Abstract
Anterior insular and orbitofrontal cortex (AIC and OFC, respectively) are known to play important roles in decision making under risk. However, risk-related AIC neural activity has not been investigated and it is controversial whether the rodent OFC conveys genuine risk signals. To address these issues, we examined AIC and OFC neuronal activity in rats responding to five distinct auditory cues predicting water reward with different probabilities. Both structures conveyed significant neural signals for reward, value and risk, with value and risk signals conjunctively coded. However, value signals were stronger and appeared earlier in the OFC, and many risk-coding OFC neurons responded only to the cue predicting certain (100%) reward. Also, AIC neurons tended to increase their activity for a prolonged time following a negative outcome and according to previously expected value. These results show that both the AIC and OFC convey neural signals related to reward uncertainty, but in different ways. The OFC might play an important role in encoding certain reward-biased, risk-modulated subjective value, whereas the AIC might convey prolonged negative outcome and disappointment signals.
Highlights
Anterior insular and orbitofrontal cortex (AIC and OFC, respectively) are known to play important roles in decision making under risk
The following two issues are important to understand how the anterior insular cortex (AIC) and OFC contribute to decision making under risk: 1) determining whether and how OFC neurons in rats convey neural signals related to risk, and 2) examining neuronal activity related to risk in the AIC
OFC neural activity in the same subject in the same behavioral paradigm. To address these issues, we compared single unit activity in the AIC and OFC in rats responding to five distinct cues predicting reward with different probabilities. We found both similarities and differences in neural signals related to uncertain reward between the AIC and OFC, which might underlie their distinct contributions to decision making under risk
Summary
Anterior insular and orbitofrontal cortex (AIC and OFC, respectively) are known to play important roles in decision making under risk. Risk-related AIC neural activity has not been investigated and it is controversial whether the rodent OFC conveys genuine risk signals To address these issues, we examined AIC and OFC neuronal activity in rats responding to five distinct auditory cues predicting water reward with different probabilities. AIC neurons tended to increase their activity for a prolonged time following a negative outcome and according to previously expected value These results show that both the AIC and OFC convey neural signals related to reward uncertainty, but in different ways. To address these issues, we compared single unit activity in the AIC and OFC in rats responding to five distinct cues predicting reward with different probabilities We found both similarities and differences in neural signals related to uncertain reward between the AIC and OFC, which might underlie their distinct contributions to decision making under risk
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