Neuroanatomical substrates of maximizing tendency in decision-making: a voxel-based morphometric study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Decision Science
• Psychology

Background:

• Maximizing tendency, seeking the best option, is a key decision-making trait.
• While beneficial, it's linked to lower well-being and varies significantly across populations.
• Neuroanatomical underpinnings of this variation are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between maximizing tendency and brain structure.
• To identify specific brain regions associated with individual differences in maximizing behavior.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 13-item Maximization Scale to measure maximizing tendency.
• Employed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) on 69 healthy adults.
• Conducted univariate and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to correlate gray matter volume (GMV) with maximizing scores.

Main Results:

• Univariate analysis found no significant association between whole-brain GMV and maximizing tendency.
• Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) successfully predicted maximizing tendency using GMVs.
• Key predictive regions included the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), right insula, and right cerebellum.

Conclusions:

• Maximizing tendency is associated with specific neuroanatomical characteristics.
• The morphological features of the right IFG, insula, and cerebellum play a critical role in this decision-making trait.
• These findings highlight the importance of cortical-subcortical circuitry in understanding individual differences in maximization.