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Using fMRI to study reward processing in humans: past, present, and future.

Kainan S Wang¹, David V Smith², Mauricio R Delgado³

¹Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey; and.

Journal of Neurophysiology

|January 8, 2016

Summary

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Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) advances our understanding of the human brain

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Neuroimaging

Background:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a noninvasive technique for studying cognitive and affective processes.
fMRI measures neural activity indirectly via the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal.
fMRI has enabled the validation of animal findings in humans and expanded behavioral models.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the application of fMRI in examining cognitive models.
To discuss the promise of fMRI in advancing cognitive models.
To illustrate fMRI's contribution to understanding reward processing and its neural underpinnings.

Main Methods:

Review of existing fMRI studies on cognitive and affective processes.
Discussion of the neural basis of the BOLD signal.

Keywords:

brain stimulation corticostriatal projections nucleus accumbens reinforcement striatum

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Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats

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Last Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans

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Published on: March 19, 2014

Functional Imaging with Reinforcement, Eyetracking, and Physiological Monitoring

Functional Imaging with Reinforcement, Eyetracking, and Physiological Monitoring

Published on: November 13, 2008

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats

Published on: August 24, 2016

Examination of functional segregation and integration approaches in fMRI research.

Main Results:

fMRI has corroborated animal findings in the human brain and expanded behavioral models.
fMRI studies have elucidated the role of the striatum in reward processing and learning.
Both segregation and integration approaches in fMRI have advanced understanding of reward functions.

Conclusions:

Future fMRI research should adopt multimodal approaches, combining fMRI with noninvasive brain stimulation.
Multimodal approaches will identify causal mechanisms in reward processing.
Advancements in fMRI implementation offer translational opportunities for understanding psychopathology.