Evidence for A Neural System For Learning

我们如何学习呢？大脑中的哪些神经系统负责人类的学习？我们能否使用脑电(EEG；即脑电波)来找到一个可靠的神经标记物，该标记物是通过对表现反馈的处理而产生的，它表明了潜在的学习过程？在过去的20年里，大量的研究使用脑电来检测由表现反馈引起的神经信号。特别是，在人类中使用脑电的研究揭示了被认为与学习有关的表现反馈所引起的两个关键信号：(1)反馈相关的负性(FRN)和(2)和奖励正性(RP)。理论解释认为，FRN和RP反映了人类内侧额叶皮质内强化学习系统的功能。然而，到目前为止，还不清楚FRN和RP是简单地由反馈引起的，还是它们实际上反映了潜在的学习过程。这项拟议的研究试图回答这个问题，并证明FRN和RP是人类内侧额叶皮质内学习系统的神经标记物。

How do we learn? What neural systems within the brain are responsible for human learning? Can we use electroencephalography (EEG; i.e., brain waves) to find a reliable neural marker evoked by the processing of performance feedback that is indicative of an underlying learning process? In the past 20 years, a multitude of studies have used EEG to examine the neural signals elicited by performance feedback. In particular, studies using EEG in humans have revealed two key signals evoked by performance feedback that are thought to relate to learning: (1) the feedback-related negativity (FRN) and (2) and reward positivity (RP). Theoretical accounts posit that the FRN and RP reflect the functioning of a reinforcement learning system within the human medial-frontal cortex. However, to date it is still unclear whether the FRN and RP are simply evoked by feedback or whether they are actually reflective of an underlying learning process. The proposed research seeks to answer this question and demonstrate that the FRN and RP are neural markers for a learning system within the human-medial-frontal cortex.