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| Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience | ||
| University of Cambridge > School of the Biological Sciences > Department of PDN > Academic Staff |
| Wolfram Schultz, MD, PhD, FRS |
| Wellcome Principal Research Fellow, Professor of Neuroscience Tel: +44 (0)1223 333779, Fax: +44 (0)1223 333840, E-mail: ws234@cam.ac.uk |
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Reward
processing in the brain
Our group is interested to relate the mechanics of brain activity to measurable behaviour. We combine behavioural, neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques to investigate the neural mechanisms of learning, goal-directed behaviour and economic decision making at the level of single neurons and individual brain structures. We use behavioural concepts from animal learning theory and economic utility theory to study the processing of reward information in specific brain regions, including the dopamine system, striatum, orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala. Further details are described in Scholarpedia (Reward and Reward signals). For more information on neuroeconomics see here. Colleagues Main Collaborations Main funding Selected publications Kobayashi S & Schultz W. Influence of reward delays on responses of dopamine neurons. J Neurosci 28: 7837-7846, 2008 Tobler PN, O’Doherty JP, Dolan R & Schultz W. Reward value coding distinct from risk attitude-related uncertainty coding in human reward systems. J Neurophysiol 97: 1621-1632, 2007 Schultz W. Multiple dopamine functions at different time courses. Ann Rev Neurosci 30: 259-288, 2007 Kobayashi S, Nomoto K, Watanabe M, Hikosaka O, Schultz W & Sakagami M. Influences of rewarding and aversive outcomes on activity in lateral prefrontal cortex. Neuron 51: 861-870, 2006 Schultz W. Behavioral theories and the neurophysiology of reward. Ann Rev Psychol 57: 87-115, 2006. Podcast http://www.in-cites.com/media/index.html Blatter K & Schultz W. Rewarding properties of visual stimuli. Exp Brain Res 168: 541-546, 2006 Tobler PN, Fiorillo CD & Schultz W. Adaptive coding of reward value by dopamine neurons. Science 307: 1642-1645, 2005 Cromwell HC & Schultz W. Effects of expectations for different reward magnitudes on neuronal activity in the striatum. J Neurophysiol 89: 2823-2838, 2003 Fiorillo CD, Tobler PN & Schultz W. Discrete coding of reward probability and uncertainty by dopamine neurons. Science 299: 1898-1902, 2003 Waelti, P., Dickinson, A. and Schultz, W.: Dopamine responses comply with basic assumptions of formal learning theory. Nature 412: 43-48, 2001 |