Dynamic Hippocampal–Striatal Information Flow Accompanies Behavioral Strategy Transitions During Sequential Learning in Pigeons: A Preliminary Study
TL;DR
Preliminary findings suggest that learning is accompanied by frequency-specific changes in brain communication and provide new insights into the neural basis of adaptive decision-making in birds.
Abstract
Simple Summary Animals adapt their decisions by combining current information with previous experience. During learning, they may shift from flexible strategies based on environmental structure toward more stable choices guided by learned values. In this study, pigeons performed a sequential decision-making task while neural activity was recorded from the hippocampus and striatum. Behavioral modeling showed a gradual shift toward value-guided choice, accompanied by changes in communication between these brain regions. In particular, gamma-band information flow from the hippocampus to the striatum decreased as task performance became more stable. These preliminary findings suggest that learning is accompanied by frequency-specific changes in brain communication and provide new insights into the neural basis of adaptive decision-making in birds.
