Menu

EMAIL ws42@pm.me

Other Interdiciplinary Incentives

  • Neuroscience
  • Research Focus

    Keywords

  • Reward
  • Decision Neuroscience
  • Neuroeconomics
  • Clinical Conditions

  • Addiction
  • Equipment & Techniques

  • Behavioural analysis
  • Science Culture

  • Science Writing
  • Back

    Professor Wolfram Schultz FRS

    University Position
    Professor

    Interests

    Our group is interested to relate the mechanics of brain activity to measurable behaviour. We combine neurophysiological, imaging and behavioural techniques to investigate the neural correlates of goal-directed. We are interested in outcome value (in particular reward) signals in specific brain structures such as dopamine neurons, striatum, frontal cortex and amygdala. These rapid, global, evaluative and supervising neural signals may play a role in decision-making and choice behaviour. In investigating these outcome-coding mechanisms we try to establish a common biological basis for animal learning theory, microeconomic utility and game theories, and behavioural ecology. The larger background is to consider the brain in its capacity for processing reward information as an essential organ for assuring the fitness for survival in an evolutionary framework.

    Key Publications

    Dopamine Modulates Adaptive Prediction Error Coding in the Human Midbrain and Striatum.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1979-16.2016
    Journal: J Neurosci
    E-pub date: 15 Feb 2017
    Authors: KMJ Diederen, H Ziauddeen, MD Vestergaard, T Spencer, W Schultz, PC Fletcher

    Retroactive modulation of spike timing-dependent plasticity by dopamine.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09685
    Journal: Elife
    E-pub date: 30 Oct 2015
    Authors: Z Brzosko, W Schultz, O Paulsen

    Dopamine modulates the neural representation of subjective value of food in hungry subjects.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2051-14.2014
    Journal: J Neurosci
    E-pub date: 10 Dec 2014
    Authors: N Medic, H Ziauddeen, MD Vestergaard, E Henning, W Schultz, IS Farooqi, PC Fletcher

    Publications

    Worth the work? Monkeys discount rewards by a subjective adapting effort cost.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0115-23.2023
    Journal: J Neurosci
    E-pub date: 4 Oct 2023
    Authors: M Burrell, A Pastor-Bernier, W Schultz

    Reward Value Revealed by Auction in Rhesus Monkeys

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3598157
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 26 Feb 2023
    Authors: A Al-Mohammad, W Schultz

    Concept-Based Neural Investigations of Multi-Component Economic Choice in Human and Non-Human Primates

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4295148
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 24 Dec 2022
    Authors: A Pastor-Bernier, K Volkmann, L Chi U Seak, A Stasiak, CR Plott, W Schultz

    Risky choice: probability weighting explains Independence Axiom violations in monkeys

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.11.468261
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2021
    Authors: S Ferrari-Toniolo, LC Seak, W Schultz

    Comparing Utility Functions Between Risky and Riskless Choice in Rhesus Monkeys

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3764923
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 26 Mar 2021
    Authors: PM Bujold, S Ferrari-Toniolo, L Chi U Seak, W Schultz

    Scalar Human Brain Responses to Vectorial Economic Choice Options: A Concept-Driven Approach

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3570488
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 2 Nov 2020
    Authors: L Chi U Seak, K Volkmann, A Pastor-Bernier, F Grabenhorst, W Schultz

    Experimentally Revealed Stochastic Preferences for Multi-Component Choice Options

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3608149
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 7 Oct 2020
    Authors: A Pastor-Bernier, K Volkmann, A Stasiak, F Grabenhorst, W Schultz

    The Role of the Primate Amygdala in Reward and Decision-Making

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/11442.003.0069
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 12 May 2020
    Authors: F Grabenhorst, CD Salzman, W Schultz

    Compliance with the Continuity Axiom of Expected Utility Theory Supports Utility Maximization in Monkeys

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3542282
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 19 Mar 2020
    Authors: S Ferrari-Toniolo, PM Bujold, F Grabenhorst, R Báez-Mendoza, W Schultz

    Sequential neuromodulation of Hebbian plasticity offers mechanism for effective reward-based navigation.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.27756
    Journal: Elife
    E-pub date: 10 Jul 2017
    Authors: Z Brzosko, S Zannone, W Schultz, C Clopath, O Paulsen