美国布朗大学M. J. Frank和荷兰拉德布德大学R. Cools研究小组合作发现，多巴胺通过产生认知行为收益与成本的偏差来促进认知努力。2020年3月20日，《科学》发表了这一成果。

研究发现，哌醋甲酯通过改变认知行为的利益成本比来增强个体付出努力的意愿。纹状体多巴胺合成能力较高的参与者愿意付出更大的努力，而选择性D2受体拮抗剂哌醋甲酯和舒必利更大改善了合成能力较低参与者的认知能力。

通过瞬时程序获得的顺序采样模型显示，花费精力的决策与决策过程中早期产生的收益-成本信息放大有关，而收益效果则随着更高的合成能力和哌醋甲酯而增强。

这些发现表明，哌醋甲酯通过调节纹状体多巴胺信号传导以提高认知能力的成本，而不是认知努力成本。

据介绍，诸如哌醋甲酯之类的兴奋剂越来越多地用于增强认知，但是尚不清楚确切的机制。

附：英文原文

Title: Dopamine promotes cognitive effort by biasing the benefits versus costs of cognitive work

Author: A. Westbrook, R. van den Bosch, J. I. Mtt, L. Hofmans, D. Papadopetraki, R. Cools, M. J. Frank

Issue&Volume: 2020/03/20

Abstract: Abstract

Stimulants such as methylphenidate are increasingly used for cognitive enhancement but precise mechanisms are unknown. We found that methylphenidate boosts willingness to expend cognitive effort by altering the benefit-to-cost ratio of cognitive work. Willingness to expend effort was greater for participants with higher striatal dopamine synthesis capacity, whereas methylphenidate and sulpiride, a selective D2 receptor antagonist, increased cognitive motivation more for participants with lower synthesis capacity. A sequential sampling model informed by momentary gaze revealed that decisions to expend effort are related to amplification of benefit-versus-cost information attended early in the decision process, whereas the effect of benefits is strengthened with higher synthesis capacity and by methylphenidate. These findings demonstrate that methylphenidate boosts the perceived benefits versus costs of cognitive effort by modulating striatal dopamine signaling.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz5891

Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6484/1362