William R. Stauffer, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Neurobiology

Center for Neuroscience

University of Pittsburgh

Title: From Control to Composition: Prefrontal Neuron Activity During
Combinatorial Reasoning and Goal Formation

Abstract: The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is central to cognitive control, organizing
behavior to achieve internal goals. Yet a fundamental question remains: how do we define
those goals? In other words, how do we think about what we want? To investigate this, we
designed a combinatorial reasoning task inspired by the ‘knapsack problem’ in computer
science and operations research. In this task, nonhuman primates (NHPs) select subsets of
items that provide satisfactory or optimal solutions under given constraints. We find that NHPs
engage in combinatorial reasoning to define optimal subsets and adapt the complexity of their
reasoning strategies based on problem difficulty. In this talk, I will present single-unit
recordings from the NHP DLPFC demonstrating its role in combinatorial reasoning and the
neural processes that shape subjective goal formation. By examining how individual neurons
implement combinatorics and evolving decision criteria, we gain new insights into the neural
architecture underlying intelligent behavior. I will also discuss the implications of these findings
for mental and neurological health, along with emerging technologies designed to target and
manipulate the circuits of combinatorial reasoning to further explore the computational
principles of high-level cognition.

Faculty Host: Dr. Veit Stuphorn