Distinct linear and non-linear trajectories of reward and punishment reversal learning during development: Relevance for dopamine's role in adolescent decision making

Abstract

Abnormalities in value-based decision making during adolescence have often been attributed to non-linear, inverted-U shaped development of reward-related processes. This hypothesis is strengthened by functional imaging work revealing an inverted-U shaped relationship between age and reward-related activity in the striatum. However, behavioural studies have mostly reported linear rather than non-linear increases in reward-related performance. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the development of reward- and punishment-related processing across four age groups using a reversal learning task previously shown to depend on striatal dopamine. We demonstrate both linear and non-linear age effects on distinct components of reversal learning. Specifically, results revealed a linear shift with age in terms of valence-dependent reversal learning, with children exhibiting better punishment than reward reversal learning, adults exhibiting better reward than punishment reversal learning and adolescents exhibiting an intermediate performance pattern. In addition, we also observed a non-linear, inverted-U shaped relationship between age and valence-independent reversal learning, which was due to aberrant ability of adolescents to update behaviour in response to negative performance feedback. These findings indicate that the (linear or nonlinear) nature of the relationship between age and reward learning depends on the type of reward learning under study.

Human development of the ability to learn from bad news

“…Slow development of learning from undesirable information may be restricted to such cases, and we do not know whether it will generalize to instances where outcomes are experienced (such as experienced punishments or losses). In fact, there is evidence that younger individuals exhibit better Pavlovian reversal learning from punishment than reward (34) but do better at adjusting behavior in response to positive feedback than negative feedback in an instrumental learning task (35)(36)(37)(38). Furthermore, the likelihoods presented in the current study were related mostly to physical danger.…”

Reversal-learning deficits in childhood-onset bipolar disorder across the transition from childhood to young adulthood

“…This finding suggests that participants with BD show a rather general deficit in reversal learning relative to HC. Nevertheless, the ID/ED task is not the most sensitive measure of reinforcement learning, as other tasks can separate reward-based vs. punishment-based learning (Linke et al, 2011; van der Schaaf et al, 2011). These more sensitive reversal tasks could delineate the contributions of various brain regions (e.g.…”

“…These more sensitive reversal tasks could delineate the contributions of various brain regions (e.g. sub-regions of the PFC) to each aspect of reversal learning (Linke et al, 2011; Mitchell et al, 2009; van der Schaaf et al, 2011) and help us to better understand the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying cognitive flexibility impairments in BD.…”

Mental Imagery in Depression: Phenomenology, Potential Mechanisms, and Treatment Implications

“…Emerging cognitive abilities may make child and adolescent patients more vulnerable to intrusive, unhelpful mental imagery. At the same time, greater cognitive flexibility, particularly in adolescence, could mean that interventions delivered during this time will have lasting impact (Hauser et al 2015, Stevenson et al 2014, van der Schaaf et al 2011). More research is needed on the interplay between mental imagery, psychopathology, and cognitive abilities during development.…”