Prediction-Based Attenuation as a General Property of Learning in Neural Circuits

One of the mechanisms proposed to underpin perceptual learning is the reduction in salience of predicted stimuli. This reduction is held to affect the representation of (conditioned) stimuli before they have been associated with motivationally meaningful consequences but may also affect (unconditioned) stimuli that automatically elicit responding. The purpose of this article is to review past findings and present new evidence of phenomena across a range of domains that are consistent with the idea that responses automatically triggered by stimulating events will be reduced by prediction. We argue that prediction-based attenuation may serve several adaptive functions.