Different Sources of Expectations Differentially Modulate Communication Between Auditory and Prefrontal Cortices During Auditory Decision-Making

Perceptual decisions can be influenced by expectations that arise from different sources. However, relatively little is known about how and where in the brain these different sources affect decision formation, particularly in the auditory system. To begin to address this question, we recorded local field potentials (LFPs) simultaneously from the auditory cortex (AC) and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) while monkeys performed an auditory frequency-discrimination task. We manipulated their expectations by presenting either informative cues (LEDs that predicted the target frequency) or uninformative cues (tone sequences that did not predict the target frequency) prior to target onset. Both cues had similar effects on the monkeys accuracy and response times but induced distinct neurophysiological signatures. Coherence, a measure of undirected coupling, between AC and vlPFC increased from cue to target presentation on informative trials but decreased from cue to target presentation on uninformative trials. Phase-slope index (PSI), a measure of directed coupling, between AC and vlPFC was strongest when the target tone contradicted expectations, particularly for ambiguous stimulus conditions when expectations were most valuable. These expectation-dependent changes in the magnitude of functional connectivity also included changes in its spatial organization. Together, these findings provide new insights into how different expectations can dynamically reconfigure functional connectivity between cortical brain areas to support different task demands and behavioral outcomes.