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Updated: Nov 25, 2025

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Signed Reward Prediction Errors in the Ventral Striatum Drive Episodic Memory.

Cristian B Calderon¹, Esther De Loof², Kate Ergo²

¹Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium cristian.buccalderon@ugent.be.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|December 18, 2020

Summary

Reward prediction errors (RPEs) enhance episodic memory, with signed RPEs encoded in the ventral striatum (VS). VS activity during learning predicts memory accuracy, highlighting RPEs

Keywords:

episodic memory fMRI reward prediction error ventral striatum

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Last Updated: Nov 25, 2025

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Reinforcement Learning

Background:

Behavioral studies suggest reward prediction errors (RPEs) are vital for episodic memory.
Neural mechanisms underlying RPEs' role in episodic memory formation require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To test neural predictions regarding the influence of RPEs on episodic memory acquisition.
To investigate the neural encoding of RPEs and their mediating role in memory formation.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in human participants performing a novel variable-choice task.
Experimental manipulation of RPEs and mediation analysis to assess the impact of ventral striatal (VS) activity on memory accuracy.

Main Results:

Episodic memory accuracy positively correlated with the magnitude of signed RPEs (SRPEs).
SRPEs are neurally encoded in the VS, and VS activation during learning mediated the effect of SRPEs on memory accuracy.
Increased functional connectivity between task-relevant areas, hippocampus, and VS during learning was associated with RPE value.

Conclusions:

Reinforcement learning theory and striatal RPEs are key factors in episodic memory formation.
Ventral striatal activity encodes SRPEs and is critical for the accuracy of episodic memory recollection.