Cited by 597Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeural dynamics and brain function

Dopamine neurons encode the better option in rats deciding between differently delayed or sized rewards

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Roesch, Matthew R, Calu, Donna J, Schoenbaum, Geoffrey·2007·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

The dopamine system is thought to be involved in making decisions about reward. Here we recorded from the ventral tegmental area in rats learning to choose between differently delayed and sized rewards. As expected, the activity of many putative dopamine neurons reflected reward prediction errors, changing when the value of the reward increased or decreased unexpectedly. During learning, neural responses to reward in these neurons waned and responses to cues that predicted reward emerged. Notably, this cue-evoked activity varied with size and delay. Moreover, when rats were given a choice between two differently valued outcomes, the activity of the neurons initially reflected the more valuable option, even when it was not subsequently selected.

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  • Phasic activity of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area encodes a reward prediction error.

    “A seminal finding was that phasic activity of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) encodes a reward prediction error (the difference between the expected and actual reward) (Schultz et al., 1997; Schultz, 1998; Roesch et al., 2007).”

    From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Roesch et al., 2007

  • Spiking activity of dopamine neurons increases with both reward magnitude and probability.

    “Consistent with a prediction error signal, spiking activity of dopamine neurons increases with both reward magnitude and probability (Fiorillo et al., 2003; Tobler et al., 2005; Roesch et al., 2007).”

    From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Roesch et al., 2007

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Authors
Roesch, M. R., Calu, D. J., & Schoenbaum, G.
Affiliations
University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
Corresponding author
Roesch, Matthew R
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2007-11-18
Volume
10
Issue
12
Pages
1615-1624
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W2040418090
Cited by
597
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 45 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 51
FWCI
14.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG027097)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (F31MH080514, F31-MH085014)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA015718, K01DA021609)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (T32 NS07375, T32NS007375)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
dopaminergic neurons, ventral tegmental area, reward prediction error, decision-making, reward magnitude, reward delay, choice behavior, rats
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Apomorphine, Behavior, Animal, Brain Mapping, Choice Behavior, Conditioning, Operant, Cues, Dopamine, Male, Neurons, Odorants, Predictive Value of Tests, Reward, Time Perception, Ventral Tegmental Area, Dopamine Agonists, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats

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