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Related Experiment Video

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A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training

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Published on: August 24, 2017

Medial frontal negativity reflects learning from positive feedback.

Jurjen Van Der Helden¹, Maarten A S Boksem

¹Radboud University Nijmegen, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. JurjenvdHelden@gmail.com

Psychophysiology

|June 26, 2012

Summary

Learning from positive outcomes drives goal-directed behavior. Neural signals linked to positive feedback predict future motor action learning, particularly when actions are repeated correctly.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Behavioral Science

Background:

Adaptive goal-directed behavior relies on learning from action consequences.
Individuals learn to favor actions with positive outcomes and avoid those with negative outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate neural reinforcement learning signals.
To determine if these signals predict subsequent motor action learning.

Main Methods:

Recording event-related potentials (ERPs).
Analyzing medial frontal negativity (MFN) in response to feedback.

Main Results:

Positive feedback associated with correctly repeated actions showed a larger MFN.
MFN amplitude predicted subsequent learning of motor action sequences.

Conclusions:

Neural reinforcement learning signals, specifically MFN, are predictive of motor learning.
The anterior cingulate cortex may play a role in associating actions with their outcomes.