Disambiguating action and valence in decision-making using computational models and fMRI

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Disambiguating action and valence in decision-making using computational models and fMRI Marc Guitart-Masip1* 1 University College London, United Kingdom Rewards are generally harvested through appropriate action, whereas punishments are avoided through appropriate inaction, an asymmetry that appears to be enshrined in the functional architecture of the striatum. However, this asymmetry also provides a ubiquitous bias for the investigation of reward and punishment. Our goal is to elucidate how this asymmetry between action and outcome valence impacts affective decision making processes at a behavioral, computational, and neurobiological level. We manipulated subjects’ requirement to emit or withhold an action independently from subsequent receipt of reward or avoidance of punishment. Behaviorally, subjects were more successful to learn an active response when rewarded and a passive response when punished. We used reinforcement-learning models to characterise the learning process, and found that the observed behavior arose as a result of an interaction between an instrumental system that learned about rewards and punishments and a pavlovian system that promoted inhibition in the light of punishment. In a separate fMRI study, we observed that the striatum and a lateral region within substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA) responded to action anticipation rather than outcome valence, challenging a conventional association between these areas and valence. Finally, we are currently assessing the impact of levodopa and citalopram treatments on the neural representations of action and valence in the striatum and SN/VTA. Our results demonstrate, behaviorally, an asymmetry between action and outcome valence. At the neural level, the dominant influence of action anticipation in the striatum and the dopaminergic midbrain points to a need for an enriched account of opponency between reward and punishment in these regions. Keywords: decision-making, SN/VTA Conference: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI), Palma, Mallorca, Spain, 25 Sep - 29 Sep, 2011. Presentation Type: Symposium: Oral Presentation Topic: Symposium 15: Serotonin, motivation and action in learning and decision-making Citation: Guitart-Masip M (2011). Disambiguating action and valence in decision-making using computational models and fMRI. Conference Abstract: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2011.207.00557 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 14 Nov 2011; Published Online: 28 Nov 2011. * Correspondence: Dr. Marc Guitart-Masip, University College London, London, United Kingdom, m.guitart@ucl.ac.uk Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Marc Guitart-Masip Google Marc Guitart-Masip Google Scholar Marc Guitart-Masip PubMed Marc Guitart-Masip Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.