Dopamine is a powerful signal in the brain, influencing our moods, motivations, movements, and more. The neurotransmitter is crucial for reward-based learning, a function that may be disrupted in a number of psychiatric conditions, from mood disorders to addiction.  Now, researchers led by MIT Institute Professor Ann Graybiel have found surprising patterns of dopamine signaling that suggest neuroscientists may need to refine their model of how reinforcement learning occurs in the brain. The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.
 

Researchers have developed a model that explains how humans adapt continuously during complex tasks, like walking, while remaining stable. The findings were detailed in a paper published in the November 2024 edition of the journal Nature Communications authored by Nidhi Seethapathi, an assistant professor in MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences; Barrett C. Clark, a robotics software engineer at Bright Minds Inc.; and Manoj Srinivasan an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Ohio State University.

People struggling with their mental health are more likely to browse negative content online, and in turn, that negative content makes their symptoms worse, according to a series of studies by researchers at MIT. The group behind the research has developed a web plug-in tool to help those looking to protect their mental health make more informed decisions about the content they view.