Prospective coding for objects in primate prefrontal cortex

We examined neural activity in prefrontal (PF) cortex of monkeys performing a delayed paired associate task. Monkeys were cued with a sample object, T hen, after a delay, a test object was presented. If the test object was the object associated with the sample during training (i.e., its target), they had to release a lever. Monkeys could bridge the delay by remembering the sample (a sensory-related code) and/or thinking ahead to the expected targe t (a prospective code). Examination of the monkeys' behavior suggested that they were relying on a prospective code. During and shortly after sample p resentation, neural activity in the lateral PF cortex primarily reflected t he sample, Toward the end of the delay, however, PF activity began to refle ct the anticipated target, which indicated a prospective code. These result s provide further confirmation that PF cortex does not simply buffer incomi ng visual inputs, but instead selectively processes information relevant to current behavioral demands, even when this information must be recalled fr om long-term memory.