Credit assignment is a condition wherein a human or animal incorrectly assigns a negative outcome to an occurrence. The situation is frequent in many psychiatric diseases, such as addiction or OCD. Such people still believe that using drugs or performing particular routines will result in favorable outcomes.
A recent study in macaque monkeys has revealed which brain areas are involved in credit assignment. Furthermore, it demonstrates how low-intensity transcranial ultrasonic stimulation (TUS) can influence brain activity and credit assignment behaviors. The team's results could impact the Ultrasound Market because they show a brand new application for the technology that could help people with mental illnesses.
The brain is like a mosaic consisting of many different sections that perform multiple things. Each component could be tied to specific behavior. The first step is determining whether this behavior is causally related to a particular brain region. This question can only be answered via brain stimulation.
The second problem is that if one portion of the brain is disrupted or modulated, it can affect multiple others. Therefore it is necessary to know how brain areas interact and affect one other when one is stimulated or disrupted.
The study reveals that TUS can safely and quickly interrupt credit assignment-related activity occurring in the lateral prefrontal area of the brain. The place is also known for supporting adaptive behavior.
The animals in the study became more inquisitive in their decisions when this brain area was stimulated. As a result of the ultrasound neuromodulation, the participants' behavior was no longer led by choice value. The statement denotes that they could not comprehend that some choices would result in better outcomes. This led to their decision-making being less adaptive in the task.
The researchers also discovered that the task-related neural modulation remained intact when another brain region (part of the prefrontal cortex) was stimulated. Thus, it demonstrated for the first time that task-related brain modulation is specific to the stimulation of areas that mediate a specific cognitive process.
Not only did this study uncover where particular decision-making activities take place, but it also revealed how neuromodulation could affect these and related behaviors. Researchers think this will pave the path for additional human investigations, particularly in people with mental illnesses.