Investigating the neural mechanisms of aversive learning: predictions, prediction errors and the effects of contextual novelty
Final Report Abstract
In this project, we aimed to further investigate and specify the role of the mesolimbic system in processing aversive events. We used a variety of behavioral paradigms, MEG, iEEG and fMRI to show that (a) anticipation of aversive events recruits the mesolimbic system and differentially modulates subsequent recognition memory, (b) neural habituation to painful stimuli is modulated by dopamine, and (c) that alpha-beta oscillations in the substantia nigra signal the anticipation of both appetitive and aversive events. As such, our findings provide novel insights into the psychological and physiological mechanisms of aversive processing, and, from a more general perspective, they underline that the dopaminergic mesolimbic system plays a critical role in processing both appetitive and aversive events.
Publications
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(2014) Pain anticipation recruits the mesolimbic system and differentially modulates subsequent recognition memory. Hum Brain Mapp 35:4594–4606
Bauch EM, Rausch VH, Bunzeck N
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(2015) Anticipation of electric shocks modulates low beta power and eventrelated fields during memory encoding. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 123:196–204
Bauch EM, Bunzeck N
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(2017) Neural Habituation to Painful Stimuli Is Modulated by Dopamine: Evidence from a Pharmacological fMRI Study. Front Hum Neurosci 11
Bauch EM, Andreou C, Rausch VH, Bunzeck N
