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A "Good Parent" Function of DopamineTransient Modulation of Learning and Performance during Early Stages of Training
JON C. HORVITZa,
WON YUNG CHOIb,
CECILE MORVANa,
YANIV EYNYb AND
PETER D. BALSAMc
a Boston College, Department of Psychology, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA b Columbia University, Department of Psychology, New York, USA c Department of Psychology, Barnard College, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
Key Words: learning • reinforcement • D1 • D2 • Parkinson • habit • electrophysiology • single unit • VTA • SN • LTP • glutamate • SCH23390 • raclopride
Address for correspondence: Jon C. Horvitz, Department of Psychology, Boston College, 301 McGuinn Hall, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. Voice: 617-552-2999; fax: 617-552-0523. jon.horvitz{at}bc.edu
While extracellular dopamine (DA) concentrations are increased by a wide category of salient stimuli, there is evidence to suggest that DA responses to primary and conditioned rewards may be distinct from those elicited by other types of salient events. A reward-specific mode of neuronal responding would be necessary if DA acts to strengthen behavioral response tendencies under particular environmental conditions or to set current environmental inputs as goals that direct approach responses. As described in this review, DA critically mediates both the acquisition and expression of learned behaviors during early stages of training, however, during later stages, at least some forms of learned behavior become independent of (or less dependent upon) DA transmission for their expression.
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