The Neuromodulatory System: A Framework for Survival and Adaptive Behavior in a Challenging World

Biological organisms have the ability to respond quickly to an ever-changing world. Because this adaptability is so critical for survival, all vertebrates have sub-cortical structures, which comprise the neuromodulatory systems, to regulate fundamental behavior and drive decision making in response to environmental events. In the vertebrate, there are separate neuromodulators that respond to threats, reward anticipation, novelty, and attentional effort. However, each of these neuromodulatory systems has a similar effect, that is, to cause an organism to be decisive when environmental conditions call for such actions, and allow the organism to be more exploratory when there are no pressing events. In this article, it is proposed that principles of the neuromodulatory system could provide a framework for controlling artificial agents that may improve current artificial agent behavior. These agents would operate autonomously, effectively explore their environment, and be decisive when environmental conditions call for action.