Combining meta reinforcement learning with neural plasticity mechanisms for improved AI performance.

This research explores the potential of combining Meta Reinforcement Learning (MRL) with Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP) to enhance the performance and adaptability of AI agents in Atari game settings. Our methodology leverages MRL to swiftly adjust agent strategies across a range of games,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liu Liu, Zhifei Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320777
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Summary:This research explores the potential of combining Meta Reinforcement Learning (MRL) with Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP) to enhance the performance and adaptability of AI agents in Atari game settings. Our methodology leverages MRL to swiftly adjust agent strategies across a range of games, while STDP fine-tunes synaptic weights based on neuronal spike timings, which in turn improves learning efficiency and decision-making under changing conditions. A series of experiments were conducted with standard Atari games to compare the hybrid MRL-STDP model against baseline models using traditional reinforcement learning techniques like Q-learning and Deep Q-Networks. Various performance metrics, including learning speed, adaptability, and cross-game generalization, were evaluated. The results show that the MRL-STDP approach significantly accelerates the agent's ability to reach competitive performance levels, with a 40% boost in learning efficiency and a 35% increase in adaptability over conventional models.
ISSN:1932-6203