Dopaminergic and Prefrontal Basis of Learning from Sensory Confidence and Reward Value

Lak, A., Okun, M., Moss, M. M., Gurnani, H., Farrell, K., Wells, M. J., Reddy, C. B., Kepecs, A., Harris, K. D., Carandini, M. (December 2019) Dopaminergic and Prefrontal Basis of Learning from Sensory Confidence and Reward Value. Neuron. ISSN 0896-6273

Abstract

Deciding between stimuli requires combining their learned value with one's sensory confidence. We trained mice in a visual task that probes this combination. Mouse choices reflected not only present confidence and past rewards but also past confidence. Their behavior conformed to a model that combines signal detection with reinforcement learning. In the model, the predicted value of the chosen option is the product of sensory confidence and learned value. We found precise correlates of this variable in the pre-outcome activity of midbrain dopamine neurons and of medial prefrontal cortical neurons. However, only the latter played a causal role: inactivating medial prefrontal cortex before outcome strengthened learning from the outcome. Dopamine neurons played a causal role only after outcome, when they encoded reward prediction errors graded by confidence, influencing subsequent choices. These results reveal neural signals that combine reward value with sensory confidence and guide subsequent learning.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: organism description > animal
organism description > animal behavior
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions
organism description > animal behavior > decision making
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > dopamine
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > dopaminergic neuron
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > dopaminergic neuron
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > dopaminergic neuron
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons > dopaminergic neuron
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons > dopaminergic neuron
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > neurons > dopaminergic neuron
organism description > animal behavior > learning
organism description > animal > mammal
organism description > animal > mammal > rodent > mouse
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > tissues types and functions > prefrontal cortex
organism description > animal > mammal > rodent
organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > tissues types and functions
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Kepecs lab
Depositing User: Adrian Gomez
Date: 16 December 2019
Date Deposited: 09 Jan 2020 17:17
Last Modified: 02 Feb 2024 16:30
PMCID: PMC7031700
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/38886

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