The effect of micro-stimulation of the ventral tegmental area on learning and plasticity

We will examine the contribution of reward to visual perceptual learning in primates. We will pair optogentic stimulation of dopaminergic neurons of the macaque Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) with visual stimuli using fMRI and single unity electorphysiology. These modifications in cortical representation of the visual stimuli will be related to behavioral changes in detection and discrimination thresholds of the stimuli that were pared with the VTA stimulation.