#UnsupervisedLearning

A new study published in Nature shows that the brain remains active and preparing for future challenges even during daydreaming or aimless exploration. Researchers at Janelia Research Campus, part of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, tracked tens of thousands of neurons in mice. They found that unstructured exploration helps the visual cortex build an internal map of surroundings, setting the stage for faster, more effective learning later on. These insights come from work with mice navigating virtual reality corridors that varied in texture and reward, revealing unsupervised learning at work in the brain.

A new study published in Nature reveals that even when you’re zoning out or aimlessly exploring, your brain may be hard at work preparing itself for future challenges. Researchers at the prestigious Janelia Research Campus, part of HHMI, recorded the neural activity of tens of thousands of neurons in mice. Their findings suggest that unstructured, goal-free exploration triggers the brain’s visual cortex to build an internal model of the environment—one that primes the mind for faster, more effective learning later on (Neuroscience News).