How the brain learns that earmuffs are not valuable at the beach

Fast-spiking neurons in the basal ganglia allow monkeys to associate different values with the same objects based on the surrounding environment. Blocking input from these cells inhibited learning of new scene-based values, but did not erase already learned associations. This could help understand clinical conditions such as Tourette syndrome, which is characterized by reduced input from these cells.

Source: sciencedaily.com

Related posts

Drowning in waste: Pollution hotspots in aquatic environments

Climate change to shift tropical rains northward

Investigating newly discovered hydrothermal vents at depths of 3,000 meters off Svalbard