Examining the Neural Correlates of Learning From Errors: The Respective Roles of the pMFC and Insula Cortex
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1
University of Melbourne, Australia
Learning from an error underlies adaptive cognition. There is good reason to believe that activity in the posterior medial frontal cortex (pMFC) and insula cortex subserve essential error-related cognitive and emotional processes. A recent study suggested that these regions make different contributions to the processes involved in learning from an error. The current study aimed to dissociate pMFC and insula activity on a similar task, and examine pMFC activity in relation to motivating behavioural change. 17 participants completed an associative learning task while undergoing magnetic resonance scanning. As predicted, mean rates of error correction were related to the severity of punishment administered following an error. Contrary to predictions, pMFC activity did not predict learning outcomes; insula activity selectively distinguished between punishment magnitudes in a recall but not guessing condition, and patterns of pMFC activity did not appear to index a motivation to change behaviour. Novel activity in the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) did predict learning outcomes. The failure to replicate previous findings may highlight a difference in the neural correlates of error learning within a guessing versus recall paradigm. Our unexpected finding concerning ITG activity requires further investigation, particularly as there is currently no cohesive theory concerning the contribution of this region to general cognition.
Acknowledgements
NHMRC Grant 1008044
ARC Grant DP1092852
References
Hester, R., Murphy, K., Brown, F.L., and Skilleter, A.J. (2010). Punishing an error improves learning: The influence of punishment magnitude on error-related neural activity and subsequent learning. Journal of Neuroscience, 30 (46): 15600-15607
Keywords:
functional MRI (fMRI),
learning from errors,
punishment magnitude,
insular cortex,
Incentive motivation
Conference:
ACNS-2012 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 29 Nov - 2 Dec, 2012.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Executive Processes
Citation:
Charles-Walsh
K,
Orr
C and
Hester
R
(2012). Examining the Neural Correlates of Learning From Errors: The Respective Roles of the pMFC and Insula Cortex.
Conference Abstract:
ACNS-2012 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Conference.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2012.208.00131
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Received:
06 Nov 2012;
Published Online:
17 Nov 2012.
*
Correspondence:
Ms. Kathleen Charles-Walsh, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia, k.charles-walsh@student.unimelb.edu.au