Abstract
IntroductionDecision making as a complex cognitive process involves assessing risk, reward, and costs. Typically, it has been studied in nonsocial contexts. We have developed a novel laboratory model used with rodents to detect food‐foraging decision‐making strategies in different social settings. However, the brain regions that mediate these behaviors are not well identified. Substantial evidence shows that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) participates in evaluation of social information and in decision making.MethodsIn this study, we investigated the effect of bilateral lesions in the ACC on established behaviors. Kainic acid (KA) was administered bilaterally to induce ACC lesions, and saline microinjection into the ACC was used in the sham group.ResultsIn contrast to the sham‐lesioned animals, when faced with the choice of foraging under a social context, rats with ACC lesions preferred foraging for the less desirable food. Moreover, in these situations, the total amount of food foraged by the ACC‐lesioned group was less than the amount foraged by the sham group. Notably, neither social interactions nor social agonistic behaviors were affected by ACC lesions.ConclusionsThese data suggest that the ACC is a key region underlying neural processing of social decision‐making, specifically tending to compete for foraging high predictive reward food.
Highlights
Decision making as a complex cognitive process involves assessing risk, reward, and costs
With an irreversible lesion induced by intra- anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) kainic acid (KA) infusion used previously (Li et al, 2012), which was supported be the elaborated findings from the research of Dall, Westneat, and Hillman et al, we investigated the role of the ACC in food foraging decision-making behaviors under different social conditions (Li et al, 2016)
To exclude an effect of impaired social interactions or social agonistic behaviors induced by ACC lesions on social food foraging behaviors, we examined social interactions and social agonistic behaviors after ACC lesions
Summary
Decision-making can be defined as the process of selecting an option from several schemes, and the option that the decision maker chooses must lead to the maximal benefit for the individuals (Floresco, St Onge, Ghods-S harifi, & Winstanley, 2008). With an irreversible lesion induced by intra- ACC kainic acid (KA) infusion used previously (Li et al, 2012), which was supported be the elaborated findings from the research of Dall, Westneat, and Hillman et al, we investigated the role of the ACC in food foraging decision-making behaviors under different social conditions (Li et al, 2016). We tested the specificity of the model with parallel social interaction tests and tube tests, and neither social interaction nor social agonistic behaviors were affected by ACC lesions These findings indicated that the ACC might play a key role in mediating the food foraging decision-making behaviors under different social contexts, tending to compete for foraging high predictive reward food
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