scholarly journals Rats optimally accumulate and discount evidence in a dynamic environment

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex T. Piet ◽  
Ahmed El Hady ◽  
Carlos D. Brody
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Noisy Environments ◽  
Current State ◽  
Adaptive Nature ◽  
Old Evidence ◽  
Long Timescales ◽  
Temporal Accumulation

AbstractHow choices are made within noisy environments is a central question in the neuroscience of decision making. Previous work has characterized temporal accumulation of evidence for decision-making in static environments. However, real-world decision-making involves environments with statistics that change over time. This requires discounting old evidence that may no longer inform the current state of the world. Here we designed a rat behavioral task with a dynamic environment, to probe whether rodents can optimally discount evidence by adapting the timescale over which they accumulate it. Extending existing results about optimal inference in a dynamic environment, we show that the optimal timescale for evidence discounting depends on both the stimulus statistics and noise in sensory processing. We found that when both of these components were taken into account, rats accumulated and temporally discounted evidence almost optimally. Furthermore, we found that by changing the dynamics of the environment, experimenters could control the rats’ accumulation timescale, switching them from accumulating over short timescales to accumulating over long timescales and back. The theoretical framework also makes quantitative predictions regarding the timing of changes of mind in the dynamic environment. This study establishes a quantitative behavioral framework to control and investigate neural mechanisms underlying the adaptive nature of evidence accumulation timescales and changes of mind.

scholarly journals RL mechanisms of short-term plasticity of auditory cortex

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Krugliakova ◽  
Alexey Gorin ◽  
Anna Shestakova ◽  
Tommaso Fedele ◽  
Vasily Klucharev
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Oddball Paradigm ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Monetary Incentive Delay ◽  
External Stimuli

AbstractThe decision-making process is exposed to modulatory factors, and, according to the expected value (EV) concept the two most influential factors are magnitude of prospective behavioural outcome and probability of receiving this outcome. The discrepancy between received and predicted outcomes is reflected by the reward prediction error (RPE), which is believed to play a crucial role in learning in dynamic environment. Feedback related negativity (FRN), a frontocentral negative component registered in EEG during feedback presentation, has been suggested as a neural signature of RPE. In modern neurobiological models of decision-making the primary sensory input is assumed to be constant over the time and independent of the evaluation of the option associated to it. In this study we investigated whether the electrophysiological changes in auditory cues perception is modulated by the strengths of reinforcement signal, represented in the EEG as FRN.We quantified the changes in sensory processing through a classical passive oddball paradigm before and after performance a neuroeconomic monetary incentive delay (MID) task. Outcome magnitude and probability were encoded in the physical characteristics of auditory incentive cues. We evaluated the association between individual biomarkers of reinforcement signal (FRN) and the degree of perceptual learning, reflected by changes in auditory ERP components (mismatch negativity and P3a). We observed a significant correlation of MMN and valence - dFRN, reflecting differential processing of gains and omission of gains. Changes in P3a were correlated to probability - dFRN, including information on salience of the outcome, in addition to its valence.MID task performance evokes plastic changes associated with more fine-grained discrimination of auditory anticipatory cues and enhanced involuntary attention switch towards these cues. Observed signatures of neuro-plasticity of the auditory cortex may play an important role in learning and decision-making processes through facilitation of perceptual discrimination of valuable external stimuli. Thus, the sensory processing of options and the evaluation of options are not independent as implicitly assumed by the modern neuroeconomics models of decision-making.

scholarly journals Influence of expected reward on perceptual decision making

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Rakhshan ◽  
Vivian Lee ◽  
Emily Chu ◽  
Lauren Harris ◽  
Lillian Laiks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Perceptual Bias ◽  
Perceptual Decision Making ◽  
Perceptual Decision ◽  
Reward Effects

AbstractPerceptual decision making is influenced by reward expected from alternative options or actions, but the underlying neural mechanisms are currently unknown. More specifically, it is debated whether reward effects are mediated through changes in sensory processing and/or later stages of decision making. To address this question, we conducted two experiments in which human subjects made saccades to what they perceived to be the first or second of two visually identical but asynchronously presented targets, while we manipulated expected reward from correct and incorrect responses on each trial. We found that unequal reward caused similar shifts in target selection (reward bias) between the two experiments. Moreover, observed reward biases were independent of the individual’s sensitivity to sensory signals. These findings suggest that the observed reward effects were determined heuristically via modulation of decision-making processes instead of sensory processing and thus, are more compatible with response bias rather than perceptual bias. To further explain our findings and uncover plausible neural mechanisms, we simulated our experiments with a cortical network model and tested alternative mechanisms for how reward could exert its influence. We found that our observations are more compatible with reward-dependent input to the output layer of the decision circuit. Together, our results suggest that during a temporal judgment task, the influence of reward information on perceptual choice is more compatible with changing later stages of decision making rather than early sensory processing.

Influence of Expected Reward on Temporal Order Judgment

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 674-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Rakhshan ◽  
Vivian Lee ◽  
Emily Chu ◽  
Lauren Harris ◽  
Lillian Laiks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Temporal Order Judgment ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Perceptual Bias ◽  
Perceptual Decision Making ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Reward Effects

Perceptual decision-making has been shown to be influenced by reward expected from alternative options or actions, but the underlying neural mechanisms are currently unknown. More specifically, it is debated whether reward effects are mediated through changes in sensory processing, later stages of decision-making, or both. To address this question, we conducted two experiments in which human participants made saccades to what they perceived to be either the first or second of two visually identical but asynchronously presented targets while we manipulated expected reward from correct and incorrect responses on each trial. By comparing reward-induced bias in target selection (i.e., reward bias) during the two experiments, we determined whether reward caused changes in sensory or decision-making processes. We found similar reward biases in the two experiments indicating that reward information mainly influenced later stages of decision-making. Moreover, the observed reward biases were independent of the individual's sensitivity to sensory signals. This suggests that reward effects were determined heuristically via modulation of decision-making processes instead of sensory processing. To further explain our findings and uncover plausible neural mechanisms, we simulated our experiments with a cortical network model and tested alternative mechanisms for how reward could exert its influence. We found that our experimental observations are more compatible with reward-dependent input to the output layer of the decision circuit. Together, our results suggest that, during a temporal judgment task, reward exerts its influence via changing later stages of decision-making (i.e., response bias) rather than early sensory processing (i.e., perceptual bias).

scholarly journals Risk-based decision-making in the treatment of HER2-positive early breast cancer: Recommendations based on the current state of knowledge

2021 ◽  
pp. 102229
Author(s):  
Christian Jackisch ◽  
Patricia Cortazar ◽  
Charles E. Geyer Jr ◽  
Luca Gianni ◽  
Joseph Gligorov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Early Breast Cancer ◽  
Her2 Positive ◽  
Current State

scholarly journals Using Evidence-Based Practice and Data-Based Decision Making in Inclusive Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Wilcox ◽  
Cristina Fernandez Conde ◽  
Amy Kowbel
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Teacher Capacity ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Full Inclusion ◽  
Current State ◽  
Inclusive Settings ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Data Based Decision Making

There are longstanding calls for inclusive education for all regardless of student need or teacher capacity to meet those needs. Unfortunately, there are little empirical data to support full inclusion for all students and even less information on the role of data-based decision making in inclusive education specifically, even though there is extensive research on the effectiveness of data-based decision making. In this article, we reviewed what data-based decision making is and its role in education, the current state of evidence related to inclusive education, and how data-based decision making can be used to support decisions for students with reading disabilities and those with intellectual disabilities transitioning to adulthood. What is known about evidence-based practices in supporting reading and transition are reviewed in relationship to the realities of implementing these practices in inclusive education settings. Finally, implications for using data-based decisions in inclusive settings are discussed.

Neural mechanisms of sexual decision-making in women with alcohol use disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kess L. Folco ◽  
Daniel J. Fridberg ◽  
Lindsay R. Arcurio ◽  
Peter R. Finn ◽  
Julia R. Heiman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorder ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Sexual Decision Making
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