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A causal link between prediction errors, dopamine neurons and learning

2013; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 16; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/nn.3413

1546-1726

Elizabeth E. Steinberg, Ronald Keiflin, Josiah R. Boivin, Ilana B. Witten, Karl Deisseroth, Patricia H. Janak,

Neural dynamics and brain function

Unexpected rewards activate midbrain dopamine neurons, and this response is proposed to support learning by signaling discrepancies between actual and expected outcomes. Here the authors use optogenetic stimulation to demonstrate a causal role for temporally precise dopamine neuron signaling in cue-reward learning. Situations in which rewards are unexpectedly obtained or withheld represent opportunities for new learning. Often, this learning includes identifying cues that predict reward availability. Unexpected rewards strongly activate midbrain dopamine neurons. This phasic signal is proposed to support learning about antecedent cues by signaling discrepancies between actual and expected outcomes, termed a reward prediction error. However, it is unknown whether dopamine neuron prediction error signaling and cue-reward learning are causally linked. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated dopamine neuron activity in rats in two behavioral procedures, associative blocking and extinction, that illustrate the essential function of prediction errors in learning. We observed that optogenetic activation of dopamine neurons concurrent with reward delivery, mimicking a prediction error, was sufficient to cause long-lasting increases in cue-elicited reward-seeking behavior. Our findings establish a causal role for temporally precise dopamine neuron signaling in cue-reward learning, bridging a critical gap between experimental evidence and influential theoretical frameworks.