Neural Correlates of Sequence Learning with Stochastic Feedback

Although much is known about decision making under uncertainty when only a single step is required in the decision process, less is known about sequential decision making. We carried out a stochastic sequence learning task in which subjects had to use noisy feedback to learn sequences of button presses. We compared flat and hierarchical behavioral models and found that although both models predicted the choices of the group of subjects equally well, only the hierarchical model correlated significantly with learning-related changes in the magneto-encephalographic response. The significant modulations in the magneto-encephalographic signal occurred 83 msec before button press and 67 msec after button press. We also localized the sources of these effects and found that the early effect localized to the insula, whereas the late effect localized to the premotor cortex.