Neural Substrates Goal-Directed Learning in Human Brain

人脑中的神经基质目标导向学习

• 批准号: 7143116
• 负责人: JOHN P O'DOHERTY
• 金额: $ 7.97万
• 依托单位: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-09-01 至 2008-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7143116
• 关键词: behavioral /social science research tag; brain mapping; clinical research; compulsive behavior; conditioning; functional magnetic resonance imaging; goal oriented behavior; habits; human subject; learning; neuropsychology; psychological adaptation; psychological reinforcement; reinforcer; stimulus /response

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ability to orient toward specific goals in the environment and control actions flexibly in pursuit of those goals is a hallmark of adaptive behavior. Instrumental conditioning is the simplest form of such behavior in which an animal or human learns to perform an action or sequence of actions in order to obtain reward or avoid punishment. Instrumental conditioning is composed of two distinct components: a goal-directed and a habit-learning component. In goal-directed learning, associations are formed between a given action and the goal-state (future reward or punishment). Instrumental behavior under goal-directed control can be altered rapidly following a change in the action-reward contingencies, or a decrease in the reward value of the goal itself. In habit learning, associations are made between the context (configuration of cues in the environment) and the given action, without encoding the goal itself. In contrast to goal-directed learning, habit learning is inflexible and leads to compulsive behavior. Once an action has become a habit (which happens over the course of learning), it is liable to be performed irrespective of the current value of the goal state. The aim of this project is to determine the neural substrates of goal-directed learning and habit learning in the human brain, and characterize the process by which a goal-directed action becomes transferred to a habit. This will be accomplished by scanning human subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure neural responses during performance of simple instrumental conditioning tasks. We will use specific task manipulations, track changes in fMRI signals over the course of learning, and apply formal computational models to fMRI data in order to uncover these different components in instrumental conditioning. This R03 application is to support the initial development of a research program by the principal investigator who has just started in a faculty position as a prelude to a subsequent application under the R01 mechanism. Uncovering the neural mechanisms mediating goal-directed and habit learning could have important implications for understanding how some behaviors become "habitized" - compulsive and difficult to change using "willpower", as is the case in obsessive compulsive disorders, eating disorders, compulsive gambling and drug addiction. This research could ultimately be relevant in developing treatments for such conditions in which habitized or compulsive behaviors are returned to goal-directed control.

描述（由申请人提供）：能够在环境中朝着特定目标和控制行动方向方向发展，以追求这些目标是适应性行为的标志。工具条件是这种行为的最简单形式，在这种行为中，动物或人类学会采取行动或行动顺序以获得奖励或避免惩罚。仪器条件由两个不同的组成部分组成：目标定向和习惯学习成分。在目标指导的学习中，在给定的行动和目标状态（未来的奖励或惩罚）之间形成了关联。在行动奖励意外情况变化或目标本身的奖励价值下降之后，可以迅速改变目标指导控制下的工具行为。在习惯学习中，在上下文（环境中提示的配置）与给定动作之间建立了关联，而无需编码目标本身。与目标指导的学习相反，习惯学习是僵化的，并导致强迫性行为。一旦行动成为一种习惯（在学习过程中发生），无论目标状态的当前价值如何，都可以执行。该项目的目的是确定人脑中目标指导学习和习惯学习的神经基础，并表征目标指导行动转移到习惯的过程。这将通过使用功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）扫描人类受试者来测量简单仪器调节任务执行过程中的神经反应来实现。我们将使用特定的任务操作，在学习过程中跟踪fMRI信号的变化，并将正式的计算模型应用于fMRI数据，以发现工具条件中的这些不同组件。该R03应用程序是为了支持首席研究人员对研究计划的初步制定，后者刚刚开始担任R01机制下随后申请的序幕。揭示介导目标定向和习惯学习的神经机制可能对了解某些行为如何变得“纵容” - 强迫性和难以改变使用“意志力”，就像强迫症，强迫性疾病，强迫性赌博和药物成瘾一样。这项研究最终可能与开发治疗方法有关，在这种情况下，将涉及或强迫性行为归还目标指导的控制。