近日，英国牛津大学教授Steven W. Kennerley及其团队报道了腹内侧前额叶皮层价值导向选择的认知图。相关论文于2025年4月21日发表在《细胞》杂志上。

研究团队将经济决策重新定义为通过选择价值的认知地图进行导航的过程。该研究团队发现恒河猴将选择表示为导航轨迹，在价值空间中以网格状代码为主题。这发生在两个数据集的腹内侧PFC （vmPFC）局部场电位θ频率。vmPFC神经元部署相同的网格状代码并编码选择值。

然而，这两个信号都依赖于θ相位：发生在θ波谷上，但在不同的θ周期上。最后，研究小组在vmPFC中发现了锐波涟漪——规划和灵活行为的一个关键特征。他们，vmPFC利用基于认知地图的计算来组织和比较值，为PFC中的经济选择提供了另一种架构。

据悉，前额叶皮层（PFC）对经济决策至关重要。然而，PFC值表示如何促进灵活决策仍然未知。

附：英文原文

Title: A cognitive map for value-guided choice in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Author: Sebastijan Veselic, Timothy H. Muller, Elena Gutierrez, Timothy E.J. Behrens, Laurence T. Hunt, James L. Butler, Steven W. Kennerley

Issue&Volume: 2025-04-21

Abstract: The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is crucial for economic decision-making. However, how PFC value representations facilitate flexible decisions remains unknown. We reframe economic decision-making as a navigation process through a cognitive map of choice values. We found rhesus macaques represented choices as navigation trajectories in a value space using a grid-like code. This occurred in ventromedial PFC (vmPFC) local field potential theta frequency across two datasets. vmPFC neurons deployed the same grid-like code and encoded chosen value. However, both signals depended on theta phase: occurring on theta troughs but on separate theta cycles. Finally, we found sharp-wave ripples—a key signature of planning and flexible behavior—in vmPFC. Thus, vmPFC utilizes cognitive map-based computations to organize and compare values, suggesting an alternative architecture for economic choice in PFC.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.038

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)00388-5