Two spatiotemporally distinct value systems shape reward-based learning in the human brain

Fouragnan, Elsa; Retzler, Chris; Mullinger, Karen J.; Philiastides, Marios G.

Abstract

Avoiding repeated mistakes and learning to reinforce rewarding decisions is critical for human survival and adaptive actions. Yet, the neural underpinnings of the value systems that encode different decision-outcomes remain elusive. Here coupling single-trial electroencephalography with simultaneously acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging, we uncover the spatiotemporal dynamics of two separate but interacting value systems encoding decision-outcomes. Consistent with a role in regulating alertness and switching behaviours, an early system is activated only by negative outcomes and engages arousal-related and motor-preparatory brain structures. Consistent with a role in reward-based learning, a later system differentially suppresses or activates regions of the human reward network in response to negative and positive outcomes, respectively. Following negative outcomes, the early system interacts and downregulates the late system, through a thalamic interaction with the ventral striatum. Critically, the strength of this coupling predicts participants’ switching behaviour and avoidance learning, directly implicating the thalamostriatal pathway in reward-based learning.

Citation

Fouragnan, E., Retzler, C., Mullinger, K. J., & Philiastides, M. G. (2015). Two spatiotemporally distinct value systems shape reward-based learning in the human brain. Nature Communications, 6(8107), https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9107

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 8, 2015
• Deposit Date: Sep 30, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 30, 2015
• Journal: Nature Communications
• Electronic ISSN: 2041-1723
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 8107
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9107
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/761754
• Publisher URL: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150907/ncomms9107/full/ncomms9107.html
• Related Public URLs: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/index.html