Cargando…

A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration

The explore-exploit dilemma occurs anytime we must choose between exploring unknown options for information and exploiting known resources for reward. Previous work suggests that people use two different strategies to solve the explore-exploit dilemma: directed exploration, driven by information see...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Zajkowski, Wojciech K, Kossut, Malgorzata, Wilson, Robert C
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd 2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5628017/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28914605
http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.27430
_version_ 1783268816587849728
author Zajkowski, Wojciech K
Kossut, Malgorzata
Wilson, Robert C
author_facet Zajkowski, Wojciech K
Kossut, Malgorzata
Wilson, Robert C
author_sort Zajkowski, Wojciech K
collection PubMed
description The explore-exploit dilemma occurs anytime we must choose between exploring unknown options for information and exploiting known resources for reward. Previous work suggests that people use two different strategies to solve the explore-exploit dilemma: directed exploration, driven by information seeking, and random exploration, driven by decision noise. Here, we show that these two strategies rely on different neural systems. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation to inhibit the right frontopolar cortex, we were able to selectively inhibit directed exploration while leaving random exploration intact. This suggests a causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration and that directed and random exploration rely on (at least partially) dissociable neural systems.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-5628017
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2017
publisher eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-56280172017-10-05 A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration Zajkowski, Wojciech K Kossut, Malgorzata Wilson, Robert C eLife Neuroscience The explore-exploit dilemma occurs anytime we must choose between exploring unknown options for information and exploiting known resources for reward. Previous work suggests that people use two different strategies to solve the explore-exploit dilemma: directed exploration, driven by information seeking, and random exploration, driven by decision noise. Here, we show that these two strategies rely on different neural systems. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation to inhibit the right frontopolar cortex, we were able to selectively inhibit directed exploration while leaving random exploration intact. This suggests a causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration and that directed and random exploration rely on (at least partially) dissociable neural systems. eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd 2017-09-15 /pmc/articles/PMC5628017/ /pubmed/28914605 http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.27430 Text en © 2017, Zajkowski et al http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Zajkowski, Wojciech K
Kossut, Malgorzata
Wilson, Robert C
A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
title A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
title_full A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
title_fullStr A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
title_full_unstemmed A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
title_short A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
title_sort causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
topic Neuroscience
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5628017/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28914605
http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.27430
work_keys_str_mv AT zajkowskiwojciechk acausalroleforrightfrontopolarcortexindirectedbutnotrandomexploration
AT kossutmalgorzata acausalroleforrightfrontopolarcortexindirectedbutnotrandomexploration
AT wilsonrobertc acausalroleforrightfrontopolarcortexindirectedbutnotrandomexploration
AT zajkowskiwojciechk causalroleforrightfrontopolarcortexindirectedbutnotrandomexploration
AT kossutmalgorzata causalroleforrightfrontopolarcortexindirectedbutnotrandomexploration
AT wilsonrobertc causalroleforrightfrontopolarcortexindirectedbutnotrandomexploration