Abstract
The behavioral approach system (BAS) from Gray’s reinforcement sensitivity theory is a neurobehavioral system involved in the processing of rewarding stimuli that has been related to dopaminergic brain areas. Gray’s theory hypothesizes that the functioning of reward brain areas is modulated by BAS-related traits. To test this hypothesis, we performed an fMRI study where participants viewed erotic and neutral pictures, and cues that predicted their appearance. Forty-five heterosexual men completed the Sensitivity to Reward scale (from the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire) to measure BAS-related traits. Results showed that Sensitivity to Reward scores correlated positively with brain activity during reactivity to erotic pictures in the left orbitofrontal cortex, left insula, and right ventral striatum. These results demonstrated a relationship between the BAS and reward sensitivity during the processing of erotic stimuli, filling the gap of previous reports that identified the dopaminergic system as a neural substrate for the BAS during the processing of other rewarding stimuli such as money and food.
Highlights
The reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) proposes the existence of a neurobehavioral system involved in the processing of appetitive stimuli [1,2,3]
With the RST, previous fMRI studies have shown an association between individual differences in reward sensitivity and brain activity in different behavioral approach system (BAS)-related areas when responding to rewards
Personality Results To determine which dopaminergic brain areas were related to reward sensitivity during sexual stimuli processing, we calculated the correlations between Sensitivity to Reward (SR) scores and brain activity of active dopaminergic areas that yielded significant main effects during the different task conditions
Summary
The reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) proposes the existence of a neurobehavioral system involved in the processing of appetitive stimuli [1,2,3] This system is called the behavioral approach system (BAS) and its primary function is to bring together the individual with biological rewards such as sex and food. Studies using monetary rewards demonstrated a positive correlation between measures of reward sensitivity and activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), ventral tegmental area, and OFC during processing of reward cues and reinforcers [9,10,11]. FMRI results have been consistent with the RST, showing that reward sensitivity increases the response of reward brain areas during processing of both reward cues and reinforcers such as money or appetizing foods, leaving an open gap for the processing of sex as a biological reward
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