A groundbreaking neuroscience study has revealed that the human brain uses two distinct dopamine-based learning systems to form and automate habits—a discovery that could transform approaches to addiction and neurological disorders both globally and here in Thailand. The research, published in Nature and led by neuroscientists at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre at University College London, identified a “second learning system” in the brain, which helps explain why habits become deeply ingrained, and sheds new light on possible therapeutic strategies for conditions such as addiction and Parkinson’s disease (Neuroscience News).
Thai readers should take particular note: habit formation touches daily life, from health routines and learning styles to national behavioral patterns. Understanding these two brain systems may help individuals and educators refine their approaches to breaking undesirable habits and reinforcing beneficial ones, while giving clinicians new avenues for addressing complex conditions rooted in habitual behavior.
The study fundamentally challenges the traditional notion that the brain relies on just one dopamine-driven mechanism—known as reward prediction error (RPE)—in which actions are reinforced only when their outcomes prove better than expected. The new research shows there is also an “action prediction error” (APE) system, based in the tail of the striatum, which strengthens actions simply by repeating them, regardless of their reward value. This dual-system framework reshapes neuroscience’s understanding of how repetition itself wires automated behaviors—a revelation with wide-ranging implications.
Key findings from the study demonstrate that damage to the tail region of the striatum in mice disrupts the formation of habits entirely, while leaving value-based decision making largely intact. Mice with lesions in this area could manage initial learning tasks but failed to develop the consolidated, fast-action responses that characterize habitual behavior. In contrast, control mice smoothly transitioned from value-driven decisions to ingrained habits as they became more experienced with the task, relying on both learning systems.
“This is the first time a second learning system has been identified, which could help explain how habits are formed and provide a scientific basis for new strategies to address conditions related to habitual learning, such as addictions and compulsions,” said a lead research group leader at SWC, quoted in the published summary and interview. The dual-system discovery is expected to provide a critical foundation for developing next-generation interventions for “bad habits” and for disorders like substance use, which are notoriously difficult to treat.
The implications extend far beyond laboratory mice. In Thailand, where Buddhist teachings emphasize mindfulness and conscious action, the APE system provides a neurological explanation for why automated, unexamined actions—such as addictive behaviors or negative study habits—can be so difficult to change. By targeting the APE pathway, individuals might have a better chance to retrain their brains by substituting unhealthy habits with new, positive behaviors.
Experts at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre have described real-world analogies to illustrate these brain systems at work. Imagine a person visiting a sandwich shop: initially, value-based choices (RPE) rule, carefully weighing options and outcomes. Over time, through repetition, one begins to order a favored sandwich automatically, with little conscious thought—the hallmark of APE-driven behavior. Once this “default” policy is stored, cognitive resources are freed for other decisions, such as holding a conversation while ordering lunch.
“After you develop a preference for a certain action, you can bypass your value-based system and just rely on your default policy of what you’ve done in the past,” explained the group leader. This insight also clarifies how we learn complex skills—such as driving—so thoroughly that they become automatic, allowing multi-tasking: “While your default system is doing all the repetitive tasks to drive the car, your value-based system can decide what to talk about.”
Clinically, these findings offer fresh hope for improving the management of addiction in Thailand, a country where substance use remains a public health challenge and where social stigma around compulsive disorders discourages many from seeking treatment (Thailand’s National Statistical Office and World Health Organization country profiles). Existing therapies for addiction largely focus on the reward pathways (nucleus accumbens), but the APE-based model suggests that forming competing healthy habits—like chewing gum in place of smoking—may be more effective than simply trying to suppress the original habit.
For Parkinson’s disease, which affects tens of thousands of Thais, the discovery provides a potential explanation for “paradoxical” motor behaviors. These occur when habitual movements—such as walking—are impaired, but more novel or flexible tasks remain intact. The loss of movement-specific dopamine neurons in Parkinson’s appears to weaken the APE system, making habitual actions harder to perform even as the value-based system remains functional. According to the research group, “movement that uses the habitual system is compromised, but movement that uses your value-based flexible system is fine. This gives us a new place to look in the brain and a new way of thinking about Parkinson’s.”
Notably, the research harnessed advanced techniques: mice performed an auditory discrimination task while scientists used genetically encoded dopamine sensors to precisely track neuron activity in the implicated region. Computational models led by collaborators at Imperial College refined understanding of how RPE and APE systems interact. Findings confirmed that while value-based learning dominates at first, habit formation occurs when the brain “hands over” repetitive decisions to the APE system in the tail of the striatum.
For educators and policymakers in Thailand, the study underscores the power of repetition and practice in learning—essential concepts in Thai school curricula and Buddhist monastic training alike. Once a skill is sufficiently practiced, it becomes habitual, allowing students to focus on higher-level thinking. This may support instructional strategies that blend initial conscious learning with ample practice, as seen in Thai language and maths lessons, and also in music training or athletic drills.
The Thai language itself may reinforce this research, as the Thai concept of “anuban” (อนุบาล)—roughly “kindergarten” but also connoting repetition and nurturing—suggests a culture attuned to the formative power of repeated actions. The same principle is shown in meditation, where monks repeat chants or mindful actions to create new positive habits and mental pathways, a practice now shown to have roots in brain chemistry.
Looking to the future, the research team aims to further dissect how APE and RPE work together in humans and to test new APE-targeted therapies. For Thai hospitals and medical researchers, these findings may prompt new clinical trials and cross-disciplinary programs for habit-related disorders. The study’s lead scientist noted, “Now that we know this second learning system exists in the brain, we have a scientific basis for developing new strategies to break bad habits.”
For Thai readers striving for self-improvement or seeking to help loved ones overcome unhealthy patterns, these findings offer actionable advice: instead of focusing only on the rewards (or punishments) attached to behaviors, pay attention to what actions are being repeated, and consider actively substituting unwanted habits with new, frequent, and healthy alternatives. Over time, according to this new neuroscience, the brain itself will reinforce the new pattern—literally rewiring its circuits for better outcomes.
In summary, this landmark research illuminates why habits are both so powerful and so difficult to break—and, crucially, how they may be changed. As Thailand continues to grapple with rising rates of chronic disease, addiction, and mental health challenges, the two-system learning framework provides an evidence-based toolkit for individuals, families, and health professionals to intervene more effectively. Thai educational and health authorities are encouraged to integrate these findings into national policy, emphasizing habit replacement and repeated practice in treatment and teaching methods.
For those interested in making a change, the message is clear: start by repeating the desired action consistently and often, even if it feels unfamiliar at first. The brain’s newly discovered APE system will take note, and—given time and persistence—help build new, beneficial habits that last a lifetime.
Sources: Neuroscience News | Nature (Original Paper) | Thailand NSO | World Health Organization Thailand