Varieties of Uncertainty « Coggr: A Cognitive Science Blog

Varieties of Uncertainty « Coggr: A Cognitive Science Blog: "The first article (Vanni-Mercier et al., 2009) looks at the role of the hippocampus in computing (or representing) uncertainty. Different areas of the brain are known to process uncertainty, but this study gives evidence that the hippocampus is also involved in representing uncertainty. Vanni-Mercier et al. measured local field potentials in the hippocampi of three epileptic patients (who had electrodes implanted pre-surgically). They had the patients estimate the reward payoff probability for different simulated slot machines. They performed event-related potential (ERP) analysis of the local field potentials, and found a negative ERP which had an amplitude that had an “inverted U” shaped relationship with the probability of payoff - with the largest amplitude when the probability was 50% (the most uncertainty)."