Dopaminergic stimulation enhances confidence and accuracy in seeing rapidly presented words
Hans C Lou, Joshua Skewes, Kristine Rømer Thomsen, Morten Overgaard, Hakwan Lau, Kim Mouridsen, Andreas Roepstorff
Journal of Vision February 23, 2011 DOI: 10.1167/11.2.15 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Normal, healthy female university students |
| Intervention | Pergolide |
| Citations | 83 |
| Key points | Dopaminergic activation with pergolide increased confidence in seeing rapidly presented words and improved performance in a forced-choice word recognition task, demonstrating neurotransmitter regulation of subjective conscious experience of perception. |
Abstract
Liberal acceptance, overconfidence, and increased activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine have been proposed to account for abnormal sensory experiences, for instance, hallucinations in schizophrenia. In normal subjects, increased sensory experience in Yoga Nidra meditation is linked to striatal dopamine release. We therefore hypothesize that the neurotransmitter dopamine may function as a regulator of subjective confidence of visual perception in the normal brain. Although much is known about the effect of stimulation by neurotransmitters on cognitive functions, their effect on subjective confidence of perception has never been recorded experimentally before. In a controlled study of 24 normal, healthy female university students with the dopamine agonist pergolide given orally, we show that dopaminergic activation increases confidence in seeing rapidly presented words. It also improves performance in a forced-choice word recognition task. These results demonstrate neurotransmitter regulation of subjective conscious experience of perception and provide evidence for a crucial role of dopamine.