The direct and indirect pathways of the basal ganglia have long been thought to mediate
behavioral promotion and inhibition, respectively. However, this classic dichotomous model …

Biological agents adapt behavior to support the survival needs of the individual and the
species. In this review we outline the anatomical, physiological, and computational …

Learning leads to changes in population patterns of neural activity. In this study we wanted
to examine how these changes in patterns of activity affect the dimensionality of neural …

Learning the values of actions versus stimuli may depend on separable neural circuits. In
the current study, we evaluated the performance of rhesus macaques with ventral striatum …

Deciding whether to forego immediate rewards or explore new opportunities is a key
component of flexible behavior and is critical for the survival of the species. Although …

In a volatile environment where rewards are uncertain, successful performance requires a
delicate balance between exploitation of the best option and exploration of alternative …

Slow-timescale (tonic) changes in dopamine (DA) contribute to a wide variety of processes
in reinforcement learning, interval timing, and other domains. Furthermore, changes in tonic …

It is generally believed that during economic decisions, striatal neurons represent the values
associated with different actions. This hypothesis is based on studies, in which the activity of …

The ventral striatum (VS) and amygdala are two structures often implicated as essential
structures for learning. The literature addressing the contribution of these areas to learning …

The striatum is critically involved in value-based decision making. However, it is unclear how
striatal direct and indirect pathways work together to make optimal choices in a dynamic and …