Abstract
Prior research has shown that the ratio between resting-state theta (4–7 Hz)-beta (13–30 Hz) oscillations in the electroencephalogram (EEG) is associated with reward- and punishment-related feedback learning and risky decision making. However, it remains unclear whether the theta/beta EEG ratio is also an electrophysiological index for poorer behavioral adaptation when reward and punishment contingencies change over time. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether resting-state theta (4–7 Hz)-beta (13–30 Hz) EEG ratio correlated with reversal learning. A 4-min resting-state EEG was recorded and a gambling task with changing reward-punishment contingencies was administered in 128 healthy volunteers. Results showed an inverse relationship between theta/beta EEG ratio and reversal learning. Our findings replicate and extend previous findings by showing that higher midfrontal theta/beta EEG ratios are associated with poorer reversal learning and behavioral adaptive responses under changing environmental demands.
Highlights
The sensitivity to reward and punishment signals guides decision-making by exploiting acquired knowledge to shape a long-term adaptive strategy (Bechara, Damasio, Damasio, & Anderson, 1994)
These results were confirmed by significant negative correlations between theta/beta EEG ratio measured at Fz and percentage high risk difference scores, rho = -.295, p=.002 and rho = -.286, p =
These correlations remained significant when the normalized difference scores were used instead, rho = -.285, p = .003 and rho = -.277, p = .004. Together these results indicate that participants with high theta/beta EEG ratio were less inclined to change to more adaptive decision making when reward
Summary
The sensitivity to reward and punishment signals guides decision-making by exploiting acquired knowledge to shape a long-term adaptive strategy (Bechara, Damasio, Damasio, & Anderson, 1994). We previously showed a positive association between the ratio of relatively slow theta oscillations (4–7 Hz) to beta oscillations (13–30 Hz) and disadvantageous decision making during the (Iowa) gambling task (Schutter & Van Honk, 2005; Massar, Kenemans & Schutter, 2014). It was proposed that the theta/ beta EEG ratio is the manifestation of a brain state that promotes reward-drive. As indicated, another feature of the IGT as traditionally implemented is that involves a clear reversal aspect, that is, choices that are initially advantageous suddenly become mainly disadvantageous. It is possible that theta/beta EEG ratio reflects a relative inability to adapt to such reversals, rather than reward sensitivity.
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