Lights, Camembert, Action! The Role of Human Orbitofrontal Cortex in Encoding Stimuli, Rewards, and Choices

Abstract

This review outlines some of the main conclusions about the contributions of the orbitofrontal cortex to reward learning and decision making arising from functional neuroimaging studies in humans. It will be argued that human orbitofrontal cortex is involved in a number of distinct functions: signaling the affective value of stimuli as they are perceived, encoding expectations of future reward, and updating these expectations, either by making use of prediction error signals generated in the midbrain, or by using knowledge of the rules or structure of the decision problem. It will also be suggested that this region contributes to the decision making process itself, by encoding signals that inform an individual about what action to take next. Evidence for functional specialization within orbitofrontal cortex in terms of valence will also be evaluated, and the possible contributions of the orbitofrontal cortex in representing the values of actions as well as that of stimuli will be discussed. Finally, some of the outstanding questions for future neuroimaging research of orbitofrontal cortex function will be highlighted.

Gray Matter Alterations in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: An Anatomic Likelihood Estimation Meta-Analysis

“…The OFC is thought to have a function in several cognitive processes, such as the selection, comparison, and judgment of motivationally salient stimuli, and in the motivational aspects of decision making. In particular, the OFC has a function in error prediction by encoding the representation of the value of an expected outcome, which is used to anticipate the positive and negative consequences that are likely to follow a given action (O'Doherty, 2007;Wallis, 2007). The OFC also increases the evaluation of the occurrence of negative consequences that may follow an action in OCD and, therefore, mediates obsessive thoughts that lead to repetitive or ritualistic behaviors intended to prevent negative consequences as a way to relieve anxiety.…”

Selection of Prime Actor in Humans during Bimanual Object Manipulation

“…By virtue of receiving input from all modalities of high-order sensory cortices as well as from limbic structures, this network has a leading role in predicting and evaluating the costs and benefits associated with an action based on interoceptive and exteroceptive sensory information and its anticipated utility (McCoy and Platt, 2005;O'Doherty, 2007;Rushworth et al, 2007;Kable and Glimcher 2009). Accordingly, lOFC would have contributed primarily to evaluation of the benefits of the sensory consequences of the manual actions during the hand-selection phase driven by the competing action representations, whereas the RCZa would have evaluated the costs of implementing each of those, including conflict issues (Ridderinkhof et al, 2004a).…”

Neurobiology of apathy in Alzheimer's disease

“…conversely, the medial PFc, especially rat pre-limbic and infra-limbic regions, has been associated with outcome value learning and encoding 67 , in addition to dorsomedial striatum 68 and basolateral amygdala 69 . Nevertheless, primate single-unit neuron recordings [70][71][72] , and human functional neuroimaging studies [73][74][75] have clearly shown that medial oFc is involved in outcome value encoding 76 , even when accounting for subjective preferences 77 . Furthermore, the pattern of connections between primate medial oFc resembles that of rat medial PFc 78 , suggesting that humans ventromedial PFc, including oFc, incorporated the outcome value processing ascribed to rat pre and infra-limbic medial frontal cortex 79 .…”