Transforming brain signals related to value evaluation and self‐control into behavioral choices

Abstract

The processes involved in value evaluation and self‐control are critical when making behavioral choices. However, the evidence linking these two types of processes to behavioral choices in intertemporal decision‐making remains elusive. As the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), striatum, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) have been associated with these two processes, we focused on these three regions. We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging during a delayed discounting task (DDT) using a relatively large sample size, three independent samples. We evaluated how much information about a specific choice could be decoded from local patterns in each brain area using multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA). To investigate the relationship between the dlPFC and vmPFC/striatum regions, we performed a psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis. In Experiment I, we found that the vmPFC and dlPFC, but not the striatum, could determine choices in healthy participants. Furthermore, we found that the dlPFC showed significant functional connectivity with the vmPFC, but not the striatum, when making decisions. These results could be replicated in Experiment II with an independent sample of healthy participants. In Experiment III, the choice‐decoding accuracy in the vmPFC and dlPFC was lower in patients with addiction (smokers and participants with Internet gaming disorder) than in healthy participants, and decoding accuracy in the dlPFC was related to impulsivity in addicts. Taken together, our findings may provide neural evidence supporting the hypothesis that value evaluation and self‐control processes both guide the intertemporal choices, and might provide potential neural targets for the diagnosis and treatment of impulsivity‐related brain disorders.

Neurobiological mechanisms underlying internet gaming disorder

“…Reduced glucose metabolism in the OFC correlated with dopamine D 2 receptor occupancy in the striatum. 63 In summary, these results suggest that low levels of dopamine-D 2 -and 5-HT 2A -receptor occupancy together with dysregulation of the OFC could be an underlying mechanism of compulsive behavior and loss of control in IGD. 63…”

“…A following study with a larger number of participants (12 with IGD and 14 control participants) measured dopamine D 2 receptor and 5-HT 2A receptor occupancy together with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) to assess regional brain glucose metabolism via positron emission tomography. 63 Results showed decreased glucose metabolism in the prefrontal, temporal, and limbic regions together with low dopamine D 2 receptor availability in the striatum, which correlated with years of gaming. Reduced glucose metabolism in the OFC correlated with dopamine D 2 receptor occupancy in the striatum.…”

The orbitofrontal cortex represents advantageous choice in the Iowa gambling task

“…We first used whole‐brain searchlight‐based MVPA to classify advantageous choice versus disadvantageous choice. We adapted the within‐subject MVPA methods from a previous study (Zha et al, 2019 ). Specifically, we used the least squares‐separate (LSS) method to extract choice‐related activations according to a previous study (Mumford et al, 2012 ).…”

Media content sharing as a value-based decision

“…including ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) and ventral striatum (VS). Activity in these brain regions in response to a stimulus also predicts subsequent laboratory choices [21,22] and real-world actions like donations [23].…”