Behavioral read out of population value signals in primate orbitofrontal cortex

The primate orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has long been recognized for its role in value-based decisions; however, the exact mechanism linking OFC value representations to decision outcomes has remained elusive. To address this question we show for the first time that trial-wise variability in choices can be explained by variability in value signals decoded from many simultaneously recorded OFC neurons. Mechanistically, this relationship is consistent with the projection of activity within a low-dimensional value-encoding subspace onto a potentially higher-dimensional, behaviorally-potent output subspace.