Datta LabHow does the brain organize spontaneous behavior? Our latest (from the amazing Jeff Markowitz, Win Gillis and Maya Jay), reveals a surprising role for dopamine as a teaching signal during free exploration, even without an explicit task or exogenous reward.
Spontaneous behaviour is structured by reinforcement without explicit reward - Nature
Photometric recordings and optogenetic manipulation show that dopamine fluctuations in the dorsolateral striatum in mice modulate the use, sequencing and vigour of behavioural modules during spontaneous behaviour.
Tim Verstynen