Preference judgements involve a network of structures within frontal, cingulate and insula cortices
Amir M Chaudhry1, John A Parkinson, Elanor C Hinton
1Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB23DY, UK.
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|March 18, 2009
Summary
Decisions are guided by affective value, with the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex activating during affective choices. Specific brain regions like ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) are involved in selecting responses based on emotional stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Decision Science
Background:
- Environmental stimuli influence decisions through affective meaning.
- Brain networks for processing affective value are known, but their role in guiding decisions is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how affective value guides decision-making processes.
- To identify specific neural correlates of affective versus cognitive decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Participants rated tailored holiday descriptions varying in incentive value.
- Judgements were made from affective, cognitive, or no-decision perspectives.
- Brain activity was measured using functional neuroimaging.
Main Results:
- Affective choices activated the anterior insula/operculum and anterior cingulate cortex.
- Activity in perigenual anterior cingulate cortex correlated with subjective incentive value.
- Medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and posterior ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) were more active during affective stimulus-guided response selection.
Conclusions:
- The insula and cingulate cortices may support introspection for subjective preference judgments.
- Medial OFC and posterior ventrolateral PFC/insula contribute to stimulus evaluation and motivational aspects of response selection, respectively.
More Related Videos
13:20Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance
Published on: December 5, 2025
08:24The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Related Concept Videos
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
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,...
01:23Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
01:15Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System
The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
01:09First Impression
First impressions play a crucial role in social perception, shaping how individuals assess others in professional, academic, and interpersonal contexts. Psychological research highlights the significance of cognitive biases, such as the primacy and recency effects, which influence how people interpret and recall information.The Primacy Effect and Cognitive AnchoringThe primacy effect describes the tendency for initial information to impact judgment disproportionately. When individuals encounter...
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.