Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Besides their fundamental movement function evidenced by Parkinsonian deficits, the basal ganglia are involved in processing closely linked non-motor, cognitive and reward information. This review describes the reward functions of three brain structures that are major components of the basal ganglia or are closely associated with the basal ganglia, namely midbrain dopamine neurons, pedunculopontine nucleus, and striatum (caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens). Rewards are involved in learning (positive reinforcement), approach behavior, economic choices and positive emotions. The response of dopamine neurons to rewards consists of an early detection component and a subsequent reward component that reflects a prediction error in economic utility, but is unrelated to movement. Dopamine activations to non-rewarded or aversive stimuli reflect physical impact, but not punishment. Neurons in pedunculopontine nucleus project their axons to dopamine neurons and process sensory stimuli, movements and rewards and reward-predicting stimuli without coding outright reward prediction errors. Neurons in striatum, besides their pronounced movement relationships, process rewards irrespective of sensory and motor aspects, integrate reward information into movement activity, code the reward value of individual actions, change their reward-related activity during learning, and code own reward in social situations depending on whose action produces the reward. These data demonstrate a variety of well-characterized reward processes in specific basal ganglia nuclei consistent with an important function in non-motor aspects of motivated behavior.
Source: Journal of Neural Transmission
Author: Wolfram Schultz
Institution: University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,690
Awards: G1148857700, G1835293377, Neuronal reward mechanisms., Neuronal reward mechanisms., G3792846308, Neuronal processing of risky rewards, G4957113771, Localisation of mechanisms related to reward and reward-directed behaviour in primate brain., G7330500940, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), Reward prediction in health and disease., G8587771343, Reward prediction in health and disease., Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), G9000059636
OpenAlex ID: W2253344776