Published in

National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 35(114), 2017

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1705643114

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Separate mesocortical and mesolimbic pathways encode effort and reward learning signals

Journal article published in 2017 by Tobias U. Hauser ORCID, Eran Eldar, Raymond J. Dolan
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Significance Learning about multiple features of a choice option is crucial for optimal decision making. How such multiattribute learning is realized remains unclear. Using functional MRI, we show that the brain exploits separate mesolimbic and mesocortical networks to simultaneously learn about reward and effort attributes. We show a double dissociation, evident in the expression of effort learning signals in dorsomedial prefrontal and reward learning in ventral striatal areas, with this dissociation being spatially mirrored in dopaminergic midbrain. At the time of choice, these segregated signals are integrated in ventral striatum. These findings highlight how the brain parses parallel learning demands.