Layer-specific cortical dynamics during transitions from error monitoring to decision execution in reversal learning

Cognitive flexibility, critical for adaptive behavior, relies on dynamic neural processes across cortical layers. This study investigates the layer-specific temporal and spectral dynamics of the primary auditory cortex (A1) during multiple reversal learning tasks in Mongolian gerbils. Behavioral analysis revealed rapid adaptation across reversal phases, highlighting significant improvements in auditory discrimination and cognitive flexibility over weeks of training. Chronic current source density (CSD) recordings demonstrated distinct synaptic activity patterns, with deep-layer dominance during early learning and increasing superficial layer engagement as performance improved, indicating layer-specific and refined neural signatures linked to behavioral performance. Spectral power analysis demonstrated how error processing and decision-making evolved across different layers and frequency bands. During the reversal phase, prestimulus spectral activity in layer I/II reflected early cortical engagement. In the learning phase, stimulus-locked beta and gamma oscillations in upper and deeper layers were consistent with the integration of sensory input and behavioral output. The retrieval phase was marked by beta and gamma activity before and after stimulus presentation, predominantly in middle and upper layers, supporting refined decision-making. These findings provide insights into how cortical circuit dynamics may support adaptive learning and contribute to the neural basis of cognitive flexibility and layer-specific plasticity in sensory decision-making.