Nemeth, D. . 1, 2 & Janacsek, K. 1, 2
1 Brain, Memory and Language Lab, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest
2 Eotvos Lorand University, Institute of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
Human learning depends on multiple cognitive systems related to dissociable brain structures. These systems interact not only in cooperative but sometimes competitive ways in optimizing performance. Previous studies showed that manipulations reducing the engagement of frontal lobe-mediated explicit, attentional processes can lead to improved performance in striatum-related procedural learning. Here we present two studies in which we investigated the competitive relationship between statistical learning and frontal lobe-mediated executive functions. In Study 1, hypnosis was used as a tool to reduce the competition between these systems. We compared learning in hypnosis and in alert state and found that hypnosis boosted statistical learning measured by a probabilistic sequence learning task. In Study 2, we explored the nature of such a relationship by investigating the effect of long term regular alcohol intake on statistical learning. Typically alcohol dependency impairs executive functions. Here we found weaker executive functions but intact statistical learning in the alcohol dependent group compared to the controls. Moreover, we found negative correlation between these functions in both groups. Our result shed light not only on the competitive nature of brain systems in cognitive processes, but also could have important implications for developing new methods to improve human learning.