The role of subjective values and dopamine availability in incentive-based motor learning

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development awarded Thomas Jefferson University $114,020 on January 1, 2026, under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865) to conduct research testing how subjective perceptions of incentives drive motor learning in gamified rehabilitation interventions.

The award funds investigation into incentive-based motor learning theory, with the central hypothesis that subjective values—individual perceptions of incentive structures—shape how the motor system learns in response to incentives. The research addresses a gap in understanding optimal application of gamified physical rehabilitation, particularly for patients with neurologic disorders such as Parkinson's disease where incentive processing may be impaired. The work uses behavioral economics methods to measure individual subjective values and reaching tasks to quantify incentive-based motor learning, with the goal of customizing incentive structures to maximize motivation and learning outcomes across patient populations.

Performance occurs in Pennsylvania. The period of performance runs from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2025, with $114,020 obligated.

Abstract

Advances in virtual and augmented reality, wearable technology, and commercialized gaming systems have led to the increased use of gamified physical rehabilitation interventions. These interventions rely on a structure of incentives (i.e., providing or removing points for good or poor performance) to drive behavioral changes and are thought to increase motivation and engagement over non-gamified interventions. Whether gamified interventions improve rehabilitation outcomes beyond standard care is unclear, however, especially for people with neurologic disorders like parkinson's disease (PD), where the processing of incentives may be impaired. The current understanding of how the motor system learns in response to incentive structures is rather poor. In particular, little work to date has addressed how subjective value, a fundamental principle of behavioral economics known to govern incentive-based motivation and decision-making, shapes motor learning in health and disease. This critical GAP prevents US from optimally applying incentive structures to maximize outcomes during rehabilitation interventions across patient populations. Therefore, the overall objective of this work is to test a novel theoretical framework for how incentives drive changes in motor learning. The central hypothesis is that subjective perceptions of incentives (i.e., subjective values) drive incentive-based motor learning. This theory implies that incentive structures could be customized for individuals or for patient populations to maximize motivation and learning from gamified rehabilitation interventions. To test this theory, an established method from behavioral economics will be used to measure individual subjective values, and a reaching task will be used to test the magnitude of incentive- based motor learning. Aim 1 will determine the extent to which subjective value dictates motor learning in neurotypical individuals. Aim 2 will determine how subjective values are impacted by PD, which is characterized by reduced dopamine production, a neurotransmitter that has been linked to incentive processing. Overall, the proposed research will deepen our understanding of how people learn new behaviors in response to incentives. The research and training proposed in this fellowship will be completed in a strong research environment under the guidance of an exceptional team of experienced mentors. The applicant will develop skills related to the design, execution and analysis of motor learning and translational rehabilitation research, all of which have been specifically selected to achieve his long-term career goal of improving neurologic rehabilitation practice.