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Diffusion connectometry reveals white matter substrates of individual differences in loss aversion
Maria Arioli1, Alberto Braga2, Zaira Cattaneo1
1Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, 24129, Italy.
Scientific Reports
|December 22, 2025
Summary
Loss aversion, the tendency to prefer avoiding losses over acquiring gains, is linked to white matter (WM) organization. Specific WM pathways correlate positively with loss aversion, while others correlate negatively, suggesting a balance between loss avoidance and reward sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Individual differences in loss aversion are tracked by neural responses in striatal, limbic, and somatosensory regions.
- A system-level view of loss aversion's neural basis and its association with white matter (WM) microstructural organization remains unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between behavioral loss aversion and white matter (WM) microstructural organization using fractional anisotropy (FA).
- To explore how WM integrity in specific brain pathways influences decision-making under risk.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to measure WM coherence via fractional anisotropy (FA) in 130 healthy young participants.
- Behavioral loss aversion was assessed and correlated with FA values in various WM bundles.
Main Results:
- Positive correlations were found between loss aversion and FA in WM bundles associated with attention to negative stimuli (forceps minor), aversive states (fornix), and avoidance motivation (cingulum).
- Negative correlations were observed between loss aversion and FA in bundles linked to reward sensitivity and potential gain salience (superior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus).
Conclusions:
- Distinct WM bundles show opposing correlations with loss aversion, supporting a model of interplay between loss-avoidant and reward-seeking neural patterns.
- Loss aversion is presented as a stable neuro-cognitive trait influencing risky decision-making, rather than a transient emotional response.
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