Summary: When focusing in noisy environments, the brain adjusts not by concentrating harder but by ignoring distractions that were previously disruptive. Researchers developed a neural network model showing that people fine-tune their attention based on past experiences with distractions. Unlike traditional models that study one task with a single distraction,...

Summary: Researchers have identified two distinct groups of neurons that help the brain evaluate risk and reward in decision-making. These neurons, located in the ventral striatum, separately process better-than-expected and worse-than-expected outcomes. In experiments with mice, silencing these neurons altered their anticipation of rewards, affecting their decision-making behavior.The study suggests...