DYNAMICAL MODULATION OF VALENCE REPRESENTATIONS IN THE PRIMATE AMYGDALA

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) targeting sensory and motor systems have made significant advancements, yet BCIs for emotional processes remain largely conceptual due to the complexity of emotional processing in deep brain structures. We developed and validated an emotional BCI (eBCI) framework in non-human primates, demonstrating the feasibility of modulating conditioned responses using real-time control of neural activity in core emotional processing areas. Using auditory feedback, animals learned to bidirectionally modulate spiking activity in the amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Analysis of single-unit and population activity revealed that successful shifts were achieved by the recruitment of an associative network within the same brain region and encoding similar valence properties. Notably, the shift in activity persisted even after the eBCI session ended, suggesting network plasticity and re-organization. Moreover, successful sessions led to specific changes in evoked responses to the conditioned stimuli, regardless of whether neurons were initially positive- or negative-valence coding. Finally, the neural modulations were accompanied by a subtle yet specific decrease in the behavioral response to the aversive memory. Overall, our results demonstrate the first implementation of an eBCI in primate emotional networks, offering a platform for investigating neural coding and the representation of value-based memory, and a first step towards targeting psychopathologies that have a specific trigger and memory.