Research article summary (published 29 Jun 2009):

Single dose of a dopamine agonist impairs reinforcement learning in humans: evidence from event-related potentials and computational modeling of striatal-cortical function.

Full Abstract

Animal findings have highlighted the modulatory role of phasic dopamine (DA) signaling in incentive learning, particularly in the acquisition of reward-related behavior. In humans, these processes remain largely unknown. In a recent study, we demonstrated that a single low dose of a D2/D3 agonist (pramipexole)-assumed to activate DA autoreceptors and thus reduce phasic DA bursts-impaired reward learning in healthy subjects performing a probabilistic reward task. The purpose of this study was to extend these behavioral findings using event-related potentials and computational modeling. Compared with the placebo group, participants receiving pramipexole showed increased feedback-related negativity to probabilistic rewards and decreased activation in dorsal anterior cingulate regions previously implicated in integrating reinforcement history over time. Additionally, findings of blunted reward learning in participants receiving pramipexole were simulated by reduced presynaptic DA signaling in response to reward in a neural network model of striatal-cortical function. These preliminary findings offer important insights on the role of phasic DA signals on reinforcement learning in humans and provide initial evidence regarding the spatiotemporal dynamics of brain mechanisms underlying these processes. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Author information

Author/s: Santesso, Diane L (DL); Evins, A Eden (AE); Frank, Michael J (MJ); Schetter, Erika C (EC); Bogdan, Ryan (R); Pizzagalli, Diego A (DA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Grants: DA022630 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS) ; R01MH68376 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Human brain mapping (Hum Brain Mapp), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jul; vol 30 (issue 7) : pp 1963-76

Dates: Created 2009/06/22; Completed 2009/09/03;

PMID: 18726908, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/4/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Benzothiazoles - pharmacology Brain - drug effects; physiology Cerebral Cortex - physiology Corpus Striatum - physiology Dopamine Agonists - pharmacology Double-Blind Method Electroencephalography Evoked Potentials Feedback, Psychological - drug effects; physiology Female

Humans Image Processing, Computer-Assisted Learning - drug effects Male Neural Networks (Computer) Probability Receptors, Dopamine D2 - agonists Receptors, Dopamine D3 - agonists Reinforcement (Psychology) Reinforcement Schedule Reward

Associated Chemicals: Benzothiazoles (0) ; Dopamine Agonists (0) ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 (0) ; Receptors, Dopamine D3 (0) ; pramipexol (104632-26-0)

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