Addiction as a computational process gone awry

Science. 2004 Dec 10;306(5703):1944-7. doi: 10.1126/science.1102384.

Abstract

Addictive drugs have been hypothesized to access the same neurophysiological mechanisms as natural learning systems. These natural learning systems can be modeled through temporal-difference reinforcement learning (TDRL), which requires a reward-error signal that has been hypothesized to be carried by dopamine. TDRL learns to predict reward by driving that reward-error signal to zero. By adding a noncompensable drug-induced dopamine increase to a TDRL model, a computational model of addiction is constructed that over-selects actions leading to drug receipt. The model provides an explanation for important aspects of the addiction literature and provides a theoretic view-point with which to address other aspects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Choice Behavior*
  • Cocaine-Related Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Cocaine-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Computer Simulation
  • Cues
  • Dopamine / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Learning
  • Mathematics
  • Models, Neurological*
  • Models, Psychological
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Probability
  • Reinforcement, Psychology*
  • Reward*

Substances

  • Dopamine