title: Habit learning and memory in mammals: behavioral and neural characteristics.
abstract: Goal-direct behavior and habit learning represent two forms of instrumental learning; whereas the former is rapidly acquired and regulated by its outcome, the latter is reflexive, elicited by antecedent stimuli rather than their consequences. Habit learning can be generally defined as the acquisition of associations between stimuli and responses. Habits are acquired via experience-dependent plasticity, occurring repeatedly over the course of days or years and becoming remarkably fixed. The distinction between habit learning, as a product of a procedural learning brain system, and a declarative learning system for encoding facts and episodes is based on the hypothesis that memory is composed of multiple systems that have distinct neuroanatomy and operating principles. Here we review recent research analyzing the main behavioral and neural characteristics of habit learning. In particular, we focus on the distinction between goal-directed and habitual behavior, and describe the brain areas and neurotransmitters systems involved in habit learning. The emotional modulation of habit learning in rodents and primates is reviewed, and the implications of habit learning in psychopathology are briefly described.
authors: Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnologic Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy; European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00143 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: antonella.gasbarri@cc.univaq.it.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Gasbarri
authors: Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnologic Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy; European Center for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00143 Rome, Italy.
authors: Assunta
authors: A
authors: Pompili
authors: Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors: Mark G
authors: MG
authors: Packard
authors: Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Institute of Biology, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Brazilian Institute of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Sciences (IBNeuro), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Tomaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D006184:Habits; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Anxiety; Automaticity; Drug addiction; Eating disorders; Stress; Striatum