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Bernstein Conference 2022 abstract. http://bernstein-conference.de

Bernstein Conference 2022 abstract. http://bernstein-conference.de

Boredom has been defined as an aversive mental state that is induced by the disability to engage in satisfying activity, most often experienced in monotonous environments. However, current understanding of the situational factors inducing boredom and driving subsequent behavior remains incomplete. Here, we introduce a two-alternative forced-choice task coupled with sensory stimulation of different degrees of monotony. We find that human subjects develop a bias in decision-making, avoiding the more monotonous alternative that is correlated with self-reported state boredom. This finding was replicated in independent laboratory and online experiments and proved to be specific for the induction of boredom rather than curiosity. Furthermore, using theoretical modeling we show that the entropy in the sequence of individually experienced stimuli, a measure of information gain, serves as a major determinant to predict choice behavior in the task. With this, we underline the relevance of boredom for driving behavioral responses that ensure a lasting stream of information to the brain.

Während der Entwicklung des visuellen Cortex von Ratten zeigt ein Teil der glutamatergen Synapsen rein NMDA-Rezeptor vermittelte Transmission. Diese sogenannten "silent synapses" besitzen keine, oder nicht funktionelle AMPA-Rezeptoren und können aktivitätsabhängig in einem schnellen, stufenartigen Prozess in funktionelle Synapsen umgewandelt werden. Der Anteil an "silent synapses" wird während der cortikalen Differenzierung in den supra- und infragranulären Schichten reziprok reguliert, was zu einer funktionellen Kompensation von Unterschieden in der Dichte glutamaterger Synapsen führt. Im reifen visuellen Cortex lassen sich infolge fokaler Läsionen Änderungen in der Expression von NMDA-Rezeptoruntereinheiten beobachten, die an Expressionsmuster in der früheren Entwicklung erinnern.