Subcortical Structures
and Cognition

Chapter 4

Learning and the Basal Ganglia: Benefiting from Action and Reinforcement

This chapter describes the various learning functions of the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia are described as playing a critical role in motor sequence learning and in categorization. Different types of category learning are described, as well as the role of the basal ganglia in these types of categorization.

The basal ganglia are also presented as playing a critical role in reinforcement learning. Principles of reinforcement learning are examined and these principles are applied to the different sensitivities individuals demonstrate to the positive and negative reward characteristics of the environment. These principles are also described as playing a role in working memory functions, with implications for why working memory deficits can be difficult to treat.