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Imtiaz Z, Kato A, Kopell BH, Qasim SE, Davis AN, Martinez LN, Heflin M, Kulkarni K, Morsi A, Gu X, Saez I. Human Substantia Nigra Neurons Encode Reward Expectations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.10.593406. [PMID: 38766086 PMCID: PMC11100806 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.10.593406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) signals originating from substantia nigra (SN) neurons are centrally involved in the regulation of motor and reward processing. DA signals behaviorally relevant events where reward outcomes differ from expectations (reward prediction errors, RPEs). RPEs play a crucial role in learning optimal courses of action and in determining response vigor when an agent expects rewards. Nevertheless, how reward expectations, crucial for RPE calculations, are conveyed to and represented in the dopaminergic system is not fully understood, especially in the human brain where the activity of DA neurons is difficult to study. One possibility, suggested by evidence from animal models, is that DA neurons explicitly encode reward expectations. Alternatively, they may receive RPE information directly from upstream brain regions. To address whether SN neuron activity directly reflects reward expectation information, we directly examined the encoding of reward expectation signals in human putative DA neurons by performing single-unit recordings from the SN of patients undergoing neurosurgery. Patients played a two-armed bandit decision-making task in which they attempted to maximize reward. We show that neuronal firing rates (FR) of putative DA neurons during the reward expectation period explicitly encode reward expectations. First, activity in these neurons was modulated by previous trial outcomes, such that FR were greater after positive outcomes than after neutral or negative outcome trials. Second, this increase in FR was associated with shorter reaction times, consistent with an invigorating effect of DA neuron activity during expectation. These results suggest that human DA neurons explicitly encode reward expectations, providing a neurophysiological substrate for a signal critical for reward learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarghona Imtiaz
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and the Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ayaka Kato
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian H. Kopell
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Salman E. Qasim
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arianna Neal Davis
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and the Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lizbeth Nunez Martinez
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and the Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matt Heflin
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kaustubh Kulkarni
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amr Morsi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiaosi Gu
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and the Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ignacio Saez
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and the Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Hathaway BA, Li A, Brodie HG, Silveira MM, Tremblay M, Seo YS, Winstanley CA. Dopamine activity in the nigrostriatal pathway alters cue-induced risky choice patterns in female rats. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:1621-1637. [PMID: 38369911 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Deficits in cost/benefit decision making is a critical risk factor for gambling disorder. Reward-paired cues may play an important role, as these stimuli can enhance risk preference in rats. Despite extensive research implicating the dorsal striatum in the compulsive aspects of addiction, the role of nigrostriatal dopaminergic activity in cue-induced risk preference remains unclear, particularly in females. Accordingly, we examined the effects of manipulating the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway on cue-induced risky choice in female rats. TH:Cre rats were trained on the cued version of the rat Gambling Task. This task was designed such that maximal reward is attained by avoiding the high-risk, high-reward options and instead favouring the options associated with lower per-trial gains, as they feature less frequent and shorter time-out penalties. Adding reward-paired audiovisual cues to the task leads to greater risky choice on average. To assess the role of the nigrostriatal pathway, a viral vector carrying either Cre-dependent inhibitory or excitatory DREADD was infused into the substantia nigra. Rats then received clozapine-N-oxide either during task acquisition or after a stable performance baseline was reached. Inhibition of this pathway accelerated the development of risk preference in early sessions and increased risky choice during performance, but long-term inhibition actually improved decision making. Activation of this pathway had minimal effects. These results provide evidence for the involvement of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway in cue-induced risk preference in females, therefore shedding light on its role in cost/benefit decision-making deficits and expanding our knowledge of the female dopaminergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett A Hathaway
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Andrew Li
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Hannah G Brodie
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mason M Silveira
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Melanie Tremblay
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yeon Soo Seo
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Catharine A Winstanley
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Fraser KM, Pribut HJ, Janak PH, Keiflin R. From Prediction to Action: Dissociable Roles of Ventral Tegmental Area and Substantia Nigra Dopamine Neurons in Instrumental Reinforcement. J Neurosci 2023; 43:3895-3908. [PMID: 37185097 PMCID: PMC10217998 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0028-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Reward seeking requires the coordination of motor programs to achieve goals. Midbrain dopamine neurons are critical for reinforcement, and their activation is sufficient for learning about cues, actions, and outcomes. Here we examine in detail the mechanisms underlying the ability of ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SNc) dopamine neurons to support instrumental learning. By exploiting numerous behavioral tasks in combination with time-limited optogenetic manipulations in male and female rats, we reveal that VTA and SNc dopamine neurons generate reinforcement through separable psychological processes. VTA dopamine neurons imbue actions and their associated cues with motivational value that allows flexible and persistent pursuit, whereas SNc dopamine neurons support time-limited, precise, action-specific learning that is nonscalable and inflexible. This architecture is reminiscent of actor-critic reinforcement learning models with VTA and SNc instructing the critic and actor, respectively. Our findings indicate that heterogeneous dopamine systems support unique forms of instrumental learning that ultimately result in disparate reward-seeking strategies.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dopamine neurons in the midbrain are essential for learning, motivation, and movement. Here we describe in detail the ability of VTA and SNc dopamine neurons to generate instrumental reinforcement, a process where an agent learns about actions they can emit to earn reward. While rats will avidly work and learn to respond for activation of VTA and SNc dopamine neurons, we find that only VTA dopamine neurons imbue actions and their associated cues with motivational value that spur continued pursuit of reward. Our data support a hypothesis that VTA and SNc dopamine neurons engage distinct psychological processes that have consequences for our understanding of these neurons in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt M Fraser
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Heather J Pribut
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Ronald Keiflin
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, 93106
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Dennison JB, Sazhin D, Smith DV. Decision neuroscience and neuroeconomics: Recent progress and ongoing challenges. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022; 13:e1589. [PMID: 35137549 PMCID: PMC9124684 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, decision neuroscience and neuroeconomics have developed many new insights in the study of decision making. This review provides an overarching update on how the field has advanced in this time period. Although our initial review a decade ago outlined several theoretical, conceptual, methodological, empirical, and practical challenges, there has only been limited progress in resolving these challenges. We summarize significant trends in decision neuroscience through the lens of the challenges outlined for the field and review examples where the field has had significant, direct, and applicable impacts across economics and psychology. First, we review progress on topics including reward learning, explore-exploit decisions, risk and ambiguity, intertemporal choice, and valuation. Next, we assess the impacts of emotion, social rewards, and social context on decision making. Then, we follow up with how individual differences impact choices and new exciting developments in the prediction and neuroforecasting of future decisions. Finally, we consider how trends in decision-neuroscience research reflect progress toward resolving past challenges, discuss new and exciting applications of recent research, and identify new challenges for the field. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Reasoning and Decision Making Psychology > Emotion and Motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B Dennison
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daniel Sazhin
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David V Smith
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Tekriwal A, Felsen G, Ojemann SG, Abosch A, Thompson JA. Motor context modulates substantia nigra pars reticulata spike activity in patients with Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2022; 93:386-394. [PMID: 35193951 PMCID: PMC10593310 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2021-326962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The severity of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) depends on environmental conditions. For example, the presence of external patterns such as a rhythmic tone can attenuate bradykinetic impairments. However, the neural mechanisms for this context-dependent attenuation (e.g., paradoxical kinesis) remain unknown. Here, we investigate whether context-dependent symptom attenuation is reflected in single-unit activity recorded in the operating room from the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) of patients with PD undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery. The SNr is known to influence motor planning and execution in animal models, but its role in humans remains understudied. METHODS We recorded SNr activity while subjects performed cued directional movements in response to auditory stimuli under interleaved 'patterned' and 'unpatterned' contexts. SNr localisation was independently confirmed with expert intraoperative assessment as well as post hoc imaging-based reconstructions. RESULTS As predicted, we found that motor performance was improved in the patterned context, reflected in increased reaction speed and accuracy compared with the unpatterned context. These behavioural differences were associated with enhanced responsiveness of SNr neurons-that is, larger changes in activity from baseline-in the patterned context. Unsupervised clustering analysis revealed two distinct subtypes of SNr neurons: one exhibited context-dependent enhanced responsiveness exclusively during movement preparation, whereas the other showed enhanced responsiveness during portions of the task associated with both motor and non-motor processes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate the SNr participates in motor planning and execution, as well as warrants greater attention in the study of human sensorimotor integration and as a target for neuromodulatory therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Tekriwal
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Physiology and Biophysics, Neuroscience Graduate Program, Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Gidon Felsen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Neuroscience Graduate Program, Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Steven G Ojemann
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Aviva Abosch
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - John A Thompson
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Neuroscience Graduate Program, Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Neuromodulators and Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity in Learning and Memory: A Steered-Glutamatergic Perspective. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9110300. [PMID: 31683595 PMCID: PMC6896105 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9110300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular pathways underlying the induction and maintenance of long-term synaptic plasticity have been extensively investigated revealing various mechanisms by which neurons control their synaptic strength. The dynamic nature of neuronal connections combined with plasticity-mediated long-lasting structural and functional alterations provide valuable insights into neuronal encoding processes as molecular substrates of not only learning and memory but potentially other sensory, motor and behavioural functions that reflect previous experience. However, one key element receiving little attention in the study of synaptic plasticity is the role of neuromodulators, which are known to orchestrate neuronal activity on brain-wide, network and synaptic scales. We aim to review current evidence on the mechanisms by which certain modulators, namely dopamine, acetylcholine, noradrenaline and serotonin, control synaptic plasticity induction through corresponding metabotropic receptors in a pathway-specific manner. Lastly, we propose that neuromodulators control plasticity outcomes through steering glutamatergic transmission, thereby gating its induction and maintenance.
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Tekriwal A, Afshar NM, Santiago-Moreno J, Kuijper FM, Kern DS, Halpern CH, Felsen G, Thompson JA. Neural Circuit and Clinical Insights from Intraoperative Recordings During Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9070173. [PMID: 31330813 PMCID: PMC6681002 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9070173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Observations using invasive neural recordings from patient populations undergoing neurosurgical interventions have led to critical breakthroughs in our understanding of human neural circuit function and malfunction. The opportunity to interact with patients during neurophysiological mapping allowed for early insights in functional localization to improve surgical outcomes, but has since expanded into exploring fundamental aspects of human cognition including reward processing, language, the storage and retrieval of memory, decision-making, as well as sensory and motor processing. The increasing use of chronic neuromodulation, via deep brain stimulation, for a spectrum of neurological and psychiatric conditions has in tandem led to increased opportunity for linking theories of cognitive processing and neural circuit function. Our purpose here is to motivate the neuroscience and neurosurgical community to capitalize on the opportunities that this next decade will bring. To this end, we will highlight recent studies that have successfully leveraged invasive recordings during deep brain stimulation surgery to advance our understanding of human cognition with an emphasis on reward processing, improving clinical outcomes, and informing advances in neuromodulatory interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Tekriwal
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
| | - Neema Moin Afshar
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
| | - Juan Santiago-Moreno
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
| | - Fiene Marie Kuijper
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Drew S Kern
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
| | - Casey H Halpern
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gidon Felsen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA
| | - John A Thompson
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80203, USA.
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Mostafa SA, Mustapha A, Mohammed MA, Hamed RI, Arunkumar N, Abd Ghani MK, Jaber MM, Khaleefah SH. Examining multiple feature evaluation and classification methods for improving the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. COGN SYST RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogsys.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Transcranial alternating current stimulation entrains single-neuron activity in the primate brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:5747-5755. [PMID: 30833389 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1815958116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Spike timing is thought to play a critical role in neural computation and communication. Methods for adjusting spike timing are therefore of great interest to researchers and clinicians alike. Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is a noninvasive technique that uses weak electric fields to manipulate brain activity. Early results have suggested that this technique can improve subjects' behavioral performance on a wide range of tasks and ameliorate some clinical conditions. Nevertheless, considerable skepticism remains about its efficacy, especially because the electric fields reaching the brain during tES are small, whereas the likelihood of indirect effects is large. Our understanding of its effects in humans is largely based on extrapolations from simple model systems and indirect measures of neural activity. As a result, fundamental questions remain about whether and how tES can influence neuronal activity in the human brain. Here, we demonstrate that tES, as typically applied to humans, affects the firing patterns of individual neurons in alert nonhuman primates, which are the best available animal model for the human brain. Specifically, tES consistently influences the timing, but not the rate, of spiking activity within the targeted brain region. Such effects are frequency- and location-specific and can reach deep brain structures; control experiments show that they cannot be explained by sensory stimulation or other indirect influences. These data thus provide a strong mechanistic rationale for the use of tES in humans and will help guide the development of future tES applications.
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Keiflin R, Pribut HJ, Shah NB, Janak PH. Ventral Tegmental Dopamine Neurons Participate in Reward Identity Predictions. Curr Biol 2018; 29:93-103.e3. [PMID: 30581025 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.11.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SNc) encode reward prediction errors (RPEs) and are proposed to mediate error-driven learning. However, the learning strategy engaged by DA-RPEs remains controversial. RPEs might imbue predictive cues with pure value, independently of representations of their associated outcome. Alternatively, RPEs might promote learning about the sensory features (the identity) of the rewarding outcome. Here, we show that, although both VTA and SNc DA neuron activation reinforces instrumental responding, only VTA DA neuron activation during consumption of expected sucrose reward restores error-driven learning and promotes formation of a new cue→sucrose association. Critically, expression of VTA DA-dependent Pavlovian associations is abolished following sucrose devaluation, a signature of identity-based learning. These findings reveal that activation of VTA- or SNc-DA neurons engages largely dissociable learning processes with VTA-DA neurons capable of participating in outcome-specific predictive learning, and the role of SNc-DA neurons appears limited to reinforcement of instrumental responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Keiflin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | - Heather J Pribut
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Nisha B Shah
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Bystrowska B, Frankowska M, Smaga I, Pomierny-Chamioło L, Filip M. Effects of Cocaine Self-Administration and Its Extinction on the Rat Brain Cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 Receptors. Neurotox Res 2018; 34:547-558. [PMID: 29754307 PMCID: PMC6154179 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-018-9910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the expression of cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) receptor proteins in several brain regions in rats undergoing cocaine self-administration and extinction training. We used a triad-yoked procedure to distinguish between the motivational and pharmacological effects of cocaine. Using immunohistochemistry, we observed a significant decrease in CB1 receptor expression in the prefrontal cortex, dorsal striatum, and the basolateral and basomedial amygdala following cocaine (0.5 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration. Increased CB1 receptor expression in the ventral tegmental area in rats with previous cocaine exposure was also found. Following cocaine abstinence after 10 days of extinction training, we detected increases in the expression of CB1 receptors in the substantia nigra in both cocaine groups and in the subregions of the amygdala for only the yoked cocaine controls, while any method of cocaine exposure resulted in a decrease in CB2 receptor expression in the prefrontal cortex (p < 0.01), nucleus accumbens (p < 0.01), and medial globus pallidus (p < 0.01). Our findings further support the idea that the eCB system and CB1 receptors are involved in cocaine-reinforced behaviors. Moreover, we detected a cocaine-evoked adaptation in CB2 receptors in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and globus pallidus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Bystrowska
- Department of Toxicology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Medyczna 9, 30-688, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Małgorzata Frankowska
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Kraków, Poland
| | - Irena Smaga
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Skawińska 8, 31-066, Kraków, Poland
| | - Lucyna Pomierny-Chamioło
- Department of Toxicology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Medyczna 9, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Filip
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343, Kraków, Poland
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Titiz AS, Hill MRH, Mankin EA, M Aghajan Z, Eliashiv D, Tchemodanov N, Maoz U, Stern J, Tran ME, Schuette P, Behnke E, Suthana NA, Fried I. Theta-burst microstimulation in the human entorhinal area improves memory specificity. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 29063831 PMCID: PMC5655155 DOI: 10.7554/elife.29515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is critical for episodic memory, and synaptic changes induced by long-term potentiation (LTP) are thought to underlie memory formation. In rodents, hippocampal LTP may be induced through electrical stimulation of the perforant path. To test whether similar techniques could improve episodic memory in humans, we implemented a microstimulation technique that allowed delivery of low-current electrical stimulation via 100 μm-diameter microelectrodes. As thirteen neurosurgical patients performed a person recognition task, microstimulation was applied in a theta-burst pattern, shown to optimally induce LTP. Microstimulation in the right entorhinal area during learning significantly improved subsequent memory specificity for novel portraits; participants were able both to recognize previously-viewed photos and reject similar lures. These results suggest that microstimulation with physiologic level currents—a radical departure from commonly used deep brain stimulation protocols—is sufficient to modulate human behavior and provides an avenue for refined interrogation of the circuits involved in human memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali S Titiz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Michael R H Hill
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.,California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Emily A Mankin
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Zahra M Aghajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Dawn Eliashiv
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Natalia Tchemodanov
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Uri Maoz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.,California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - John Stern
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Michelle E Tran
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Peter Schuette
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Eric Behnke
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Nanthia A Suthana
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Itzhak Fried
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
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Ramayya AG, Pedisich I, Levy D, Lyalenko A, Wanda P, Rizzuto D, Baltuch GH, Kahana MJ. Proximity of Substantia Nigra Microstimulation to Putative GABAergic Neurons Predicts Modulation of Human Reinforcement Learning. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:200. [PMID: 28536513 PMCID: PMC5422436 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal firing in the substantia nigra (SN) immediately following reward is thought to play a crucial role in human reinforcement learning. As in Ramayya et al. (2014a) we applied microstimulation in the SN of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease as they engaged in a two-alternative reinforcement learning task. We obtained microelectrode recordings to assess the proximity of the electrode tip to putative dopaminergic and GABAergic SN neurons and applied stimulation to assess the functional importance of these neuronal populations for learning. We found that the proximity of SN microstimulation to putative GABAergic neurons predicted the degree of stimulation-related changes in learning. These results extend previous work by supporting a specific role for SN GABA firing in reinforcement learning. Stimulation near these neurons appears to dampen the reinforcing effect of rewarding stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin G Ramayya
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Isaac Pedisich
- Department of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Deborah Levy
- Department of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anastasia Lyalenko
- Department of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paul Wanda
- Department of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Rizzuto
- Department of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gordon H Baltuch
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael J Kahana
- Department of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
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Lima BFC, Ramos DC, Barbiero JK, Pulido L, Redgrave P, Robinson DL, Gómez-A A, Da Cunha C. Partial lesion of dopamine neurons of rat substantia nigra impairs conditioned place aversion but spares conditioned place preference. Neuroscience 2017; 349:264-277. [PMID: 28279753 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.02.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine neurons play critical roles in reward- and aversion-driven associative learning. However, it is not clear whether they do this by a common mechanism or by separate mechanisms that can be dissociated. In the present study we addressed this question by testing whether a partial lesion of the dopamine neurons of the rat SNc has comparable effects on conditioned place preference (CPP) learning and conditioned place aversion (CPA) learning. Partial lesions of dopamine neurons in the rat substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) induced by bilateral intranigral infusion of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 3μg/side) or 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 200μg/side) impaired learning of conditioned place aversion (CPA) without affecting conditioned place preference (CPP) learning. Control experiments demonstrated that these lesions did not impair motor performance and did not alter the hedonic value of the sucrose and quinine. The number of dopamine neurons in the caudal part of the SNc positively correlated with the CPP scores of the 6-OHDA rats and negatively correlated with CPA scores of the SHAM rats. In addition, the CPA scores of the 6-OHDA rats positively correlated with the tissue content of striatal dopamine. Insomuch as reward-driven learning depends on an increase in dopamine release by nigral neurons, these findings show that this mechanism is functional even in rats with a partial lesion of the SNc. On the other hand, if aversion-driven learning depends on a reduction of extracellular dopamine in the striatum, the present study suggests that this mechanism is no longer functional after the partial SNc lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo F C Lima
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81.530-980, PR, Brazil
| | - Daniele C Ramos
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81.530-980, PR, Brazil
| | - Janaína K Barbiero
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81.530-980, PR, Brazil
| | - Laura Pulido
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81.530-980, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Donita L Robinson
- Department of Psychiatry and Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7178, USA
| | - Alexander Gómez-A
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81.530-980, PR, Brazil
| | - Claudio Da Cunha
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81.530-980, PR, Brazil.
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15
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Motor Learning Enhances Use-Dependent Plasticity. J Neurosci 2017; 37:2673-2685. [PMID: 28143961 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3303-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor behaviors are shaped not only by current sensory signals but also by the history of recent experiences. For instance, repeated movements toward a particular target bias the subsequent movements toward that target direction. This process, called use-dependent plasticity (UDP), is considered a basic and goal-independent way of forming motor memories. Most studies consider movement history as the critical component that leads to UDP (Classen et al., 1998; Verstynen and Sabes, 2011). However, the effects of learning (i.e., improved performance) on UDP during movement repetition have not been investigated. Here, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation in two experiments to assess plasticity changes occurring in the primary motor cortex after individuals repeated reinforced and nonreinforced actions. The first experiment assessed whether learning a skill task modulates UDP. We found that a group that successfully learned the skill task showed greater UDP than a group that did not accumulate learning, but made comparable repeated actions. The second experiment aimed to understand the role of reinforcement learning in UDP while controlling for reward magnitude and action kinematics. We found that providing subjects with a binary reward without visual feedback of the cursor led to increased UDP effects. Subjects in the group that received comparable reward not associated with their actions maintained the previously induced UDP. Our findings illustrate how reinforcing consistent actions strengthens use-dependent memories and provide insight into operant mechanisms that modulate plastic changes in the motor cortex.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Performing consistent motor actions induces use-dependent plastic changes in the motor cortex. This plasticity reflects one of the basic forms of human motor learning. Past studies assumed that this form of learning is exclusively affected by repetition of actions. However, here we showed that success-based reinforcement signals could affect the human use-dependent plasticity (UDP) process. Our results indicate that learning augments and interacts with UDP. This effect is important to the understanding of the interplay between the different forms of motor learning and suggests that reinforcement is not only important to learning new behaviors, but can shape our subsequent behavior via its interaction with UDP.
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Therrien AS, Wolpert DM, Bastian AJ. Effective reinforcement learning following cerebellar damage requires a balance between exploration and motor noise. Brain 2015; 139:101-14. [PMID: 26626368 PMCID: PMC4949390 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awv329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
See Miall and Galea (doi:
10.1093/awv343
) for a scientific commentary on this article.
Reinforcement and error-based processes are essential for motor learning, with the cerebellum thought to be required only for the error-based mechanism. Here we examined learning and retention of a reaching skill under both processes. Control subjects learned similarly from reinforcement and error-based feedback, but showed much better retention under reinforcement. To apply reinforcement to cerebellar patients, we developed a closed-loop reinforcement schedule in which task difficulty was controlled based on recent performance. This schedule produced substantial learning in cerebellar patients and controls. Cerebellar patients varied in their learning under reinforcement but fully retained what was learned. In contrast, they showed complete lack of retention in error-based learning. We developed a mechanistic model of the reinforcement task and found that learning depended on a balance between exploration variability and motor noise. While the cerebellar and control groups had similar exploration variability, the patients had greater motor noise and hence learned less. Our results suggest that cerebellar damage indirectly impairs reinforcement learning by increasing motor noise, but does not interfere with the reinforcement mechanism itself. Therefore, reinforcement can be used to learn and retain novel skills, but optimal reinforcement learning requires a balance between exploration variability and motor noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda S Therrien
- 1 Kennedy Krieger Institute, Center for Movement Studies, 707 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, USA 2 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, 725 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel M Wolpert
- 3 University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering, Trumpington St. Cambridge, UK CB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Amy J Bastian
- 1 Kennedy Krieger Institute, Center for Movement Studies, 707 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, USA 2 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, 725 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, USA
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Kramer PF, Williams JT. Cocaine Decreases Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor mGluR1 Currents in Dopamine Neurons by Activating mGluR5. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:2418-24. [PMID: 25829143 PMCID: PMC4538356 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine neurons are important mediators of reward and movement and are sensitive to cocaine-induced plasticity. After even a single injection of cocaine, there is an increase in AMPA-dependent synaptic transmission. The present study examines cocaine-induced plasticity of mGluR-dependent currents in dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra. Activation of mGluR1 and mGluR5 resulted in a mixture of inward and outward currents mediated by a nonselective cation conductance and a calcium-activated potassium conductance (SK), respectively. A single injection of cocaine decreased the current activated by mGluR1 in dopamine neurons, and it had no effect on the size of the mGluR5-mediated current. When the injection of cocaine was preceded by treatment of the animals with a blocker of mGluR5 receptors (MPEP), cocaine no longer decreased the mGluR1 current. Thus, the activation of mGluR5 was required for the cocaine-mediated suppression of mGluR1-mediated currents in dopamine neurons. The results support the hypothesis that mGluR5 coordinates a reduction in mGluR1 functional activity after cocaine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F Kramer
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - John T Williams
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA,Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Vollum Institute L474, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Tel: +503 494 5465, Fax: +503 494 4590, E-mail:
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Lovell JM, Mylius J, Scheich H, Brosch M. Stimulation of the Dopaminergic Midbrain as a Behavioral Reward in Instrumentally Conditioned Monkeys. Brain Stimul 2015; 8:868-74. [PMID: 26070295 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Revised: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the mesocortical dopaminergic system of rodents has several differences to that found in primate species, including humans, there is the need for more exhaustively studying causative relationships between activation/stimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SN) and behavior in monkeys. OBJECTIVE To gain causative relationships between VTA/SN stimulation and behavior, we investigated whether monkeys perform audiovisual (AV) tasks using brain stimulation reward (BSR) as the reinforcer, and how reward intensity affects performance during self-stimulation. METHODS Monkeys were required to touch a bar freely when self-stimulating or when instructed by an AV stimulus, to receive BSR. RESULTS We were able to train monkeys to successfully perform the AV task for BSR within three days. Self-stimulation revealed an increase in the bar touch rate when using higher electrical currents, with no ceiling effects observed. During a training session the touch rate decreased, often before the monkeys had received 1000 deliveries of BSR, suggesting satiation. CONCLUSIONS When BSR is applied directly to the VTA/SN, it can motivate monkeys to perform detection tasks, exhibit operant actions, and may be used as a substitute for fluid or food rewards. Monkeys ceased self-stimulation during a training session by their own volition, in contrast to work on rodents. This may be an important safety aspect for consideration in the development of electrical stimulation procedures for patients with dysfunctions of the dopaminergic system; thus, satiation may avert additional compulsions to already existing compulsive behaviors in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Murray Lovell
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, Magdeburg, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
| | - Judith Mylius
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Henning Scheich
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michael Brosch
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, Magdeburg, Germany
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Ramayya AG, Pedisich I, Kahana MJ. Expectation modulates neural representations of valence throughout the human brain. Neuroimage 2015; 115:214-23. [PMID: 25937489 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain's sensitivity to unexpected gains or losses plays an important role in our ability to learn new behaviors (Rescorla and Wagner, 1972; Sutton and Barto, 1990). Recent work suggests that gains and losses are ubiquitously encoded throughout the human brain (Vickery et al., 2011), however, the extent to which reward expectation modulates these valence representations is not known. To address this question, we analyzed recordings from 4306 intracranially implanted electrodes in 39 neurosurgical patients as they performed a two-alternative probability learning task. Using high-frequency activity (HFA, 70-200 Hz) as an indicator of local firing rates, we found that expectation modulated reward-related neural activity in widespread brain regions, including regions that receive sparse inputs from midbrain dopaminergic neurons. The strength of unexpected gain signals predicted subjects' abilities to encode stimulus-reward associations. Thus, neural signals that are functionally related to learning are widely distributed throughout the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin G Ramayya
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Isaac Pedisich
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael J Kahana
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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20
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Huang Y, Mylius J, Scheich H, Brosch M. Tonic effects of the dopaminergic ventral midbrain on the auditory cortex of awake macaque monkeys. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 221:969-77. [PMID: 25433449 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0950-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This study shows that ongoing electrical stimulation of the dopaminergic ventral midbrain can modify neuronal activity in the auditory cortex of awake primates for several seconds. This was reflected in a decrease of the spontaneous firing and in a bidirectional modification of the power of auditory evoked potentials. We consider that both effects are due to an increase in the dopamine tone in auditory cortex induced by the electrical stimulation. Thus, the dopaminergic ventral midbrain may contribute to the tonic activity in auditory cortex that has been proposed to be involved in associating events of auditory tasks (Brosch et al. Hear Res 271:66-73, 2011) and may modulate the signal-to-noise ratio of the responses to auditory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- Special Laboratory Primate Neurobiology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, 39118, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Judith Mylius
- Special Laboratory Primate Neurobiology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, 39118, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Henning Scheich
- Emeritus Group Lifelong Learning, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, 39118, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michael Brosch
- Special Laboratory Primate Neurobiology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestraße 6, 39118, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106, Magdeburg, Germany
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22
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Ramayya AG, Zaghloul KA, Weidemann CT, Baltuch GH, Kahana MJ. Electrophysiological evidence for functionally distinct neuronal populations in the human substantia nigra. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:655. [PMID: 25249957 PMCID: PMC4158808 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The human substantia nigra (SN) is thought to consist of two functionally distinct neuronal populations—dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the pars compacta subregion and GABA-ergic neurons in the pars reticulata subregion. However, a functional dissociation between these neuronal populations has not previously been demonstrated in the awake human. Here we obtained microelectrode recordings from the SN of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson's disease as they performed a two-alternative reinforcement learning task. Following positive feedback presentation, we found that putative DA and GABA neurons demonstrated distinct temporal dynamics. DA neurons demonstrated phasic increases in activity (250–500 ms post-feedback) whereas putative GABA neurons demonstrated more delayed and sustained increases in activity (500–1000 ms post-feedback). These results provide the first electrophysiological evidence for a functional dissociation between DA and GABA neurons in the human SN. We discuss possible functions for these neuronal responses based on previous findings in human and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin G Ramayya
- Department of Neuroscience, Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kareem A Zaghloul
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Gordon H Baltuch
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael J Kahana
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Puig MV, Rose J, Schmidt R, Freund N. Dopamine modulation of learning and memory in the prefrontal cortex: insights from studies in primates, rodents, and birds. Front Neural Circuits 2014; 8:93. [PMID: 25140130 PMCID: PMC4122189 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2014.00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we provide a brief overview over the current knowledge about the role of dopamine transmission in the prefrontal cortex during learning and memory. We discuss work in humans, monkeys, rats, and birds in order to provide a basis for comparison across species that might help identify crucial features and constraints of the dopaminergic system in executive function. Computational models of dopamine function are introduced to provide a framework for such a comparison. We also provide a brief evolutionary perspective showing that the dopaminergic system is highly preserved across mammals. Even birds, following a largely independent evolution of higher cognitive abilities, have evolved a comparable dopaminergic system. Finally, we discuss the unique advantages and challenges of using different animal models for advancing our understanding of dopamine function in the healthy and diseased brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Victoria Puig
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonas Rose
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA, USA
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Robert Schmidt
- BrainLinks-BrainTools, Department of Biology, Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of FreiburgFreiburg, Germany
| | - Nadja Freund
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany
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