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An adaptive, individualized fMRI delay discounting procedure to increase flexibility and optimize scanner time
Mikhail N Koffarnus1, Harshawardhan U Deshpande1, Jonathan M Lisinski1
1Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA.
Neuroimage
|August 15, 2017
Summary
Researchers developed an individualized discounting task (IDT) to study how people value future rewards. This new fMRI-compatible task allows for easier comparison across studies and reduces scanning time.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Decision Science
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Discount rate, the rate at which future rewards are devalued, is linked to unhealthy behaviors like substance abuse and overeating.
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies identify a fronto-parietal-limbic pathway involved in delayed reward decisions.
- Existing delay discounting tasks use varied methodologies, hindering cross-study comparisons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and validate a novel individualized discounting task (IDT) for fMRI research.
- To enable standardized analysis of three key trial contrasts within a single task.
- To optimize scanning duration for participant comfort and cost-efficiency.
Main Methods:
- An algorithm customized choice trials to equalize trial types for each participant.
- The IDT was compared against two established delay discounting tasks.
- The study involved 18 participants undergoing fMRI scans.
Main Results:
- The IDT successfully examined all three intended contrasts (delayed vs. immediate, hard vs. easy choices, available vs. unavailable immediate options).
- The IDT demonstrated comparable neural activation levels to existing tasks.
- The task design facilitated comparison across different delay discounting studies.
Conclusions:
- The individualized discounting task (IDT) is a viable tool for fMRI research on delay discounting.
- This task enhances comparability across studies by standardizing contrast analysis.
- The IDT offers a more efficient approach to studying reward valuation, reducing scan time and participant burden.
