A5005344604- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
- Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Action Observation and Synchronization
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Face Recognition and Perception
- Mental Health Research Topics
- Multisensory perception and integration
- Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Aesthetic Perception and Analysis
- Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Motor Control and Adaptation
- Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
California Institute of Technology
2016-2025
Neurobehavioral Systems
2022
University of California, Los Angeles
2022
Rancho Research Institute
2021
Trinity College Dublin
2008-2016
Imaging Center
2016
Trinity College
2013
University College London
2002-2009
Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging
2002-2009
Los Angeles Pierce College
2008
Our ability to have an experience of another's pain is characteristic empathy. Using functional imaging, we assessed brain activity while volunteers experienced a painful stimulus and compared it that elicited when they observed signal indicating their loved one--present in the same room--was receiving similar stimulus. Bilateral anterior insula (AI), rostral cingulate cortex (ACC), brainstem, cerebellum were activated subjects received also by one pain. AI ACC activation correlated with...
Instrumental conditioning studies how animals and humans choose actions appropriate to the affective structure of an environment. According recent reinforcement learning models, two distinct components are involved: a “critic,” which learns predict future reward, “actor,” maintains information about rewarding outcomes enable better ones be chosen more frequently. We scanned human participants with functional magnetic resonance imaging while they engaged in instrumental conditioning. Our...
Human anterior cingulate function has been explained primarily within a cognitive framework. We used functional MRI experiments with simultaneous electrocardiography to examine regional brain activity associated autonomic cardiovascular control during performance of and motor tasks. Using indices heart rate variability, high- low-frequency power in the cardiac rhythm, we observed dorsal cortex (ACC) related sympathetic modulation that was dissociable from motor-related activity. The findings...
Adaptive behavior is optimized in organisms that maintain flexible representations of the value sensory-predictive cues. To identify central predictive reward humans, we used reinforcer devaluation while measuring neural activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging. We presented two arbitrary visual stimuli, both before and after olfactory devaluation, a paradigm appetitive conditioning. In amygdala orbitofrontal cortex, responses evoked by target stimulus were decreased whereas to...
Despite the importance and pervasiveness of marketing, almost nothing is known about neural mechanisms through which it affects decisions made by individuals. We propose that marketing actions, such as changes in price a product, can affect representations experienced pleasantness. tested this hypothesis scanning human subjects using functional MRI while they tasted wines that, contrary to reality, believed be different sold at prices. Our results show increasing wine increases subjective...
An essential component of every economic transaction is a willingness-to-pay (WTP) computation in which buyers calculate the maximum amount financial resources that they are willing to give up exchange for object being sold. Despite its pervasiveness, little known about how brain makes this computation. We investigated neural basis WTP by scanning hungry subjects' brains using functional magnetic resonance imaging while placed real bids right eat different foods. found activity medial...
To make sound economic decisions, the brain needs to compute several different value-related signals. These include goal values that measure predicted reward results from outcome generated by each of actions under consideration, decision net value taking actions, and prediction errors deviations individuals' previous expectations. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging a novel decision-making paradigm dissociate neural basis these three computations. Our show they are supported...
Habits are characterized by an insensitivity to their consequences and, as such, can be distinguished from goal-directed actions. The neural basis of the development demonstrably outcome-insensitive habitual actions in humans has not been previously characterized. In this experiment, we show that extensive training on a free-operant task reduces sensitivity participants' behavior reduction outcome value. Analysis functional magnetic resonance imaging data acquired during revealed significant...
In this study, the representation of taste in orbitofrontal cortex was investigated to determine whether or not a pleasant and an aversive have distinct overlapping representations region. The stimulus used sweet (1 M glucose), unpleasant salt (0.1 NaCl). We on/off block design 3T fMRI scanner with tasteless solution delivered offperiod control for somatosensory swallowing-related effects. It found that parts were activated ( P < 0.005 corrected) by glucose (in 6/7 subjects) subjects)....
To make economic choices between goods, the brain needs to compute representations of their values. A great deal research has been performed determine neural correlates value in human brain. However, it is still unknown whether there exists a region that commonly encodes decision values for different types or if, contrast, goods are represented distinct regions. We addressed this question by scanning subjects with functional magnetic resonance imaging while they made real purchasing...
The precise role of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in affective processing is still debated. One view suggests OFC represents stimulus reward value and supports learning relearning stimulus-reward associations. An alternate implicates behavioral control after rewarding or punishing feedback. To discriminate between these possibilities, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging subjects performing a reversal task which, on each trial, selection the correct led to 70% probability...