A neural circuit for learning to ignore punishment
A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology reveals a specific neural mechanism that can lead to persistent insensitivity to punishment. Researchers found that disinhibiting the ventral tegmental area (VTA) during initial punishment learning in mice caused an enduring inability to learn from negative consequences. This suggests that early alterations in the brain’s reward circuitry can create a long-lasting bias towards reward-seeking behavior, even when it is paired with adverse outcomes.
Why it might matter to you:
This work directly explores the neurobiology of learning and motivation, a core area intersecting with your research on pain modulation. Understanding how circuits like the VTA can be hijacked to produce lasting behavioral changes—such as insensitivity to negative feedback—provides a mechanistic parallel to the processes underlying placebo and nocebo effects. For a neuroscientist focused on preclinical models, these findings offer a potential new framework for investigating how top-down expectations can durably alter fundamental motivational pathways.
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