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A proxy measure of striatal dopamine predicts individual differences in temporal precision
Renata Sadibolova1, Luna Monaldi2, Devin B Terhune2
1Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, London, SE14 6NW, UK. r.sadibolova@gold.ac.uk.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|March 23, 2022
Summary
Higher spontaneous eyeblink rates, a marker for striatal dopamine, correlate with reduced temporal precision in time perception. This suggests dopamine
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Dopamine Research
Background:
- Individual differences in time perception are significant but poorly understood.
- Striatal dopamine levels are implicated in the neurocognitive basis of this variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between spontaneous eyeblink rates (a proxy for striatal dopamine) and interval timing.
- To determine if dopamine availability influences temporal precision and duration perception.
Main Methods:
- A pre-registered study involving 69 neurotypical adults.
- Resting state eye tracking to measure spontaneous eyeblink rates.
- Visual psychophysical tasks for interval timing and control assessments.
Main Results:
- Elevated spontaneous eyeblink rates were linked to decreased temporal precision.
- No significant association was found between eyeblink rates and perceived duration or control task performance.
Conclusions:
- Striatal dopamine plays a role in the variability of human time perception.
- Findings may explain temporal precision deficits in psychiatric conditions with altered dopamine levels.
