How to be patient. The ability to wait for a reward depends on menstrual cycle phase and feedback-related activity.

ABSTRACT: Dopamine (DA) plays a major role in reinforcement learning with increases promoting reward sensitivity (Go learning) while decreases facilitate the avoidance of negative outcomes (NoGo learning). This is also reflected in adaptations of response time: higher levels of DA enhance speeding up to get a reward, whereas lower levels favor slowing down. The steroid hormones estradiol and progesterone have been shown to modulate dopaminergic tone. Here, we tested 14 women twice during their menstrual cycle, during the follicular (FP) and the luteal phase (LP), applying functional magnetic resonance imaging while they performed a feedback learning task. Subsequent behavioral testing assessed response time preferences with a clock task, in which subjects had to explore the optimal response time (RT

SUBMITTER: Reimers L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4260677 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature