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- Title
Effects of Adult Age and Functioning of the Locus Coeruleus Norepinephrinergic System on Reward-Based Learning.
- Authors
Hsiang-Yu Chen; Marxen, Michael; Dahl, Martin J.; Glöckner, Franka
- Abstract
Age-related impairments in value representations and updating during decision-making and reward-based learning are often related to age-related attenuation in the catecholamine system such as dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE). However, it is unclear to what extent age-related declines in NE functioning in humans affect reward-based decision-making. We conducted a probabilistic decision-making task and applied a Q-learning model to investigate participants' anticipatory values and value sensitivities. Task-related pupil dilations and locus coeruleus (LC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast, which served as a potential window of the LC-NE functions, were assessed in younger and older adults. Results showed that in both choice and feedback phases, younger adults' (N 5 42, 22 males) pupil dilations negatively correlated with anticipatory values, indicating uncertainty about outcome probabilities. Uncertainty-evoked pupil dilations in older adults (N 5 41, 27 males) were smaller, indicating age-related impairments in value estimation and updating. In both age groups, participants who showed a larger uncertainty-evoked pupil dilation exhibited a higher value sensitivity as reflected in the b parameter of the reinforcement Q-learning model. Furthermore, older adults (N 5 34, 29 males) showed a lower LC-MRI contrast than younger adults (N 5 25, 15 males). The LC-MRI contrast positively correlated with value sensitivity only in older but not in younger adults. These findings suggest that task-related pupillary responses can reflect agerelated deficits in value estimation and updating during reward-based decision-making. Our evidence with the LC-MRI contrast further showed the age-related decline of the LC structure in modulating value representations during reward-based learning.
- Subjects
LOCUS coeruleus; DOPAMINE; PUPILLARY reflex; MAGNETIC resonance imaging; OLDER people; ADULTS
- Publication
Journal of Neuroscience, 2023, Vol 43, Issue 35, p6186
- ISSN
0270-6474
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2006-22.2023