This is how the brain learns from the subconscious stimulus

Researchers at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) have for the first time revealed what happens in the animal’s brain when learning from subconscious visual stimuli.

Over time, this knowledge can lead to new treatments for many conditions. This study was a collaborative study between KU Ruben and Harvard at Massachusetts General Hospital and was published in Neuron.

Experienced birdwatchers recognize much more bird feather details than the average person. Extensive training allows him or her to identify certain characteristics of the feathers. This learning process does not just rely on a conscious process. Previous studies have shown that when people are rewarded during the presentation of visually imperceptible stimuli, they are still able to perceive these stimuli.

This is a known phenomenon, but researchers were uncertain how accurately this unconscious perceptual learning would take place. To investigate, Professor Wim Vanduffel and colleagues studied the brains of two rhesus monkeys before and after exposure to subconscious visual stimuli.

Researchers have activated part of the reward system of the ventral tegmental area, which is the base of the brainstem. This includes cells that produce dopamine, a molecule that is also released when rewarded.

“Dopamine is an important messenger molecule in our movement and reward system and is very important for learning and enjoyment,” says Van Duffel. Activation of the ventral tegmental area released dopamine in particular. “By directly stimulating a region of the brain, activity in that region can be causally related to perception and complex cognitive behavior,” explains Van Duffel.

While areas of the brain were activated, monkeys were shown virtually invisible images of the human face and body. The images were so blurry that the monkeys had to perform very different and difficult tasks at the same time, so they could not be consciously perceived.

The same process continued during the control trial, but the brain was not stimulated.

When the monkeys received a subconscious visual stimulus while the ventral tegmental area was being stimulated, they then learned more about those images. For example, they knew whether the body shown was facing left or right. That wasn’t the case when there was no brain stimulation.

“Thanks to this experiment, we are able to demonstrate for the first time a direct causal relationship between these brain regions, and as a result, a possible link between dopamine and subconscious learning of complex visual stimuli. . “

The dark areas, among other things, regulate the production of dopamine. Disorders in this area can lead to Parkinson’s disease and other conditions. | (C) Shutterstock

The researchers also performed animal brain scans before and after the test. “You can see the blood flow in the brain, which tells you which neurons are active. The more blood flow, the more active it is,” Van duffel explains.

Scans showed that the task triggered activity in areas of the brain that are important to the visual cortex and memory. “You can use this data to zoom in to see exactly what is happening at the neuron level in these brain regions in future experiments.”

“Since Freud’s insight in the 20th century, the scientific community has been wondering how the subconscious mind affects us. The current perception that there is a strong similarity between humans and monkeys and the new Thanks to advanced technology, we can finally map such a process physiologically. “

Disorders of the dopaminergic system can cause many psychiatric and movement disorders, including depression, addiction, and Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, a better understanding of how this system works in different forms of learning is important for developing targeted therapies for these conditions.

“Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons. However, current dopamine treatments not only cause the entire reward system and reduce motor symptoms, but also addictive behavior. It can cause side effects because it can cause it. ”Basic research on the functioning of these brain regions will ultimately lead to more targeted treatment with fewer side effects.

This insight is also useful in situations where increased brain plasticity, or ability to change, can be very helpful, such as trauma, aging, and oncological problems. “By stimulating the areas of the brain that produce dopamine, for example, after an accident or illness, people can regain conversation faster and improve their athletic performance. The road to it,” Vandut said. Fel explains.

Therefore, insights into our brain and the conditions under which we and other primates visually shape the world are very important. Because Van Duffel concludes:

Follow more stories above Facebook And Twitter

This story was published from a news agency feed without changing the text. Only the heading has changed.