Indexing sensory plasticity: evidence for distinct Predictive Coding and Hebbian learning mechanisms in the cerebral cortex

M. J. Spriggs*, R. L. Sumner, R. L. McMillan, R. J. Moran, I. J. Kirk, S. D. Muthukumaraswamy

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Roving Mismatch Negativity (MMN), and Visual LTP paradigms are widely used as independent measures of sensory plasticity. However, the paradigms are built upon fundamentally different (and seemingly opposing) models of perceptual learning; namely, Predictive Coding (MMN) and Hebbian plasticity (LTP). The aim of the current study was to compare the generative mechanisms of the MMN and visual LTP, therefore assessing whether Predictive Coding and Hebbian mechanisms co-occur in the brain. Forty participants were presented with both paradigms during EEG recording. Consistent with Predictive Coding and Hebbian predictions, Dynamic Causal Modelling revealed that the generation of the MMN modulates forward and backward connections in the underlying network, while visual LTP only modulates forward connections. These results suggest that both Predictive Coding and Hebbian mechanisms are utilized by the brain under different task demands. This therefore indicates that both tasks provide unique insight into plasticity mechanisms, which has important implications for future studies of aberrant plasticity in clinical populations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)290-300
Number of pages11
JournalNeuroImage
Volume176
Early online date30 Apr 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2018

Keywords

  • Dynamic Causal Modelling
  • Long Term Potentiation
  • Mismatch negativity
  • Neuroplasticity
  • Perceptual learning

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