Variation in amygdala-prefrontal cortex resting-state functional connectivity underlies age differences in susceptibility to the Framing Effect.

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Variation in amygdala-prefrontal cortex resting-state functional connectivity underlies age differences in susceptibility to the Framing Effect. Katharina Voigt1*, Irene Nagel1*, Peter N. Mohr2, Shu Chen Li3 and Hauke R. Heekeren1 1 Free University of Berlin, Department of Education and Psycholoy, Germany 2 University of Basel, Department of Psychology, Switzerland 3 Technical University Dresden, Department of Psycholoy, Germany The Framing Effect refers to a systematic bias in decision-making following different wording of objectively equal alternatives. Previous neuroimaging research in young adults suggests that variation in susceptibility to framing is related to activation of amygdala and medial prefrontal regions, which may point to the role of an affective bias. Furthermore, initial behavioural evidence suggests that there may be age differences in framing task performance. To date, however, the underlying neural mechanisms of potential age-related increases in susceptibility to framing remain obscure. In employing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, this study therefore aimed to elucidate this obscurity in being the first considering the brain’s intrinsic neuronal activity (i.e. synchronous low-frequency neuronal signalling) as an additional data source that may validate the observations on the behavioural level. We hypothesised that declines in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex might constitute a crucial neuronal correlate of age-related decreases in framing resistance. Results show, that older adults compared to young adults are more susceptible to framing and experience declines in the rsFC between the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex rsFC. Interestingly, decreased rsFC strength between the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex predicted increases in framing susceptibility. These findings advance the understanding of underlying neuronal mechanisms of age-related variability in framing susceptibility and emphasise that the synchronous low-frequency neuronal signalling among the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex comprises functional significance in risky decision making. Keywords: framing effect, Resting-state functional connectivity, risky decision making, Amygdala, aging neuroscience Conference: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia, 28 Nov - 1 Dec, 2013. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Emotion and Social Citation: Voigt K, Nagel I, Mohr PN, Li S and Heekeren HR (2013). Variation in amygdala-prefrontal cortex resting-state functional connectivity underlies age differences in susceptibility to the Framing Effect.. Conference Abstract: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.212.00099 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: 25 Sep 2013; Published Online: 25 Nov 2013. * Correspondence: Miss. Katharina Voigt, Free University of Berlin, Department of Education and Psycholoy, Berlin, Germany, k.voigt@student.unimelb.edu.au Dr. Irene Nagel, Free University of Berlin, Department of Education and Psycholoy, Berlin, Germany, irene.nagel@fu-berlin.de 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 Katharina Voigt Irene Nagel Peter N Mohr Shu Chen Li Hauke R Heekeren Google Katharina Voigt Irene Nagel Peter N Mohr Shu Chen Li Hauke R Heekeren Google Scholar Katharina Voigt Irene Nagel Peter N Mohr Shu Chen Li Hauke R Heekeren PubMed Katharina Voigt Irene Nagel Peter N Mohr Shu Chen Li Hauke R Heekeren 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.