FIG. 3.

Errors influence persistent activity of dmPFC neurons. A: sequence of events following correct and error trials. Following correct trials (top line, black), a pump is activated at a latency of 100 ms after lever release and is kept on for 1 s. Following error trials (bottom line, gray) the house lights and all behavioral devices are extinguished for 4–8 s. Houselights then come on 1.5 ± 0.2 s prior to posterror lever presses. B–E: examples of neurons that fired differently depending on trial outcome are shown. B and C: neurons fired more if trials ended in error (gray colors, left panel) than if trials were correct and rewarded (black, left panel). Increased posterror firing (gray colors, right panel) persisted into the delay period of the following trial, and for these neurons, was more than postcorrect firing (black, right panel). Shaded region after lever press on right panel was used to identify delay-related posterror differences in firing rate. No difference was observed between premature (dark gray) and late (light gray) errors; see text.