A new window to understanding individual differences in reward sensitivity from attentional networks

Existing evidence suggests that the presence of reward cues modifies the activity in attentional networks, however, the nature of these influences remains poorly understood. Here, we performed independent component analysis (ICA) in two fMRI datasets corresponding to two incentive delay tasks, which compared the response to reward (money and erotic pictures) and neutral cues, and yielded activations in the ventral striatum using a general linear model approach. Across both experiments, ICA revealed that both the right frontoparietal network and default mode network time courses were positively and negatively modulated by reward cues, respectively. Moreover, this dual neural response pattern was enhanced in individuals with strong reward sensitivity. Therefore, ICA may be a complementary tool to investigate the relevant role of attentional networks on reward processing, and to investigate reward sensitivity in normal and pathological populations.