PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Zajkowski, Wojciech AU - Kossut, Malgorzata AU - Wilson, Robert C. TI - A causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration AID - 10.1101/064741 DP - 2016 Jan 01 TA - bioRxiv PG - 064741 4099 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/07/19/064741.short 4100 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/07/19/064741.full AB - The explore-exploit dilemma occurs anytime we must choose between exploring unknown options for information and exploiting known resources for reward. Previous work suggests that people use two different strategies to solve the explore-exploit dilemma: directed exploration driven by information seeking and random exploration driven by decision noise. Here, we show that these two strategies rely on different neural systems. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation to selectively inhibit right frontopolar cortex, we were able to selectively inhibit directed exploration while leaving random exploration intact, suggesting a causal role for right frontopolar cortex in directed, but not random, exploration.