In Pursuit of Pleasure

In Pursuit of Pleasure, Brain Learns to Hit the Repeat Button Mar 01, 2018 | by Anne Holden PhD; Zuckerman Institute

In a scientific first, researchers have observed in mice how the brain learns to repeat patterns of neural activity that elicit the all-important feel-good sensation. But what does it mean for humans?

How the Brain Pursues Pleasure Mar 01, 2018 | by Adam Tozer PhD; Technology Networks - Neuroscience News and Research

"The results reveal that the brain learns which activity patterns lead to feel-good sensations, and reshapes itself to more efficiently reproduce those patterns."

Interview with Neuroscience News and Research Mar 02, 2018

Scientists have discovered how our brains pursue pleasure and learn from it.

This image is an artistic interpretation of the authors' work. Within a myriad of many pixel-like neurons, an obvious pattern emerges from more active red pixels and from parallel, less-active blue pixels: the letters corresponding to the word rewar… — This image is an artistic interpretation of the authors' work. Within a myriad of many pixel-like neurons, an obvious pattern emerges from more active red pixels and from parallel, less-active blue pixels: the letters corresponding to the word reward (Credit: Gil Costa).

Gabriela MartinsMarch 2, 2018