The neural basis of delayed gratification

The neurons responsible for delayed gratification

29 July 2022

The neurons that enable mice to opt for a better, delayed reward over an immediate one have been identified for the first time.

Life often rewards those who resist instant gratification and hold out for something better further down the track. This ability to choose a future benefit over an instant one has been extensively studied in psychological and brain-monitoring experiments on humans and in rodent studies. But the neural basis for delayed gratification was unknown until now.

Now, a team led by researchers from ShanghaiTech University in China has discovered that neurons that release the neurotransmitter dopamine in the ventral tegmental area of the midbrain become increasingly active while mice waited for a water reward.

By activating or silencing these neurons, the team was able to lengthen or shorten the time the mice waited for a reward.

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References

1. Science Advances 7, eabg6611 (2022). doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abg6611