Informatic parcellation of the network involved in the computation of subjective value

Abstract

Understanding how the brain computes value is a basic question in neuroscience. Although individual studies have driven this progress, meta-analyses provide an opportunity to test hypotheses that require large collections of data. We carry out a meta-analysis of a large set of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of value computation to address several key questions. First, what is the full set of brain areas that reliably correlate with stimulus values when they need to be computed? Second, is this set of areas organized into dissociable functional networks? Third, is a distinct network of regions involved in the computation of stimulus values at decision and outcome? Finally, are different brain areas involved in the computation of stimulus values for different reward modalities? Our results demonstrate the centrality of ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), ventral striatum and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in the computation of value across tasks, reward modalities and stages of the decision-making process. We also find evidence of distinct subnetworks of co-activation within VMPFC, one involving central VMPFC and dorsal PCC and another involving more anterior VMPFC, left angular gyrus and ventral PCC. Finally, we identify a posterior-to-anterior gradient of value representations corresponding to concrete-to-abstract rewards.

An fMRI-Based Neural Signature of Decisions to Smoke Cannabis

“…BOLD activity in a region of dorsal PCC overlapping with that observed here correlates reliably with subjective value of rewards during decision making for nondrug rewards (Clithero and Rangel, 2014). The precise function of PCC during value-based decision making is unclear (Clithero and Rangel, 2014). However, the apparent role of dorsal PCC in switching between internally and externally directed attention (Leech et al, 2011) is potentially consistent with the notion that decisions to smoke cannabis involve integration of externally focused, more controlled cognitive processes and internally directed, interoceptive processes.…”

“…Indeed, anterior insula cortex is particularly implicated in conscious awareness of bodily processes (Craig, 2009), which could be important in decisions about drugs given the centrality of somatic experiences in acute drug effects and craving states (Naqvi et al, 2014). BOLD activity in a region of dorsal PCC overlapping with that observed here correlates reliably with subjective value of rewards during decision making for nondrug rewards (Clithero and Rangel, 2014). The precise function of PCC during value-based decision making is unclear (Clithero and Rangel, 2014).…”

“…Thus, the observed association between decisions to decline cannabis and activation in the precuneus may reflect reduced attention during cannabis offers that were less appealing and therefore less salient. A notable feature of the signature was that it did not include vmPFC/ orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a region known to track subjective value in goal-based decision making (Clithero and Rangel, 2014). This may have been because of the BOLD signal dropout that can occur in this region (Du et al, 2007) or because of methodological differences between this study and earlier studies showing vmPFC tracking of value.…”

“…This may have been because of the BOLD signal dropout that can occur in this region (Du et al, 2007) or because of methodological differences between this study and earlier studies showing vmPFC tracking of value. In particular, other studies have used correlational analysis to search for brain regions parametrically tracking participants' subjective values, calculated from their decisions (Clithero and Rangel, 2014;Levy and Glimcher, 2012), a question not addressed with the current analyses. Of note, vmPFC was also not implicated in decision making for alcohol or nicotine in previous studies that similarly were not designed to identify brain regions parametrically tracking subjective value associated with these drugs MacKillop et al, 2012).…”

Variability in paralimbic dopamine signaling correlates with subjective responses to D-amphetamine

“…Whether differences in dopaminergic functioning in other nodes of the mesocorticolimbic DA system impact subjective responses to dAMPH is currently unknown. However, data suggest functional connections between the VS and paralimbic cortical areas (Haber and Knutson, 2010;Lee et al, 1999) and there is evidence that paralimbic areas are involved in addiction relevant processes such as value coding in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and neighboring orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) (Bartra et al, 2013;Clithero and Rangel, 2014;Diekhof et al, 2012;First et al, 1997) and drug craving in the insula (Kilts et al, 2001;Naqvi et al, 2014).…”