Neurophysiologic correlates of the decision-making processes in the cerebral cortex of monkeys during visual recognition.

The impulse activity of groups of neurons of the visual, prefrontal, and inferotemporal cortex was recorded simultaneously in behavioral experiments on monkeys solving a problem of delayed visual differentiation of variously colored stimuli. The neurophysiological correlates of the decision-making processes were studied. Erroneous motoric reactions were accompanied in all monkeys by significant reorganizations of the patterns of impulse activity of the neurons. In the case of correct solutions of the monkeys, synchronization in time and cross-correlation which was significant in magnitude between the activity of the groups of neurons were observed. Incorrect solutions were accompanied by desynchronization and by a decrease in cross-correlation between the activity of these groups of neurons. Possible decision-making mechanisms and the causes of the desynchronization of the informational processes during erroneous reactions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]