Space and time are fundamental attributes of the external world. Deciphering the brain mechanisms involved in processing the surrounding environment is one of the main challenges in neuroscience. This is particularly defiant when situations change rapidly over time because of the intertwining of spatial and temporal information. However, understanding the cognitive processes that allow coping with dynamic environments is critical, as the nervous system evolved in them due to the pressure for survival. Recent experiments have revealed a new cognitive mechanism called time compaction. According to it, a dynamic situation is represented internally by a static map of the future interactions between the perceived elements (including the subject itself). The salience of predicted interactions (e.g. collisions) over other spatiotemporal and dynamic attributes during the processing of time-changing situations has been shown in humans, rats, and bats. Motivated by this ubiquity, we study an artificial neural network to explore its minimal conditions necessary to represent a dynamic stimulus through the future interactions present in it. We show that, under general and simple conditions, the neural activity linked to the predicted interactions emerges to encode the perceived dynamic stimulus. Our results show that this encoding improves learning, memorization and decision making when dealing with stimuli with impending interactions compared to no-interaction stimuli. These findings are in agreement with theoretical and experimental results that have supported time compaction as a novel and ubiquitous cognitive process.
- MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Brain physiology MeSH
- Neural Networks, Computer * MeSH
- Memory physiology MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Learning physiology MeSH
- Time Perception physiology MeSH
- Space Perception physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Effort-based decision-making is particularly relevant to psychiatric conditions where motivation deficits are prominent features. Despite its clinical significance, the neurochemical mechanisms of this cognitive process remain unclarified. This study explores the impact of serotonin synthesis inhibition (PCPA) and modulation of serotonin release and 5-HT1A receptor agonism (8-OH-DPAT) on effort-based decision-making in rats. Adult male rats were trained in a modified T-maze task where they could obtain a high reward for climbing a mesh barrier or a low reward for no extra effort. Following training, rats received either acute 8-OH-DPAT treatment or subchronic PCPA treatment and were tested on their choices between high- and low-effort arms. The goal-arm choices and goal-arm entrance latencies were recorded. Next, homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, metabolites of dopamine and serotonin, respectively, were quantified in the rats' prefrontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. 8-OH-DPAT significantly increased low-effort, low-reward choices and increased goal-arm latency. In contrast, PCPA treatment did not affect these measures. Both PCPA and 8-OH-DPAT significantly decreased 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. 8-OH-DPAT treatment was also associated with decreased homovanillic acid levels in the hippocampus. Our findings suggest that the overall reduction of serotonin levels alone does not affect effort-based decision-making and highlights the possible role of the hippocampus and the 5-HT1A receptor in this cognitive process.
- MeSH
- 8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin * pharmacology MeSH
- Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists pharmacology MeSH
- Maze Learning drug effects physiology MeSH
- Behavior, Animal drug effects MeSH
- Rats MeSH
- Reward MeSH
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley MeSH
- Decision Making * physiology drug effects MeSH
- Serotonin * metabolism MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Rats MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
During social interactions, decision-making involves mutual reciprocity-each individual's choices are simultaneously a consequence of, and antecedent to those of their interaction partner. Neuroeconomic research has begun to unveil the brain networks underpinning social decision-making, but we know little about the patterns of neural connectivity within them that give rise to reciprocal choices. To investigate this, the present study measured the behaviour and brain function of pairs of individuals (N = 66) whilst they played multiple rounds of economic exchange comprising an iterated ultimatum game. During these exchanges, both players could attempt to maximise their overall monetary gain by reciprocating their opponent's prior behaviour-they could promote generosity by rewarding it, and/or discourage unfair play through retaliation. By adapting a model of reciprocity from experimental economics, we show that players' choices on each exchange are captured accurately by estimating their expected utility (EU) as a reciprocal reaction to their opponent's prior behaviour. We then demonstrate neural responses that map onto these reciprocal choices in two brain regions implicated in social decision-making: right anterior insula (AI) and anterior/anterior-mid cingulate cortex (aMCC). Finally, with behavioural Dynamic Causal Modelling, we identified player-specific patterns of effective connectivity between these brain regions with which we estimated each player's choices with over 70% accuracy; namely, bidirectional connections between AI and aMCC that are modulated differentially by estimates of EU from our reciprocity model. This input-state-output modelling procedure therefore reveals systematic brain-behaviour relationships associated with the reciprocal choices characterising interactive social decision-making.
- MeSH
- Gyrus Cinguli diagnostic imaging physiology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Executive Function physiology MeSH
- Interpersonal Relations * MeSH
- Connectome * MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Cerebral Cortex diagnostic imaging physiology MeSH
- Nerve Net diagnostic imaging physiology MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Social Perception * MeSH
- Choice Behavior physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Processing fluency, a metacognitive feeling of ease of cognitive processing, serves as a cue in various types of judgments. Processing fluency is sometimes evaluated by response times, with shorter response times indicating higher fluency. The present study examined existence of the opposite association; that is, it tested whether disfluency may lead to faster decision times when it serves as a strong cue in judgment. Retrieval fluency was manipulated in an experiment using previous presentation and phonological fluency by varying pronounceability of pseudowords. Participants liked easy-to-pronounce and previously presented words more. Importantly, their decisions were faster for hard-to-pronounce and easy-to-pronounce pseudowords than for pseudowords moderate in pronounceability. The results thus showed an inverted-U shaped relationship between fluency and decision times. The findings suggest that disfluency can lead to faster decision times and thus demonstrate the importance of separating different processes comprising judgment when response times are used as a measure of processing fluency.
- MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Judgment physiology MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Recognition, Psychology physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The prefrontal cortex is deputed to higher functions, such as behavior and personality. It includes three regions: ventromedial, orbitofrontal, and dorsolateral. Each of them has a function. Devising, programming, and planning are all conditions related to the dorsolateral cortex, also responsible for rational content and decision. Damage to this region results in apathetic syndrome, a condition that causes loss of interest, initiative, and attention, and in the most severe cases leads to a lethargic state. It is also known as a form of secondary depression, the so-called pseudo-depression syndrome, according to Karl Kleist or apathetic-abulic-akinetic syndrome, according to Alexander Luria. The prefrontal dorsolateral syndrome is responsible for the reduction or abolition of free will. Free will is an expression of individual freedom. It allows the human being to have and express own opinions as well as to respect those of others. Free will is related to moral sense, a binomial which directs the individual towards a proper social conduct. In this review, we describe the effects of the pseudo-depression syndrome on free will, of which we treat both the anatomical site and the social aspect.
Electroencephalography (EEG) oscillations reflect the superposition of different cortical sources with potentially different frequencies. Various blind source separation (BSS) approaches have been developed and implemented in order to decompose these oscillations, and a subset of approaches have been developed for decomposition of multi-subject data. Group independent component analysis (Group ICA) is one such approach, revealing spatiospectral maps at the group level with distinct frequency and spatial characteristics. The reproducibility of these distinct maps across subjects and paradigms is relatively unexplored domain, and the topic of the present study. To address this, we conducted separate group ICA decompositions of EEG spatiospectral patterns on data collected during three different paradigms or tasks (resting-state, semantic decision task and visual oddball task). K-means clustering analysis of back-reconstructed individual subject maps demonstrates that fourteen different independent spatiospectral maps are present across the different paradigms/tasks, i.e. they are generally stable.
- MeSH
- Algorithms MeSH
- Principal Component Analysis MeSH
- Electroencephalography methods statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted methods MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging MeSH
- Brain Mapping methods MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted MeSH
- Psychomotor Performance physiology MeSH
- Reproducibility of Results MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Cluster Analysis MeSH
- Visual Perception physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is one of the most popular experimental paradigms for comparing complex decision-making across groups. Most commonly, IGT behavior is analyzed using frequentist tests to compare performance across groups, and to compare inferred parameters of cognitive models developed for the IGT. Here, we present a Bayesian alternative based on Bayesian repeated-measures ANOVA for comparing performance, and a suite of three complementary model-based methods for assessing the cognitive processes underlying IGT performance. The three model-based methods involve Bayesian hierarchical parameter estimation, Bayes factor model comparison, and Bayesian latent-mixture modeling. We illustrate these Bayesian methods by applying them to test the extent to which differences in intuitive versus deliberate decision style are associated with differences in IGT performance. The results show that intuitive and deliberate decision-makers behave similarly on the IGT, and the modeling analyses consistently suggest that both groups of decision-makers rely on similar cognitive processes. Our results challenge the notion that individual differences in intuitive and deliberate decision styles have a broad impact on decision-making. They also highlight the advantages of Bayesian methods, especially their ability to quantify evidence in favor of the null hypothesis, and that they allow model-based analyses to incorporate hierarchical and latent-mixture structures.
- MeSH
- Bayes Theorem * MeSH
- Executive Function physiology MeSH
- Data Interpretation, Statistical * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Neuropsychological Tests * MeSH
- Reinforcement, Psychology * MeSH
- Models, Psychological * MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
- Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH
Inhibitory control processes are known to be modulated by working memory demands. However, the neurobiological mechanisms behind these modulations are inconclusive. One important system to consider in this regard is the locus coeruleus (LC) norepinephrine (NE) system. In the current study the role of the LC-NE system by means of pupil diameter recordings that are integrated with neurophysiological (EEG) and source localization data were examined. A combined mental-rotation Go/Nogo task was used. The results show that increases in working memory load complicate response inhibition processes. On a neurophysiological level these effects were reflected by specific modulations in event-related potentials (ERPs) reflecting motor inhibition processes (i.e., Nogo-P3). Attentional selection processes (reflected by the P1 and N1) as well as pre-motor inhibition or conflict monitoring processes (reflected by the Nogo-N2) were not affected. Activity of the LC-NE systems, as indexed by the pupil diameter data, predicted neurophysiological processes selectively in the Nogo-P3 time range. Source localization analyses suggest that this modulation occurs in the right middle and inferior frontal gyrus. The study provides evidence that the LC-NE system is an important neurobiological system modulating the effects of working memory load on response inhibition processes. More specifically, it modulates a subset of dissociable cognitive processes that are related to prefrontal cortical regions. Hum Brain Mapp 38:68-81, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
- MeSH
- Analysis of Variance MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Electroencephalography MeSH
- Evoked Potentials physiology MeSH
- Inhibition, Psychological * MeSH
- Memory, Short-Term physiology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Brain Mapping * MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Neuropsychological Tests MeSH
- Pupil physiology MeSH
- Reaction Time physiology MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
An important brain function is to predict upcoming events on the basis of extracted regularities of previous inputs. These predictive coding processes can disturb performance in concurrent perceptual decision-making and are known to depend on fronto-striatal circuits. However, it is unknown whether, and if so, to what extent striatal microstructural properties modulate these processes. We addressed this question in a human disease model of striosomal dysfunction, i.e. X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP), using high-density EEG recordings and source localization. The results show faster and more accurate perceptual decision-making performance during distraction in XDP patients compared to healthy controls. The electrophysiological data show that sensory memory and predictive coding processes reflected by the mismatch negativity related to lateral prefrontal brain regions were weakened in XDP patients and thus induced less cognitive conflict than in controls as reflected by the N2 event-related potential (ERP). Consequently, attentional shifting (P3a ERP) and reorientation processes (RON ERP) were less pronounced in the XDP group. Taken together, these results suggests that striosomal dysfunction is related to predictive coding deficits leading to a better performance in concomitant perceptual decision-making, probably because predictive coding does not interfere with perceptual decision-making processes. These effects may reflect striatal imbalances between the striosomes and the matrix compartment.
- MeSH
- Corpus Striatum physiopathology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Dystonic Disorders physiopathology psychology MeSH
- Electroencephalography MeSH
- Evoked Potentials MeSH
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked physiopathology psychology MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Brain physiopathology MeSH
- Reaction Time MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The ability to inhibit responses is a central sensorimotor function but only recently the importance of sensory processes for motor inhibition mechanisms went more into the research focus. In this regard it is elusive, whether there are differences between sensory modalities to trigger response inhibition processes. Due to functional neuroanatomical considerations strong differences may exist, for example, between the visual and the tactile modality. In the current study we examine what neurophysiological mechanisms as well as functional neuroanatomical networks are modulated during response inhibition. Therefore, a Go/NoGo-paradigm employing a novel combination of visual, tactile, and visuotactile stimuli was used. The data show that the tactile modality is more powerful than the visual modality to trigger response inhibition processes. However, the tactile modality loses its efficacy to trigger response inhibition processes when being combined with the visual modality. This may be due to competitive mechanisms leading to a suppression of certain sensory stimuli and the response selection level. Variations in sensory modalities specifically affected conflict monitoring processes during response inhibition by modulating activity in a frontal parietal network including the right inferior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex and the temporoparietal junction. Attentional selection processes are not modulated. The results suggest that the functional neuroanatomical networks involved in response inhibition critically depends on the nature of the sensory input. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1941-1951, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Electroencephalography MeSH
- Evoked Potentials physiology MeSH
- Functional Laterality MeSH
- Physical Stimulation MeSH
- Touch physiology MeSH
- Inhibition, Psychological * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Brain Mapping * MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Cerebral Cortex physiology MeSH
- Perception physiology MeSH
- Attention physiology MeSH
- Reaction Time physiology MeSH
- Decision Making physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
