Neural mechanisms of reward-related motor learning.
The analysis of the neural mechanisms responsible for reward-related learning has benefited from recent studies of the effects of dopamine on synaptic plasticity. Dopamine-dependent synaptic plasticity may lead to strengthening of selected inputs on the basis of an activity-dependent conjunction of sensory afferent activity, motor output activity, and temporally related firing of dopamine cells. Such plasticity may provide a link between the reward-related firing of dopamine cells and the acquisition of changes in striatal cell activity during learning. This learning mechanism may play a special role in the translation of reward signals into context-dependent response probability or directional bias in movement responses.
Wickens
Jeffery R
JR
Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. jeff.wickens@otago.ac.nz
Reynolds
John N J
JN
Hyland
Brian I
BI
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D012201:Reward