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Naoshige Uchida
Prof., Harvard
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About
Naoshige Uchida was a postdoc in the Mainen Lab from 2000-2006, where he worked on olfactory decision-making. His research focuses on understanding dopamine signaling, reinforcement learning, and decision-making processes, with particular emphasis on how prediction errors and value computations are implemented in neural circuits. He is now a Professor at Harvard University, where he continues to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying learning and behavior.
Complete Publications
h-index: 50 | Total papers: 119 | Lab papers: 21 | Sources: S2 (2026-03-30)
Hennig JA, Burrell M, Uchida N, Gershman S. Phasic dopamine drives conditioned responding beyond its role in learning . bioRxiv , 2026.
Lee J, Hennig J, Frelih V, Gershman S, Uchida N. Emergence of rapid value inference through meta-reinforcement learning . bioRxiv , 2026.
Tsutsui-Kimura I, Tian Z, Amo R, Zhuo Y, Li Y, Campbell MG, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Dopamine in the tail of the striatum facilitates avoidance in threat–reward conflicts . Nature Neuroscience , 2025. Citations: 20
Liu D, Rahman M, Johnson A, Amo R, Tsutsui-Kimura I, ... et al.. A hypothalamic circuit underlying the dynamic control of social homeostasis . Nature , 2025. Citations: 19
Qian L, Burrell M, Hennig J, Matias S, Murthy VN, Gershman S, Uchida N. Prospective contingency explains behavior and dopamine signals during associative learning . Nature Neuroscience , 2025. Citations: 11
Lowet AS, Zheng Q, Meng M, Matias S, Drugowitsch J, Uchida N. An opponent striatal circuit for distributional reinforcement learning . Nature , 2025. Citations: 5
Tolooshams B, Matias S, Wu H, Temereanca S, Uchida N, Murthy VN, Masset P, Ba D. Interpretable deep learning for deconvolutional analysis of neural signals. . Neuron , 2025. Citations: 2
Bukwich M, Campbell MG, Zoltowski DM, Kingsbury L, Tomov MS, Stern J, Kim HR, Drugowitsch J, Linderman SW, Uchida N. Competitive integration of time and reward explains value-sensitive foraging decisions and frontal cortex ramping dynamics. . Neuron , 2025. Citations: 2
Campbell MG, Ra Y, Chen Z, Xu S, Burrell M, Matias S, Watabe-Uchida M, Uchida N. A hardwired neural circuit for temporal difference learning . bioRxiv , 2025. Citations: 1
Kingsbury L, Zhang G, Sanguinetti-Scheck J, Uchida N. Context-specific configuration of orthogonal integrator dynamics for flexible foraging decisions . bioRxiv , 2025.
Gershman S, Assad JA, Datta SR, Linderman SW, Sabatini BL, Uchida N, Wilbrecht L. Explaining dopamine through prediction errors and beyond . Nature Neuroscience , 2024. Citations: 64
Cai X, Liu C, Tsutsui-Kimura I, Lee J, Guo C, ... et al.. Dopamine dynamics are dispensable for movement but promote reward responses . Nature , 2024. Citations: 35
Amo R, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Glutamate inputs send prediction error of reward, but not negative value of aversive stimuli, to dopamine neurons. . Neuron , 2024. Citations: 11
Lowet AS, Zheng Q, Meng M, Matias S, Drugowitsch J, Uchida N. An opponent striatal circuit for distributional reinforcement learning . bioRxiv , 2024. Citations: 9
Qian L, Burrell M, Hennig JA, Matias S, Murthy VN, Gershman S, Uchida N. The role of prospective contingency in the control of behavior and dopamine signals during associative learning . bioRxiv , 2024. Citations: 5
Tolooshams B, Matias S, Wu H, Temereanca S, Uchida N, Murthy VN, Masset P, Ba D. Interpretable deep learning for deconvolutional analysis of neural signals . bioRxiv , 2024. Citations: 4
Kamath T, Lodder B, Bilsel E, Green I, Dalangin R, ... et al.. Hunger modulates exploration through suppression of dopamine signaling in the tail of striatum . bioRxiv , 2024. Citations: 3
Doi Y, Asaka M, Born RT, Yanagihara D, Uchida N. A novel behavioral paradigm using mice to study predictive postural control . bioRxiv , 2024.
Uchida N. Does a new theory of dopamine replace the classic model? . The Transmitter , 2024.
Markowitz J, Gillis WF, Jay M, Wood J, Harris RW, ... et al.. Spontaneous behaviour is structured by reinforcement without explicit reward . Nature , 2023. Citations: 143
Hennig JA, Pinto SR, Yamaguchi T, Linderman SW, Uchida N, Gershman S. Emergence of belief-like representations through reinforcement learning . PLoS Comput. Biol. , 2023. Citations: 28
Liu D, Rahman M, Johnson A, Tsutsui-Kimura I, Pena N, ... et al.. A Hypothalamic Circuit Underlying the Dynamic Control of Social Homeostasis . bioRxiv , 2023. Citations: 27
Masset P, Tano P, Kim HR, Malik A, Pouget A, Uchida N. Multi-timescale reinforcement learning in the brain . bioRxiv , 2023. Citations: 23
Pinto SR, Uchida N. Tonic dopamine and biases in value learning linked through a biologically inspired reinforcement learning model . bioRxiv , 2023. Citations: 12
Bukwich M, Campbell MG, Zoltowski DM, Kingsbury L, Tomov MS, Stern J, Kim HR, Drugowitsch J, Linderman SW, Uchida N. Competitive integration of time and reward explains value-sensitive foraging decisions and frontal cortex ramping dynamics . bioRxiv , 2023. Citations: 5
Amo R, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Glutamate inputs send prediction error of reward but not negative value of aversive stimuli to dopamine neurons . bioRxiv , 2023. Citations: 5
Hennig JA, Pinto SR, Yamaguchi T, Linderman SW, Uchida N, Gershman S. Emergence of belief-like representations through reinforcement learning . bioRxiv , 2023.
Amo R, Matias S, Yamanaka A, Tanaka KF, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. A gradual temporal shift of dopamine responses mirrors the progression of temporal difference error in machine learning . Nature Neuroscience , 2022. Citations: 56
Tsutsui-Kimura I, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Dynamical management of potential threats regulated by dopamine and direct- and indirect-pathway neurons in the tail of the striatum . bioRxiv , 2022. Citations: 12
Tolooshams B, Wu H, Uchida N, Murthy V, Masset P, Ba DE. Unsupervised sparse deconvolutional learning of features driving neural activity. 2022.
Akiti K, Tsutsui-Kimura I, Xie Y, Mathis A, Markowitz J, Anyoha R, Datta SR, Mathis MW, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Striatal dopamine explains novelty-induced behavioral dynamics and individual variability in threat prediction . bioRxiv , 2021. Citations: 76
Uchida N. Decision letter: Rapid odor processing by layer 2 subcircuits in lateral entorhinal cortex . 2021.
Uchida N. Editor's evaluation: Rapid odor processing by layer 2 subcircuits in lateral entorhinal cortex . 2021.
Uchida N. Decision letter: A bidirectional corticoamygdala circuit for the encoding and retrieval of detailed reward memories . 2021.
Dabney W, Kurth-Nelson Z, Uchida N, Starkweather C, Hassabis D, Munos R, Botvinick M. A distributional code for value in dopamine-based reinforcement learning . Nature , 2020. Citations: 391
Lak A, Hueske E, Hirokawa J, Masset P, Ott T, ... et al.. Reinforcement biases subsequent perceptual decisions when confidence is low, a widespread behavioral phenomenon . eLife , 2020. Citations: 87
Tsutsui-Kimura I, Matsumoto H, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Distinct temporal difference error signals in dopamine axons in three regions of the striatum in a decision-making task . bioRxiv , 2020. Citations: 81
Lowet AS, Zheng Q, Matias S, Drugowitsch J, Uchida N. Distributional Reinforcement Learning in the Brain. . Trends in Neurosciences , 2020. Citations: 58
Starkweather C, Uchida N. Dopamine signals as temporal difference errors: recent advances. . Current Opinion in Neurobiology , 2020. Citations: 49
Amo R, Yamanaka A, Tanaka KF, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. A gradual backward shift of dopamine responses during associative learning . bioRxiv , 2020. Citations: 7
Uchida N, Ikemoto S. Decision letter: Distinct signals in medial and lateral VTA dopamine neurons modulate fear extinction at different times . 2020.
Tsutsui-Kimura I, Matsumoto H, Akiti K, Yamada M, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Author response: Distinct temporal difference error signals in dopamine axons in three regions of the striatum in a decision-making task . 2020.
Kim HR, Malik AN, Mikhael JG, Bech P, Tsutsui-Kimura I, ... et al.. A unified framework for dopamine signals across timescales . bioRxiv , 2019. Citations: 227
Gershman S, Uchida N. Believing in dopamine . Nature Reviews Neuroscience , 2019. Citations: 198
Mikhael JG, Kim HR, Uchida N, Gershman S. The Role of State Uncertainty in the Dynamics of Dopamine . bioRxiv , 2019. Citations: 66
Watabe-Uchida M, Uchida N. Multiple Dopamine Systems: Weal and Woe of Dopamine. . Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology , 2019. Citations: 55
Uchida N, Kim HR. The nature of dopamine signals during spatial navigation . IBRO Reports , 2019.
Uchida N. Decision letter: An open cortico-basal ganglia loop allows limbic control over motor output via the nigrothalamic pathway . 2019.
Uchida N, Robbe D. Decision letter: Distinct recruitment of dorsomedial and dorsolateral striatum erodes with extended training . 2019.
Uchida N, Kakei S. Decision letter: Inhibition of protein synthesis in M1 of monkeys disrupts performance of sequential movements guided by memory . 2019.
Kohl J, Babayan BM, Rubinstein ND, Autry AE, Marin-Rodriguez B, ... et al.. Functional circuit architecture underlying parental behaviour . Nature , 2018. Citations: 361
Menegas W, Akiti K, Amo R, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Dopamine neurons projecting to the posterior striatum reinforce avoidance of threatening stimuli . Nature Neuroscience , 2018. Citations: 312
Starkweather C, Gershman S, Uchida N. The Medial Prefrontal Cortex Shapes Dopamine Reward Prediction Errors under State Uncertainty. . Neuron , 2018. Citations: 125
Babayan BM, Uchida N, Gershman S. Belief state representation in the dopamine system . Nature Communications , 2018. Citations: 98
Tye K, Uchida N. Editorial overview: Neurobiology of behavior. . Current Opinion in Neurobiology , 2018. Citations: 3
Witten I, Uchida N. Decision letter: Rat behavior and dopamine release are modulated by conspecific distress . 2018.
Watabe-Uchida M, Eshel N, Uchida N. Neural Circuitry of Reward Prediction Error. . Annual Review of Neuroscience , 2017. Citations: 346
Starkweather C, Babayan BM, Uchida N, Gershman S. Dopamine reward prediction errors reflect hidden state inference across time . Nature Neuroscience , 2017. Citations: 189
Mathis MW, Mathis A, Uchida N. Somatosensory Cortex Plays an Essential Role in Forelimb Motor Adaptation in Mice. . Neuron , 2017. Citations: 183
Uchida N, Cohen JY. Slow motion . eLife , 2017. Citations: 26
Menegas W, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. A Self-Killing Rabies Virus That Leaves a Trace on the DNA. . Trends in Neurosciences , 2017. Citations: 1
Tian J, Uchida N, Eshel N. Reward and Decision Encoding in Basal Ganglia: Insights From Optogenetics and Viral Tracing Studies in Rodents . 2017.
Eshel N, Tian J, Bukwich M, Uchida N. Dopamine neurons share common response function for reward prediction error . Nature Neuroscience , 2016. Citations: 271
Menegas W, Babayan BM, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Opposite initialization to novel cues in dopamine signaling in ventral and posterior striatum in mice . eLife , 2016. Citations: 221
Tian J, Huang R, Cohen JY, Osakada F, Kobak D, Machens C, Callaway E, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Distributed and Mixed Information in Monosynaptic Inputs to Dopamine Neurons. . Neuron , 2016. Citations: 200
Matsumoto H, Tian J, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Midbrain dopamine neurons signal aversion in a reward-context-dependent manner . eLife , 2016. Citations: 109
Kobak D, Brendel W, Constantinidis C, Feierstein C, Kepecs A, Mainen Z, Qi X, Romo R, Uchida N, Machens C. Author response: Demixed principal component analysis of neural population data lab . 2016. Citations: 10
Uchida N, Tian J. Neural Circuit Mechanisms Underlying Dopamine Reward Prediction Errors. 2016.
Cohen JY, Mathis MW, Uchida N. Serotonergic neurons signal reward and punishment on multiple timescales . eLife , 2015. Citations: 352
Eshel N, Bukwich M, Rao V, Hemmelder V, Tian J, Uchida N. Arithmetic and local circuitry underlying dopamine prediction errors . Nature , 2015. Citations: 338
Menegas W, Bergan J, Ogawa SK, Isogai Y, Venkataraju KU, Osten P, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Dopamine neurons projecting to the posterior striatum form an anatomically distinct subclass . eLife , 2015. Citations: 296
Tian J, Uchida N. Habenula Lesions Reveal that Multiple Mechanisms Underlie Dopamine Prediction Errors. . Neuron , 2015. Citations: 162
Eshel N, Bukwich M, Rao V, Hemmelder V, Tian J, Uchida N. Erratum: Arithmetic and local circuitry underlying dopamine prediction errors . Nature , 2015. Citations: 24
Tian J, Uchida N. Monkeys in a prisoner's dilemma. . Cell , 2015. Citations: 2
Redish A, Stott JJ, Mathis MW, Uchida N, Ito M, Doya K. Reward Responses on the Multiple T Task Sequential Navigation: Separation of Spatial and Neuronal Activity in the Rodent Dorsal Striatum in. 2015. Citations: 1
Willard AM, Gittis A, Sk O, Osten P, Uchida N. Mapping neural circuits with CLARITY use of whole-brain imaging has shed new light on the organization of. 2015.
Mainen Z, Mathis MW, Uchida N, Zhou J, Jia C, ... et al.. Eventsand Specific Sensory, Motor, and Reward Transient Firing of Dorsal Raphe Neurons Encodes lab . 2015.
Kobak D, Brendel W, Constantinidis C, Feierstein C, Kepecs A, Mainen Z, Qi X, Romo R, Uchida N, Machens C. Demixed principal component analysis of neural population data lab . eLife , 2014. Citations: 537
Krashes M, Shah BP, Madara JC, Olson D, Strochlic DE, ... et al.. A Novel Excitatory Paraventricular Nucleus to AgRP Neuron Circuit that Drives Hunger . Nature , 2014. Citations: 419
Ogawa SK, Cohen JY, Hwang D, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Organization of monosynaptic inputs to the serotonin and dopamine neuromodulatory systems. lab . Cell Reports , 2014. Citations: 234
Uchida N, Poo C, Haddad R. Coding and transformations in the olfactory system. . Annual Review of Neuroscience , 2014. Citations: 162
Uchida N. Bilingual neurons release glutamate and GABA . Nature Neuroscience , 2014. Citations: 16
Haddad R, Lanjuin A, Madisen L, Zeng H, Murthy V, Uchida N. Olfactory cortical neurons read out a relative time code in the olfactory bulb . Nature Neuroscience , 2013. Citations: 208
Wang AY, Miura K, Uchida N. The dorsomedial striatum encodes net expected return, critical for energizing performance vigor . Nature Neuroscience , 2013. Citations: 129
Zariwala HA, Kepecs A, Uchida N, Hirokawa J, Mainen Z. The limits of deliberation in a perceptual decision task. lab . Neuron , 2013. Citations: 80
Uchida N, Eshel N, Watabe-Uchida M. Division of labor for division: inhibitory interneurons with different spatial landscapes in the olfactory system. . Neuron , 2013. Citations: 12
Eshel N, Tian J, Uchida N. Opening the black box: dopamine, predictions, and learning . Trends in Cognitive Sciences , 2013. Citations: 9
Uchida N. Dissecting computations in the dopamine reward circuit: beyond stamp collecting. 2013.
Haesler S, Mutlu K, Uchida N. Dynamic changes of VTA GABA neuron activity during learning and extinction. 2013.
Watabe-Uchida M, Zhu L, Ogawa SK, Vamanrao A, Uchida N. Whole-brain mapping of direct inputs to midbrain dopamine neurons. . Neuron , 2012. Citations: 1172
Miura K, Mainen Z, Uchida N. Odor representations in olfactory cortex: distributed rate coding and decorrelated population activity. lab . Neuron , 2012. Citations: 221
Spors H, Albeanu DF, Murthy V, Rinberg D, Uchida N, Wachowiak M, Friedrich R. Illuminating Vertebrate Olfactory Processing . Journal of Neuroscience , 2012. Citations: 32
Spors H, Albeanu DF, Murthy V, Rinberg D, Uchida N, Wachowiak M, Friedrich R. Illuminating Vertebrate Olfactory Processing how this access benefits you. Your story matters. 2012.
Spors H, Albeanu DF, Murthy V, Rinberg D, Uchida N, Matt, Wachowiak, Friedrich R. Illuminating vertebrate olfactory processing JN-SY-3328-12R1. 2012.
Cohen JY, Haesler S, Vong L, Lowell BB, Uchida N. Neuron-type specific signals for reward and punishment in the ventral tegmental area . Nature , 2011. Citations: 514
Szuts TA, Fadeyev V, Kachiguine S, Sher A, Grivich MV, ... et al.. A wireless multi-channel neural amplifier for freely moving animals . Nature Neuroscience , 2011. Citations: 197
Cury KM, Uchida N. Robust odor coding via inhalation-coupled transient activity in the mammalian olfactory bulb. . Neuron , 2010. Citations: 282
Quirk M, Sosulski D, Feierstein C, Uchida N, Mainen Z. A Defined Network of Fast-Spiking Interneurons in Orbitofrontal Cortex: Responses to Behavioral Contingencies and Ketamine Administration lab . Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience , 2009. Citations: 72
Quirk M, Sosulski D, Feierstein C, Uchida N, Mainen Z. A defi ned network of fast-spiking interneurons in orbitofrontal cortex : responses to behavioral contingencies and ketamine administration lab . 2009. Citations: 3
Quirk M, Sosulski D, Feierstein C, Uchida N, Mainen Z. A defi ned network of fast-spiking interneurons in orbitofrontal cortex : responses to behavioral contingencies and ketamine administration lab . 2009. Citations: 1
Kepecs A, Uchida N, Zariwala HA, Mainen Z. Neural correlates, computation and behavioural impact of decision confidence lab . Nature , 2008. Citations: 812
Miura K, Uchida N. A rate-independent measure of irregularity for event series and its application to neural spiking activity . IEEE Conference on Decision and Control , 2008. Citations: 5
Kepecs A, Uchida N, Mainen Z. Graded prediction error signal drives behavioral choice biases in rats lab . 2008. Citations: 1
Kepecs A, Uchida N, Mainen Z. Rapid and precise control of sniffing during olfactory discrimination in rats. lab . Journal of Neurophysiology , 2007. Citations: 190
Uchida N, Mainen Z. Odor Concentration Invariance by Chemical Ratio Coding lab . Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience , 2007. Citations: 68
Uchida N. Odor information coding in the olfactory cortex during active sniffing . 2007.
Zariwala HA, Kepecs A, Uchida N, Mainen Z. Temporal anticipation affects decision-making in an olfactory discrimination task lab . 2007.
Kepecs A, Uchida N, Mainen Z. Uncertainty Representation in Orbitofrontal Cortex during Decision-Making in Rats lab . 2007.
Kepecs A, Uchida N, Mainen Z. The sniff as a unit of olfactory processing. lab . Chemical Sensors , 2006. Citations: 331
Feierstein C, Quirk M, Uchida N, Sosulski D, Mainen Z. Representation of spatial goals in rat orbitofrontal cortex. lab . Neuron , 2006. Citations: 272
Uchida N, Kepecs A, Mainen Z. Seeing at a glance, smelling in a whiff: rapid forms of perceptual decision making lab . Nature Reviews Neuroscience , 2006. Citations: 243
Gurden H, Uchida N, Mainen Z. Sensory-evoked intrinsic optical signals in the olfactory bulb are coupled to glutamate release and uptake. lab . Neuron , 2006. Citations: 115
Uchida N, Mainen Z. Speed and accuracy of olfactory discrimination in the rat lab . Nature Neuroscience , 2003. Citations: 714
Uchida N, Takahashi YK, Tanifuji M, Mori K. Odor maps in the mammalian olfactory bulb: domain organization and odorant structural features . Nature Neuroscience , 2000. Citations: 541
Uchida N. Odor maps in the rat olfactory bulb revealed by optical imaging of intrinsic signals . 2000. Citations: 1
Kashiwadani H, Sasaki YF, Uchida N, Mori K. Synchronized oscillatory discharges of mitral/tufted cells with different molecular receptive ranges in the rabbit olfactory bulb. . Journal of Neurophysiology , 1999. Citations: 281
Kashiwadani H, Sasaki YF, Uchida N, Mori K. Synchronized oscillatory discharges of mitral/tufted cells with overlapping molecular receptive ranges in the rabbit olfactory bulb . 1998. Citations: 5
Kepecs A, Uchida N, Zariwala HA, Mainen Z. Neural Correlates, Computation and Behavioural Impact of Decision Confidence lab . .
Lak A, Hueske E, Hirokawa J, Masset P, Ott T, ... et al.. Reinforcement biases subsequent perceptual decisions when 1 confidence is low : a widespread behavioral phenomenon 2 3. . At the Mainen Lab
Postdoc, 2000–2006
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