Abstract
BackgroundRecent studies with younger adults have shown that performance feedback can serve as a reward, and it elicits reward-related brain activations. This study investigated whether performance feedback is processed similarly in younger and older adults and whether there are differential aging effects for positive and negative performance feedback.MethodsWe used event-related fMRI in a choice reaction-time task and provided performance feedback after each trial.ResultsAlthough younger and older adults differed in task-related activation, they showed comparable reward-related activation. Positive performance feedback elicited the strongest striatal and amygdala activation, which was reflected behaviorally in slightly faster reaction times.ConclusionsThese results suggest that performance feedback serves as a reward in both younger and older adults.
Highlights
Recent studies with younger adults have shown that performance feedback can serve as a reward, and it elicits reward-related brain activations
Using a time-estimation task, Tsukamoto et al [2] found that true performance feedback elicited stronger hemodynamic responses in the striatum, thalamus, and insular cortex than randomized feedback, which was not related to the participants’ time estimation performance in the task
We investigated the effects of performance feedback on subsequent reaction times and accuracy of performance in the choice reaction-time task
Summary
Recent studies with younger adults have shown that performance feedback can serve as a reward, and it elicits reward-related brain activations. Conclusions: These results suggest that performance feedback serves as a reward in both younger and older adults. Using a time-estimation task, Tsukamoto et al [2] found that true performance feedback elicited stronger hemodynamic responses in the striatum, thalamus, and insular cortex than randomized feedback, which was not related to the participants’ time estimation performance in the task. They suggested that for humans performance feedback serves as an implicit reward. Using smiling human faces in an incentive delay task, Rademacher et al [4] compared monetary reward and performance feedback and found that anticipation of either monetary reward or performance feedback
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