Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Adaptive Control of Brain and Behavior

Research examining the functional underpinnings of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and its relationship to cognitive control have been described as "perennially controversial" and a "Rorschach Test" for modern neuroscience. Although there is near universal agreement that ACC is important for the adaptation of behavior, debate, despite decades of work, stems from the exact manner in which ACC goes about doing this. This chapter provides a brief overview of the various past and present theoretical arguments and research surrounding ACC function, and highlights an emerging literature of single unit ACC recordings from several species that support these theories. We will finish the chapter by focusing on our work examining the firing of single neurons in rat dorsal medial striatum (DMS) and ACC, and examining DMS's dependency on ACC to accurately signal adaptive behavioral output. Ultimately, we will conclude that ACC carries a myriad of signals (error detection, reinforcement/feedback, value, response conflict, etc.) necessary for the modulation of attention and task-relevant/irrelevant signals so that difficult decisions can be made and action plans adapted when necessary.