PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kim, Dongjae
AU  - Schütt, Heiko H.
AU  - Ma, Wei Ji
TI  - Reward prediction error neurons implement an efficient code for reward
AID  - 10.1101/2022.11.03.515104
DP  - 2022 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2022.11.03.515104
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/11/04/2022.11.03.515104.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/11/04/2022.11.03.515104.full
AB  - We apply efficient coding principles to derive the optimal population of neurons to encode rewards from a distribution. Similar to this optimal population, dopaminergic reward prediction error neurons have a broad distribution of optimistically placed thresholds, neurons with higher thresholds have higher gain and the curvature of their responses depends on the threshold. Thus, these neurons may broadcast an efficient reward signal, not necessarily a reward prediction error.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.