Abstract Encoding of Sounds in the Frontopolar Cortex

The frontopolar cortex has been linked to higher-order cognition, including analogical reasoning, cost-benefit analysis, and semantic associations, primarily based on neuroimaging studies in humans rather than from direct single-neuron recordings. Notably, sensory input to this region originates from auditory cortical areas. To investigate the role of the frontopolar cortex in auditory perception, we recorded single neurons in nonhuman primates trained to discriminate between various sounds, including monkey calls and human words. We found that individual neurons form abstract, nonlinear representations of learned and novel sounds, collectively encoding all sound categories and generating decision-making signals. Our findings suggest that the frontopolar cortex integrates auditory information into behaviorally relevant signals, thereby providing insights regarding its role in cognition.