How do our brains tell us when something goes wrong?

• Topic: How our brains detect when something goes wrong.
• Key Discovery: Identification of "prediction-error neurons" by NYU neuroscientists.
• Function of Neurons: These neurons are not generally responsive to sounds but activate specifically when sounds are unexpected or "off."
• Study Insight: Brains are adept at detecting expected events and are even more proficient at identifying unexpected occurrences.
• Potential Applications:
  • Understanding the learning process.
  • Identifying causes of certain sound-related disorders.
  • Recognizing sound-related aptitudes, like speech or musical abilities.
• Research Method: Studied responses in mice by associating sounds with lever presses and then introducing unexpected sounds.
• Findings:
  • Many of the mice's "prediction-error neurons" were silent unless an unexpected sound was heard.
  • Different neurons activated based on the type of sound error (e.g., too quiet vs. wrong sound).