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Rats adopt the optimal timescale for evidence integration in a dynamic environment

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Listed:
  • Alex T. Piet

    (Princeton University)

  • Ahmed El Hady

    (Princeton University
    Princeton University)

  • Carlos D. Brody

    (Princeton University
    Princeton University
    Princeton University)

Abstract

Decision making in dynamic environments requires discounting old evidence that may no longer inform the current state of the world. Previous work found that humans discount old evidence in a dynamic environment, but do not discount at the optimal rate. Here we investigated whether rats can optimally discount evidence in a dynamic environment by adapting the timescale over which they accumulate evidence. Using discrete evidence pulses, we exactly compute the optimal inference process. We show that the optimal timescale for evidence discounting depends on both the stimulus statistics and noise in sensory processing. When both of these components are taken into account, rats accumulate and discount evidence with the optimal timescale. Finally, by changing the volatility of the environment, we demonstrate experimental control over the rats’ accumulation timescale. The mechanisms supporting integration are a subject of extensive study, and experimental control over these timescales may open new avenues of investigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex T. Piet & Ahmed El Hady & Carlos D. Brody, 2018. "Rats adopt the optimal timescale for evidence integration in a dynamic environment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-06561-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06561-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard D Lange & Ankani Chattoraj & Jeffrey M Beck & Jacob L Yates & Ralf M Haefner, 2021. "A confirmation bias in perceptual decision-making due to hierarchical approximate inference," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(11), pages 1-30, November.
    2. Diksha Gupta & Brian DePasquale & Charles D. Kopec & Carlos D. Brody, 2024. "Trial-history biases in evidence accumulation can give rise to apparent lapses in decision-making," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Jacob D Davidson & Ahmed El Hady, 2019. "Foraging as an evidence accumulation process," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-25, July.
    4. J. Tyler Boyd-Meredith & Alex T. Piet & Emily Jane Dennis & Ahmed El Hady & Carlos D. Brody, 2022. "Stable choice coding in rat frontal orienting fields across model-predicted changes of mind," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

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