Divergent Strategies for Learning in Males and Females

Chen, Cathy S.; Ebitz, R. Becket; Bindas, Sylvia R.; Redish, A. David; Hayden, Benjamin Y.; Grissom, Nicola M.

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.075

Cited by 65 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…However, this is inconsistent with published research and there is evidence for sex differences in strategy in probabilistic bandits (Chen et al, 2021). It is possible that these results do not generalize to both sexes.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 85%

Noradrenergic Regulation of Two-Armed Bandit Performance

Swanson

Averbeck

Laubach

2020

Preprint

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Recent studies have established that one-trial-back decision policies (Win-Stay/Lose-Shift) and measures of reinforcement learning (RL), e.g. learning rate, can explain how animals perform two-armed bandit tasks. In many published studies, outcomes reverse after one option is selected repeatedly (e.g. 8 selections in a row), and the primary measure of performance is the number of reversals completed. Performance and Win-Stay likelihood are confounded by using recent performance to drive reversals. An alternative design reverses outcomes across options over fixed blocks of trials. We used this blocked design and tested rats in a spatial two-armed bandit task. We analyzed performance using Win-Stay/Lose-Shift (WSLS) metrics and a RL algorithm. We found that WSLS policies remain stable with increasing reward uncertainty, while choice accuracy decreases. Within test sessions, learning rates increased as rats adapted their strategies over the first few reversals but inverse temperature remains stable. We found that muscimol inactivation of medial orbital cortex (mOFC) mediates task performance and negative feedback sensitivity. Finally, we examined the role of the adrenergic system in bandit performance, and found yohimbine (2 mg/kg) dramatically decreased sensitivity to positive feedback, leading to decreases in accuracy and inverse temperature. These effects are partially dependent on a2 adrenergic receptors in OFC. Our findings demonstrate a correspondence between reward schedule, WSLS policies and RL metrics in a task design that is free of the confound between Wins and reversals, and that the noradrenergic influence of mOFC on WSLS policy is dissociable from the regions general role in cognitive flexibility.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 85%

Noradrenergic Regulation of Two-Armed Bandit Performance

Swanson

Averbeck

Laubach

2020

Preprint

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“…Our previous study suggested that males and females could achieve similar learning performance via divergent decision making strategies (Chen et al, 2020). However, different strategies might take different amounts of time to execute (Chen et al, 2020;Filipowicz et al, 2019;Kool et al, 2010;Kurdi et al, 2019). Therefore, if males and females had adopted strategies here, then we might expect response time to systematically differ between males and females, despite the similarities in learning performance.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Similar levels of accuracy do not require or imply a similar approach to the task. Our previous study suggested that males and females could achieve similar learning performance via divergent decision making strategies (Chen et al, 2020). However, different strategies might take different amounts of time to execute (Chen et al, 2020;Filipowicz et al, 2019;Kool et al, 2010;Kurdi et al, 2019).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The prefrontal cortex (PFC), which receives dopamine projections, is a target brain region to understand exploration and exploitation (Ebitz et al, 2018;Jenni et al, 2017). Our previous study implicated PFC in the differences in learning strategy between males and females (Chen et al, 2020). It is possible that prefrontal cortical dopamine is particularly engaged in implementing explore-exploit strategies via sexbiased mechanisms of learning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This means that equivalent levels of performance could mask individual differences in how males and females are solving the same problem. Indeed, we have recently shown that examining the latent strategies underlying task performance --rather than differences in final performance--can reveal that individual males and females can take very different strategic paths to the learning of actionoutcome associations (Chen et al, 2020). Here, we applied computational tools to characterize sex differences in the latent variables underlying behavior to understand sex differences in a key cognitive process regulating reward-guided behaviors: balancing exploration and exploitation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sex differences in learning from exploration

Chen

Knep

Han

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

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Sex differences in cognitive processes could set the stage for sex-modulated vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. While value-based decision making processes in particular have been proposed to be influenced by sex differences, the overall correct performance across sexes often show minimal differences. Computational tools allow us to uncover latent variables in reinforcement learning that define different decision making approaches, even in animals with similar correct performance. Here, we quantify sex differences in latent variables underlying behavior in a classic value-based decision-making task: a restless 2-armed bandit. While males and females had similar accuracy, they achieved this performance via different patterns of exploration. Males made more exploratory choices overall, largely because they appeared to get stuck in exploration once they had started. Females explored less, but learned more quickly when they did so. Together, these results suggest that sex exerts stronger influences on learning and decision making during periods of self-initiated exploration than during stable choices. These findings pinpoint the neural mechanisms of exploration as potentially conferring sex-biased vulnerability to addictions, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

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Positive correlation between measures of habitual responding and motivated responding in mice

Bryant,

Barker

2023

J Exper Analysis Behavior

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Habit and motivation are thought to be separate processes, with motivated behavior often considered to be goal directed, whereas habits are defined by the absence of goal‐directed control over behavior. However, there has been increasing interrogation of the binary nature of habitual versus goal‐directed behavior. Furthermore, although drug and alcohol exposure can promote the formation of habits, drug seeking itself can also be highly flexible, pointing toward the need for complex consideration of the parallel processes that drive behavior. The goal of the current study was to determine whether there was a relation between motivation—as measured by progressive ratio—and habit—as measured by contingency degradation—and whether this relation was affected by ethanol exposure history and sex. The results showed that these measures were positively correlated such that greater contingency insensitivity was associated with achieving higher break points on the progressive‐ratio task. However, this relation depended on reinforcement schedule history, ethanol exposure history, and sex. These point to potential relations between measures of habit and motivation and stress the importance of carefully parsing behavioral findings and assays. These findings are also expected to inform future substance use research, as drug history may affect these relations.

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Divergent Strategies for Learning in Males and Females

Cited by 65 publications

References 77 publications

Noradrenergic Regulation of Two-Armed Bandit Performance

Noradrenergic Regulation of Two-Armed Bandit Performance

Sex differences in learning from exploration

Positive correlation between measures of habitual responding and motivated responding in mice

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