ERPs and theories of cognition and relatlOnshlps between ERPs and particular neural events, structures, or ystems. Alth~~gh cognitive ERPs have been thoroughly characterized only m humans, cnhcal evidence for clarifying the neurophysiological substrates of cognitive ERPs may come from studies in animals (Galambos and Hillyard, 1981~. This review focuses on recent studies that have begun to develop ammal models of a particularly well-characterized cognitive E~P, the P3 or P300 potential. To develop criteria for assessing these ammal models, the characteristics of P3 in humans are first outlined. Evidence pertaining to the adequacy of each of the putative animal models is then discussed by species, along with evidence about the neural basis of th:se ERPs. The concluding section will reflect on prospects for understandmg the neural basis of P3 and on the usefulness of the animal approach..Cognitive Electrophysiology

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“…It is safe to assume, however, that the P3 is associated with some fundamental process within the information processing cascade. Paller (1994) discusses the available evidence as to the neural generators of the P3 potential in light of evidence coming from experiments using scalp surface and intracranial recordings in humans as well as animal experiments. While there has been much work devoted to the putative contributions of the hippocampus to the scalp generated P3 (e.g.…”

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“…infrequent) stimuli (Sutton et al, 1965). Similar effects are found in human and non-human mammals (Paller, 1994). Novelty responses do not necessarily confer a behavioral advantage, as is exemplified by a study using picture stimuli (Olofsson & Polich, 2007).…”

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“… Paller (1994) reviewed ERP studies with further mammals (cats, dogs, rabbits, squirrel monkeys), specifically concerning late positive ERP responses such as P300 to a variety of stimuli in passive and task-related perception tests. He discussed the animal data in relation to those available from humans and found a large variability in P300-like ERP waves in animals.…”

“…This variability concerned peak latency, peak polarity, relative peak amplitude, the relationships of P300-like peaks to other ERP waves, the P300-like dependence on task requirements, and on the control of the attention of the animals in the tests. To ensure optimal comparability of animal and human data, the data sets should be taken with the same kind of stimulus paradigm and with the same or similar (adapted to the animal’s behavioral abilities and preferences) task requirements ( Paller, 1994 ). This may be difficult experimentally, however, not impossible as the reported results in our review demonstrate.…”