The Role of the Striatum in Effort-Based Decision-Making in the Absence of Reward

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1214-13.2014
• Publication Date: 2014-02-05T17:34:53Z
• Authors: Nathalie Schouppe; Jelle Demanet; Carsten N. Boehler; K. Richard Ridder...; Wim Notebaert
• Keywords: Ventral striatum; Reward system

Decision-making involves weighing costs against benefits, for instance, in terms of the effort it takes to obtain a reward given magnitude. This evaluation process has been linked dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and striatum, with activation these brain structures reflecting discounting effect on reward. Here, we investigate how cognitive influences neural choice processes absence an extrinsic Using functional magnetic resonance imaging humans, used effort-based decision-making task which participants were required choose between two options subsequent flanker that differed amount effort. Cognitive was manipulated by varying proportion incongruent trials associated each option. Choice-locked striatum higher when chose voluntarily more effortful alternative but displayed opposite trend forced-choice trials. The dACC revealed similar, yet only trend-level significant, pattern. Our results imply levels reflect cost–benefit analysis, balance is made intrinsic motivation cognitively challenging task. Moreover, our findings indicate matters whether this challenge chosen or externally imposed. As such, present contrast classical found reductions finding enhancements same circuits selected does not entail danger losing