Abstract
Intertemporal choice involves the processes of valuation and choice. Choice is often the result of subjective valuation, in which reward is integrated with time delay. Here, using event-related potential (ERP) signals as temporal hallmarks, we aim to investigate temporal dynamics of how reward interacts with time delay during a delayed discounting task. We found that participants preferred immediate rewards when delayed rewards were small or over long-term delays. Our ERP results suggested that the P200 component reflected an initial valuation of reward and time delay, while the frontal N2 component correlated with individual choices of immediate option of rewards. The LPP component was modulated by the N2 component. These findings demonstrate that the N2 component is the key component in temporal dynamics of the interaction between reward and time valuation.
Highlights
Temporal discounting is a phenomenon in which subjective valuation of a reward declines with delay, until the delivery of the reward is increased (Samuelson, 1937; Green and Myerson, 2004)
We investigated the electrophysiological correlates of when and how reward interacted with time delay, using a delay discounting paradigm
We found that the main effects of time delay and reward appeared at a different time course during an intertemporal choice
Summary
Temporal discounting is a phenomenon in which subjective valuation of a reward declines with delay, until the delivery of the reward is increased (Samuelson, 1937; Green and Myerson, 2004). Temporal discounting plays an important role in risk and impulsive decision-making, and individuals vary widely in the rate at which they discount future rewards These variations correlate with real-life behaviors and clinical disorders involving self-control, such as drug abuse, gambling, and addition, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and Parkinson’s disease (Reynolds, 2006; Scheres et al, 2006; Milenkova et al, 2011; Yi and Landes, 2012). The valuation process involves the neural computation and representation of the subjective values of the available decision options, and activates brain regions in ventral striatum (VS), Temporal Dynamics during Intertemporal Choice orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) (McClure et al, 2004; Kable and Glimcher, 2007, 2010; Ballard and Knutson, 2009; Padoa-Schioppa and Cai, 2011; Liu and Feng, 2012; Liu et al, 2012). Brain regions activated by choice include the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), lateral parietal cortex, and hippocampus (McClure et al, 2004; Kable and Glimcher, 2007; Hare et al, 2009; Peters and Büchel, 2009, 2010; Cai et al, 2011)
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