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Habituation of reinforcer effectiveness
David R Lloyd1, Douglas J Medina2, Larry W Hawk3
1Research Institute on Addictions, State University of New York at Buffalo Buffalo, NY, USA ; School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo Buffalo, NY, USA.
Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
|January 11, 2014
Summary
Habituation of reinforcer effectiveness (HRE) decreases how rewarding stimuli impact behavior with repeated exposure. This model links brain and behavior, suggesting disrupted HRE may underlie disorders like obesity and ADHD.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Reinforcement learning
- Psychopharmacology
Background:
- Reinforcement models often assume stable reinforcer effectiveness.
- Habituation of Reinforcer Effectiveness (HRE) proposes decreased effectiveness with repeated stimulus presentation.
- HRE is a fundamental property of reinforcing stimuli.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose an integrative model of HRE linking behavioral and neural explanations.
- To investigate the role of dopamine neurotransmission in HRE.
- To explore the implications of abnormal HRE in behavioral disorders.
Main Methods:
- Development of a neural model linking dopamine and HRE.
- Examination of stimulant drug effects on HRE and operant responding.
- Review of existing research on HRE and behavioral conditions.
Main Results:
- Stimulant drugs disrupt HRE, slowing habituation rates.
- Stimulant drugs show differential effects on responding based on HRE rates.
- Slow HRE is linked to obesity; accelerated HRE may be related to ADHD.
Conclusions:
- HRE is a critical factor in understanding reinforcement.
- Abnormal HRE may be implicated in various behavioral disorders.
- Further research on rapid-HRE is needed to understand behavior regulation.
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