The 2017 Brain Prize awarded to Ray Dolan, Peter Dayan and Wolfram Schultz

Research on the brain’s reward system wins the world’s largest prize for neuroscience

Max Planck UCL Centre London Director, Professor Ray Dolan, and Deputy Director, Professor Peter Dayan awarded the 2017 Brain Prize along with Professor Wolfram Schultz

Three neuroscientists who work in the UK have today (6 March) won the world’s most valuable prize for brain research. This year, The Brain Prize for 2017 is awarded to Peter Dayan, Ray Dolan and Wolfram Schultz for their analysis of how the brain recognises and processes reward. The capacity to link reward to events and actions is the foundation of human and animal survival, and problems with the processing of reward lie at the heart of many neurological and psychiatric disorders.

The Brain Prize, awarded by the Lundbeck Foundation in Denmark, is worth one million Euros.  Awarded annually, it recognises one or more scientists who have distinguished themselves by an outstanding contribution to neuroscience.  

The research of this year’s winners has far-reaching implications for understanding human behaviour, including decision-making, gambling, drug addiction, compulsive behaviour and schizophrenia.