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Reinforcement-based processes actively regulate motor exploration along redundant solution manifolds.

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Title: Reinforcement-based processes actively regulate motor exploration along redundant solution manifolds.
Authors: Roth, Adam M.1, Calalo, Jan A.1, Lokesh, Rakshith2, Sullivan, Seth R.2, Grill, Stephen3, Jeka, John J.3,4,5, van der Kooij, Katinka6, Carter, Michael J.7, Cashaback, Joshua G. A.1,2,3,4,5 joshcash@udel.edu
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 10/25/2023, Vol. 290 Issue 2009, p1-12. 12p.
Subjects: Random walks, Motor learning, Motor ability, Stochastic processes, Reinforcement (Psychology), Neurological disorders, Songbirds
Abstract: From a baby's babbling to a songbird practising a new tune, exploration is critical to motor learning. A hallmark of exploration is the emergence of random walk behaviour along solution manifolds, where successive motor actions are not independent but rather become serially dependent. Such exploratory random walk behaviour is ubiquitous across species' neural firing, gait patterns and reaching behaviour. The past work has suggested that exploratory random walk behaviour arises from an accumulation of movement variability and a lack of error-based corrections. Here, we test a fundamentally different idea—that reinforcement-based processes regulate random walk behaviour to promote continual motor exploration to maximize success. Across three human reaching experiments, we manipulated the size of both the visually displayed target and an unseen reward zone, as well as the probability of reinforcement feedback. Our empirical and modelling results parsimoniously support the notion that exploratory random walk behaviour emerges by utilizing knowledge of movement variability to update intended reach aim towards recently reinforced motor actions. This mechanism leads to active and continuous exploration of the solution manifold, currently thought by prominent theories to arise passively. The ability to continually explore muscle, joint and task redundant solution manifolds is beneficial while acting in uncertain environments, during motor development or when recovering from a neurological disorder to discover and learn new motor actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
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Abstract:From a baby's babbling to a songbird practising a new tune, exploration is critical to motor learning. A hallmark of exploration is the emergence of random walk behaviour along solution manifolds, where successive motor actions are not independent but rather become serially dependent. Such exploratory random walk behaviour is ubiquitous across species' neural firing, gait patterns and reaching behaviour. The past work has suggested that exploratory random walk behaviour arises from an accumulation of movement variability and a lack of error-based corrections. Here, we test a fundamentally different idea—that reinforcement-based processes regulate random walk behaviour to promote continual motor exploration to maximize success. Across three human reaching experiments, we manipulated the size of both the visually displayed target and an unseen reward zone, as well as the probability of reinforcement feedback. Our empirical and modelling results parsimoniously support the notion that exploratory random walk behaviour emerges by utilizing knowledge of movement variability to update intended reach aim towards recently reinforced motor actions. This mechanism leads to active and continuous exploration of the solution manifold, currently thought by prominent theories to arise passively. The ability to continually explore muscle, joint and task redundant solution manifolds is beneficial while acting in uncertain environments, during motor development or when recovering from a neurological disorder to discover and learn new motor actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:09628452
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2023.1475