A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration
Affiliation
Univ Arizona, Dept PsycholUniv Arizona, Cognit Sci Program
Issue Date
2017-09-15
Metadata
Show full item recordPublisher
ELIFE SCIENCES PUBLICATIONS LTDCitation
A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration 2017, 6 eLifeJournal
eLifeRights
© 2017, Zajkowski et al. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.Collection Information
This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu.Abstract
The explore-exploit dilemma occurs anytime we must choose between exploring unknown options for information and exploiting known resources for reward. Previous work suggests that people use two different strategies to solve the explore-exploit dilemma: directed exploration, driven by information seeking, and random exploration, driven by decision noise. Here, we show that these two strategies rely on different neural systems. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation to inhibit the right frontopolar cortex, we were able to selectively inhibit directed exploration while leaving random exploration intact. This suggests a causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration and that directed and random exploration rely on (at least partially) dissociable neural systems.Note
Open Access Journal / Paid Open Access after January 2017*ISSN
2050-084XVersion
Final published versionAdditional Links
https://elifesciences.org/articles/27430ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.7554/eLife.27430