Simulation of serotonin mechanisms in NEUCOGAR cognitive architecture

Abstract This work aims at demonstrating that the neuromodulatory mechanisms that control the emotional states of mammals (specifically rat’s brains) can be represented and re-implemented in a computational model processed by a machine. In particular we specifically focus on two neuro-transmitters, serotonin and dopamine, starting from their fundamental role in basic cognitive processes. In our specific implementation, we represent the simulation of the ‘disgust-like’ state based on the three dimensional neuromodulatory model of affects or emotions, according to the ‘cube of emotions’. These functional mechanisms can be transferred into an artificial cognitive system: inhibition, for example, can elicit a blocking behaviour that, depending on its intensity and duration, can push the system to a general emotional state. We have simulated 1000 milliseconds of the serotonin and dopamine systems using NEST Neural Simulation Tool with the rat brain as the model to artificially reproduce this mechanism on a computational system.