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In a recent study published in Neuron, Bromberg-Martin and Hikosaka delivered either large or small juice rewards to monkeys while different shapes flashed on a computer screen in front of them. Although the number of small and large rewards was held constant, the monkeys could learn the magnitude of the next reward if they so desired. The monkeys almost always chose to learn the identity of the impending reward ahead of time, despite not being able to alter the outcome in anyway by doing so. Furthermore, monkeys elected to learn this information as early on in the trial as possible. This, by itself, would not be too noteworthy. Advanced knowledge could be used for preparatory actions, or at least to relieve any anxious uncertainty about the trial’s outcome. However, the authors were also recording from midbrain dopamine neurons (a system which you may recall from a previous post here on The Axon).

We have long known that the degree of activation of these midbrain neurons depends on the rewarding value of a stimulus (although other hypotheses that dismiss a dopaminergic role in reward processes do exist). Thus, it is no surprise that the level of activity of these midbrain neurons was correlated with the magnitude of the reward. What is new, however, is that these same neurons also showed increased firing whenever the monkey was given the chance to learn about the level of the upcoming reward. One might liberally interpret this as the acquisition of advanced knowledge being an intrinsically rewarding event (or at least the opportunity to acquire such knowledge). So, it seems that not only do we seek out knowledge in a timely manner to avoid being scooped by our closest competitor, but such information seeking may be inherently wired into our behavior.

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