Animals have a remarkable ability to learn new skills. Neuronal activity generates movements, which are then refined via feedback from the environment in a process called reinforcement learning. But how is this reinforcement implemented at the synaptic level?
I am tackling this question by using a brain-machine interface paradigm that combines imaging of cortical synaptic activity with midbrain dopamine stimulation. With this approach, I can measure how dopamine-driven synaptic plasticity sculpts brain circuits during reinforcement learning.