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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Decision Neuroscience
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1512724

Integrated Information Theory reveals the potential role of the Posterior Parietal Cortex in Sustaining Conditioning Responses in Classical Conditioning Tasks

Provisionally accepted
Tien Cuong Phi Tien Cuong Phi 1*Shin Ishii Shin Ishii 1,2,3Masashi Kondo Masashi Kondo 4Masanori Matsuzaki Masanori Matsuzaki 3,4,5Ken Nakae Ken Nakae 6
  • 1 Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
  • 2 Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Kyōto, Japan
  • 3 International Research Center for Neurointelligence (IRCN), Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
  • 4 The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tōkyō, Japan
  • 5 RIKEN, Saitama, Saitama, Japan
  • 6 Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Classical conditioning is a fundamental associative learning process in which repeated pairings of a conditioned stimulus (CS) with an unconditioned stimulus (US) lead to the CS eliciting a conditioned response (CR). Previous research has identified key neural regions involved in processing rewardpredicting cues and mediating licking behavior. However, the mechanisms that sustain high conditioned response rates across repeated sessions remain elusive, particularly regarding how the reward expectation is represented on a session-by-session basis. While early learning phases in classical conditioning have been extensively studied, the neural mechanisms that support consistent performance over time remain unclear.In this study, we sought to understand how cortical regions, particularly the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), contribute to maintaining high CR rates across sessions. Using the core complex framework derived from Integrated Information Theory (IIT), we explored the dynamics of neural networks during sessions of high CR performance. Our findings suggest that while traditional functional connectivity (FC) methods struggled to capture the complexity of sustained behavioral engagement, the core complex framework revealed key regions, notably the PPC, that were significantly correlated with enhanced CR sessions. This work suggests the potential role of the PPC in supporting reward expectations and maintaining consistent behavioral responses. By applying the core complex framework to investigate neural substrates of sustained behavior, we provide novel insights into the interaction of cortical networks during classical conditioning, offering promising directions for future research in associative learning and behavior.

    Keywords: Posterior parietal cortex, Classical Conditioning, Integrated Information Theory, task performance, Network analysis, core complex analysis

    Received: 17 Oct 2024; Accepted: 14 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Phi, Ishii, Kondo, Matsuzaki and Nakae. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Tien Cuong Phi, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.