Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework

Midbrain dopamine neurons have been proposed to signal reward prediction errors as defined in temporal difference (TD) learning algorithms. While these models have been extremely powerful in interpreting dopamine activity, they typically do not use value derived through inference in computing errors...

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Main Authors: Brian F Sadacca, Joshua L Jones, Geoffrey Schoenbaum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2016-03-01
Series:eLife
Subjects:
Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/13665
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author Brian F Sadacca
Joshua L Jones
Geoffrey Schoenbaum
author_facet Brian F Sadacca
Joshua L Jones
Geoffrey Schoenbaum
author_sort Brian F Sadacca
collection DOAJ
description Midbrain dopamine neurons have been proposed to signal reward prediction errors as defined in temporal difference (TD) learning algorithms. While these models have been extremely powerful in interpreting dopamine activity, they typically do not use value derived through inference in computing errors. This is important because much real world behavior – and thus many opportunities for error-driven learning – is based on such predictions. Here, we show that error-signaling rat dopamine neurons respond to the inferred, model-based value of cues that have not been paired with reward and do so in the same framework as they track the putative cached value of cues previously paired with reward. This suggests that dopamine neurons access a wider variety of information than contemplated by standard TD models and that, while their firing conforms to predictions of TD models in some cases, they may not be restricted to signaling errors from TD predictions.
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spelling doaj.art-d58360b311b3473b9b617d7ddf2969222022-12-22T03:52:52ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2016-03-01510.7554/eLife.13665Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common frameworkBrian F Sadacca0Joshua L Jones1Geoffrey Schoenbaum2Intramural Research program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United StatesIntramural Research program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United StatesIntramural Research program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, United StatesMidbrain dopamine neurons have been proposed to signal reward prediction errors as defined in temporal difference (TD) learning algorithms. While these models have been extremely powerful in interpreting dopamine activity, they typically do not use value derived through inference in computing errors. This is important because much real world behavior – and thus many opportunities for error-driven learning – is based on such predictions. Here, we show that error-signaling rat dopamine neurons respond to the inferred, model-based value of cues that have not been paired with reward and do so in the same framework as they track the putative cached value of cues previously paired with reward. This suggests that dopamine neurons access a wider variety of information than contemplated by standard TD models and that, while their firing conforms to predictions of TD models in some cases, they may not be restricted to signaling errors from TD predictions.https://elifesciences.org/articles/13665dopamineprediction errorratsingle unit
spellingShingle Brian F Sadacca
Joshua L Jones
Geoffrey Schoenbaum
Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework
eLife
dopamine
prediction error
rat
single unit
title Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework
title_full Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework
title_fullStr Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework
title_full_unstemmed Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework
title_short Midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework
title_sort midbrain dopamine neurons compute inferred and cached value prediction errors in a common framework
topic dopamine
prediction error
rat
single unit
url https://elifesciences.org/articles/13665
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AT geoffreyschoenbaum midbraindopamineneuronscomputeinferredandcachedvaluepredictionerrorsinacommonframework