Psychology Lecture 30: The Reward Circuit
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Questions and Answers

What role does the amygdala play in classical conditioning?

  • It processes sensory information relevant to stimulus response.
  • It regulates motor functions during classical conditioning.
  • It is crucial for emotional learning. (correct)
  • It helps in memory encoding of learned behaviors.

Which of the following describes associative learning?

  • Learning that involves the reinforcement of voluntary behaviors.
  • Learning that occurs when a neutral stimulus is paired with a significant one. (correct)
  • Learning that is solely based on verbal instructions.
  • Learning through observation of others' actions only.

What are the types of motivational drives mentioned?

  • Rewards and Punishments
  • Internal, External, and Impulsive
  • Conscious, Subconscious, and Unconscious
  • Internal and External (correct)

In the context of goal-directed behavior, which type of goal is defined as a specific immediate outcome?

<p>Short Term Goal (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What feedback is typically associated with avoiding a stimulus in classical conditioning?

<p>Negative feedback (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does a reward play in behavior reinforcement?

<p>It increases the chance that the associated behavior will be repeated. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which neurotransmitter is released during the activation of the reward circuit?

<p>Dopamine (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the common mechanism shared by all known abused substances regarding dopamine?

<p>They release dopamine via different mechanisms. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'reward prediction error' refer to?

<p>The gap between expected and received rewards. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT associated with reward circuitry in the brain?

<p>Inhibition of dopaminergic pathways (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary effect of positive reinforcement in behavioral conditioning?

<p>Increase in behavior (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which brain region is primarily associated with the release of dopamine in the reward circuit?

<p>Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What outcome does negative reinforcement aim to achieve in an operant conditioning scenario?

<p>Decrease in a behavior by removing a negative condition (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of instrumental conditioning, what typically follows after performing an action successfully?

<p>Feedback indicating success (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key function of dopaminergic neurons in the reward circuit?

<p>Signal reward and reinforcement (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the positive feedback mechanism in instrumental conditioning?

<p>To encourage the repetition of actions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following brain areas is NOT directly mentioned as part of the reward circuit?

<p>Cerebellum (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In reinforcement learning, which statement is true regarding lever press behaviors?

<p>They can be modified based on reinforcement outcomes. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of dopamine in the reinforcement learning hypothesis?

<p>It modifies future actions based on unpredicted rewards and cues. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following substances affects dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens (NAc)?

<p>All drugs of abuse do. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do abused substances typically affect dopamine signaling in the brain?

<p>They cause dopamine to be released through both direct and indirect mechanisms. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of drugs hijacking the dopamine system?

<p>Behavior becomes influenced by the effects of the abused substances. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What neurotransmitter is involved in the disinhibition of dopamine release?

<p>GABA (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which brain area is significantly involved in the reward circuit alongside dopamine?

<p>Nucleus accumbens (NAc) (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What describes the effect of unpredicted rewards on dopamine signaling?

<p>They trigger phasic bursts of dopamine. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly describes the mesolimbic dopamine signal?

<p>It plays a role in predicting future rewards. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Goal-directed behavior

Behavior driven by a desired outcome or goal, like choosing coffee.

Motivational drives

Internal or external factors that prompt actions; e.g., hunger, or a Starbucks sign.

Classical conditioning

Learning through associating a stimulus with a foreseen outcome (e.g., Starbucks w/ reward).

Amygdala role

The amygdala plays a role in emotional learning and classical conditioning.

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Associative Learning

Learning by connecting events or experiences, like smell to something that is rewarding or not.

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Reward

A positive reinforcing stimulus the brain identifies as beneficial for survival, increasing the likelihood of repeating the associated behavior.

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Reward Circuit Activation

Triggers dopamine (DA) release in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc).

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Dopamine (DA)

A neurotransmitter released during reward circuit activation; implicated in various addictive behaviors.

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Nucleus Accumbens (NAc)

Brain region where dopamine is released and plays a key role in motivation and reward.

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Reward Prediction Error (Schultz)

A concept proposed by Wolfram Schultz, describing how the brain updates its predictions about future rewards.

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Instrumental Conditioning

A type of learning where a behavior is strengthened or weakened based on its consequences.

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Positive Reinforcement

Increasing a behavior by providing a desirable consequence.

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Negative Reinforcement

Increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus.

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Reward Circuit

Brain regions associated with reward and pleasure.

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Dopaminergic Neurons

Nerve cells that release dopamine, a neurotransmitter important in reward processing.

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Mesolimbic DA pathway

A neural pathway involving dopamine release from the VTA to the NAcc and other areas, associated with reward.

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Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA)

Brain region that releases dopamine, a key part of the reward circuit.

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Dopamine and Pleasure

Dopamine is not directly responsible for feeling pleasure. It plays a role in motivating behavior towards things that are rewarding, but the actual experience of pleasure comes from other brain regions.

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Reinforcement Learning Hypothesis

This hypothesis suggests that dopamine, specifically phasic bursts of it, signals unexpected rewards or cues, helping us learn which actions lead to desirable outcomes.

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Drugs and Dopamine

Many drugs of abuse hijack the dopamine system. They create a surge of dopamine, making the drug experience extremely rewarding, leading to addiction.

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Mesolimbic Dopamine Pathway

The mesolimbic pathway is crucial for reward and motivation. It connects the VTA (ventral tegmental area) in the midbrain to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in the forebrain.

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VTA (Ventral Tegmental Area)

The VTA is a brain region that produces dopamine and sends it to the nucleus accumbens. It's a key player in motivation and reward.

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NAc (Nucleus Accumbens)

The NAc is a brain region that receives dopamine from the VTA. It plays a crucial role in processing reward and motivation.

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Drugs and DA Release

Many drugs, like cocaine, amphetamines, and opioids, directly or indirectly cause the release of dopamine from the VTA to the NAc, leading to intense pleasure.

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Addiction and DA Signaling

Chronic drug use leads to changes in the dopamine system, making it more difficult to experience natural rewards and increasing cravings for the drug.

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Study Notes

Lecture 30: The Reward Circuit

  • Goal-directed behavior involves short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals
  • Action selection connects these goals
  • Motivational drives can be internal (energy balance, water balance, thermoregulation, circadian rhythms, stress responses, reproductive behaviors, defensive behaviors) or external (response to outside threat, reproductive opportunity, social situation, parental attachment, affiliation)
  • The hypothalamus is associated with internal drives
  • The amygdala is associated with external drives
  • Cost-benefit calculations influence behavior, considering costs (effort, time, discomfort, lost opportunities, pain), evaluation, encoding, learning, and retrieval, physiological state (deprivation, stress, time of day, health), environment (availability of goal, response opportunity), and past history (experience of goals, responses and stimuli)
  • Benefits (meeting physiological and psychological needs, escaping harm) also influence choices
  • Classical conditioning (Pavlovian conditioning) associates stimuli with outcomes (positive or negative outcomes like seeking Starbucks or avoiding a skunk)
  • The amygdala is important for emotional learning in classical conditioning
  • Instrumental conditioning associates actions with outcomes (abandoning an action or repeating an action with positive or negative reinforcement like a child saying please and getting a treat)
  • Positive reinforcement increases a behavior (e.g., pressing a lever to receive food)
  • Negative reinforcement decreases a behavior (e.g., pressing a lever to avoid punishment, not pressing a lever to get something nice)
  • Reinforcement learning is studied through animal observation
  • Electrical brain stimulation experiments in monkeys (1950s) illustrate reward circuits
  • Dopaminergic neurons have pathways (mesolimbic, mesocortical, nigrostriatal, and tuberinfundibular) impacting different parts of the brain
  • The ventral tegmental area (VTA) releases dopamine into the nucleus accumbens (NAC)
  • The NAC is also known as the ventral striatum
  • The amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex are also connected
  • Dopamine is not required for pleasure
  • The reinforcement learning hypothesis posits that dopamine bursts occur for unpredicted rewards and cues, modifying future actions
  • Drugs hijack the reward circuit by generating a dopamine surge, and impacting behavior due to this
  • Multiple types of illicit substances impact the reward system
  • Many abused drugs affect dopamine release, either directly or indirectly
  • Drugs of abuse impact the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAC), and prefrontal cortex.
  • Drug use negatively impacts dopamine receptors impacting basal ganglia, extended amygdala, and prefrontal cortex leading to different symptoms during and after usage

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2024 Lecture 30 Reward Circuit Notes PDF

Description

This lecture delves into goal-directed behavior, focusing on how both internal and external motivational drives shape our actions. It examines the roles of the hypothalamus and amygdala, cost-benefit calculations, and the influence of physiological states on decision-making. Understand how these factors interconnect to influence human behavior and choices.

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