Distinct mechanisms mediate speed-accuracy adjustments in cortico-subthalamic networks

Abstract
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Abstract

Optimal decision-making requires balancing fast but error-prone and more accurate but slower decisions through adjustments of decision thresholds. Here, we demonstrate two distinct correlates of such speed-accuracy adjustments by recording subthalamic nucleus (STN) activity and electroencephalography in eleven Parkinson’s disease patients during a perceptual decision-making task; STN low-frequency oscillatory (LFO) activity (2-8 Hz), coupled to activity at prefrontal electrode Fz, and STN beta activity (13-30 Hz) coupled to electrodes C3/C4 close to motor cortex. These two correlates not only differed in their cortical topography and spectral characteristics, but also in the relative timing of recruitment and in their precise relationship with decision thresholds. Increases of STN LFO power preceding the response predicted increased thresholds only after accuracy instructions, while cue-induced reductions of STN beta power decreased thresholds irrespective of instructions. These findings indicate that distinct neural mechanisms determine whether a decision will be made in haste or with caution.

Data availability

The following data sets were generated

1. Damian Herz
(2017) Neural correlates of speed-accuracy adjustments in the subthalamic nucleus
Publicly available at Oxford University Research Archive (uuid: 09bef38c-999f-4fb7-aa46-14eda3123571).

https://doi.org/10.5287/bodleian:VEd27b0Yr

Article and author information

Author details

Damian M Herz

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Huiling Tan

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

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The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-8038-3029
John-Stuart Brittain

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Petra Fischer

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

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The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-5585-8977
Binith Cheeran

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Alexander L Green

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
James FitzGerald

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Tipu Z Aziz

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Keyoumars Ashkan

Department of Neurosurgery, Kings College Hospital, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Simon Little

Unit of Functional Neurosurgery, Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Thomas Foltynie

Unit of Functional Neurosurgery, Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Patricia Limousin

Unit of Functional Neurosurgery, Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Ludvic Zrinzo

Unit of Functional Neurosurgery, Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Rafal Bogacz

Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Peter Brown

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

For correspondence
peter.brown@ndcn.ox.ac.uk

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-5201-3044

Funding

Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12024/1)

Peter Brown

Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (655605)

Damian M Herz

Parkinson Appeal UK

Thomas Foltynie
Patricia Limousin
Ludvic Zrinzo

Monument Trust

Thomas Foltynie
Patricia Limousin
Ludvic Zrinzo

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Ethics

Human subjects: In accordance with the declaration of Helsinki, participants gave written informed consent to participate in the study, which was approved by the local ethics committee (Oxfordshire REC A).

Copyright

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.