• DOI:10.1146/ANNUREV.NEURO.28.061604.135709
• Corpus ID: 535645

An integrative theory of locus coeruleus-norepinephrine function: adaptive gain and optimal performance.

@article{AstonJones2005AnIT,
  title={An integrative theory of locus coeruleus-norepinephrine function: adaptive gain and optimal performance.},
  author={Gary Aston-Jones and Jonathan D. Cohen},
  journal={Annual review of neuroscience},
  year={2005},
  volume={28},
  pages={
          403-50
        }
}

• G. Aston-Jones, Jonathan D. Cohen
• Published 15 July 2005
• Biology, Psychology
• Annual review of neuroscience

Historically, the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system has been implicated in arousal, but recent findings suggest that this system plays a more complex and specific role in the control of behavior than investigators previously thought. We review neurophysiological and modeling studies in monkey that support a new theory of LC-NE function. LC neurons exhibit two modes of activity, phasic and tonic. Phasic LC activation is driven by the outcome of task-related decision processes and is proposed to facilitate ensuing behaviors and to help optimize task performance (exploitation). When utility in the task wanes, LC neurons exhibit a tonic activity mode, associated with disengagement from the current task and a search for alternative behaviors (exploration). Monkey LC receives prominent, direct inputs from the anterior cingulate (ACC) and orbitofrontal cortices (OFC), both of which are thought to monitor task-related utility. We propose that these frontal areas produce the above patterns of LC activity to optimize utility on both short and long timescales.