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Calculating the cost of acting in frontal cortex
Mark E Walton1, Peter H Rudebeck, David M Bannerman
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK. mark.walton@psy.ox.ac.uk
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|March 16, 2007
Summary
Decision-making involves weighing costs and benefits. Frontal lobe lesions in rats and primates reveal distinct roles for the anterior cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex in managing effort, delay, and social information costs.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Decision-Making Research
Background:
- The frontal lobe is crucial for goal-directed actions, social interactions, and optimal decision-making.
- Understanding the precise role of frontal lobe subregions in cost-benefit analysis remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific contributions of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) to cost-benefit decision making.
- To differentiate the effects of lesions on effort-based costs versus delay-based costs.
- To explore the role of the ACC in processing social information during decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Excitotoxic lesions were made in specific frontal lobe regions of rats and primates.
- Behavioral tasks assessed cost-benefit decision-making, including willingness to expend effort and tolerate delays.
- Lesion effects on impulsivity and social information evaluation were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Rats with ACC lesions showed reduced willingness to exert effort for rewards but were unaffected by delays.
- OFC-lesioned rats exhibited increased impulsivity but maintained effort-based motivation.
- Primate ACC lesions impaired the integration of choice history and outcomes.
- Anterior cingulate gyrus function was critical for evaluating social information.
Conclusions:
- The frontal lobe contains dissociable pathways for managing different types of response costs.
- Specific subregions of the frontal lobe, including the ACC and OFC, play distinct roles in cost-benefit decision making.
- The ACC is involved in both effort-based decision making and the evaluation of social information.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
01:22Lobes of the Cerebrum
The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.