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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods

Published on: September 19, 2012

Subjective value, not a gridlike code, describes neural activity in ventromedial prefrontal cortex during value-based

Sangil Lee¹, Linda Q Yu², Caryn Lerman³

¹Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

|May 15, 2021

Summary

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity reflects subjective value, not hexagonal grid codes, during decision-making. This finding suggests vmPFC flexibly switches its representational schemes based on task demands.

Keywords:

Grid cell Hexagonal modulation Valuation vmPFC

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Last Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Decision Science

Background:

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity is consistently linked to subjective value in decision-making.
Recent research suggests vmPFC may also exhibit hexagonal gridlike codes, potentially aiding choices with novel options.

Purpose of the Study:

To theoretically and empirically investigate whether vmPFC activity during intertemporal choice reflects subjective value or a hexagonal gridlike code.
To determine the representational scheme used by vmPFC in value-based decision-making.

Main Methods:

Theoretical modeling to assess if hexagonal grid codes could mimic vmPFC subjective value signals.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis of human participants performing an intertemporal choice task.

Main Results:

Theoretical analysis indicated potential overlap between hexagonal grid codes and subjective value signals.
Empirical fMRI data provided clear evidence that subjective value, not hexagonal grid codes, best describes vmPFC activity during intertemporal choice.
No significant evidence for hexagonal gridlike coding was found in vmPFC during this task.

Conclusions:

Subjective value is a more accurate descriptor of vmPFC activity than hexagonal grid codes in the context of intertemporal choice.
The findings limit the proposed generality of gridlike coding in vmPFC.
vmPFC likely employs flexible representational schemes, adapting to encode task-relevant information.