Nonlinear age-related differences in probabilistic learning in mice: A 5-armed bandit task study

Hiroyuki Ohta, Takashi Nozawa, Takashi Nakano, Yuji Morimoto, Toshiaki Ishizuka

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This study explores the impact of aging on reinforcement learning in mice, focusing on changes in learning rates and behavioral strategies. A 5-armed bandit task (5-ABT) and a computational Q-learning model were used to evaluate the positive and negative learning rates and the inverse temperature across three age groups (3, 12, and 18 months). Results showed a significant decline in the negative learning rate of 18-month-old mice, which was not observed for the positive learning rate. This suggests that older mice maintain the ability to learn from successful experiences while decreasing the ability to learn from negative outcomes. We also observed a significant age-dependent variation in inverse temperature, reflecting a shift in action selection policy. Middle-aged mice (12 months) exhibited higher inverse temperature, indicating a higher reliance on previous rewarding experiences and reduced exploratory behaviors, when compared to both younger and older mice. This study provides new insights into aging research by demonstrating that there are age-related differences in specific components of reinforcement learning, which exhibit a non-linear pattern.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)8-16
Number of pages9
JournalNeurobiology of Aging
Volume142
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10-2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience
  • Ageing
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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