Newly identified brain cells evolved along the theme, “Life is uncertain; Eat dessert first.” The neurons, located in the front part of the brain, are most active when the outcome of a decision is uncertain, suggesting that they help with decision making, along with learning and mental flexibility in general.

This UCLA discovery in rats could aid the development of new treatments that involve the targeting of rigid thought patterns such as those in anxiety and substance use disorders in humans, who also have the same kind of brain cells.

“If we have full knowledge of the things that will happen, then we really don’t need to learn, and we don’t have to adapt our behavior,” said Alicia Izquierdo, a UCLA professor of behavioral neuroscience in the department of psychology and the senior author of the paper published in the journal Nature Communications.