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Striatial Action-Value Neurons Reconsidered

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  • Lotem Elber-Dorozko
  • Yonatan Loewenstein

Abstract

It is generally believed that during economic decisions, striatal neurons represent the values associated with different actions. This hypothesis is based on studies, in which the activity of striatal neurons was measured while the subject was learning to prefer the more rewarding action. Here we show that these publications are subject to at least one of two critical confounds. First, we show that even weak temporal correlations in the neuronal data may result in an erroneous identification of action-value representations. Second, we show that experiments and analyses designed to dissociate action-value representation from the representation of other decision variables cannot do so. We suggest solutions to identifying action-value representation that are not subject to these confounds. Applying one solution to previously identified action-value neurons in the basal ganglia we fail to detect action-value representations. We conclude that the claim that striatal neurons encode action-values must await new experiments and analyses.

Suggested Citation

  • Lotem Elber-Dorozko & Yonatan Loewenstein, 2018. "Striatial Action-Value Neurons Reconsidered," Discussion Paper Series dp720, The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
  • Handle: RePEc:huj:dispap:dp720
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Camillo Padoa-Schioppa & John A. Assad, 2006. "Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex encode economic value," Nature, Nature, vol. 441(7090), pages 223-226, May.
    4. Yonatan Loewenstein, 2008. "Robustness of Learning That Is Based on Covariance-Driven Synaptic Plasticity," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(3), pages 1-10, March.
    5. Richard W. Morris & Amir Dezfouli & Kristi R. Griffiths & Bernard W. Balleine, 2014. "Action-value comparisons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex control choice between goal-directed actions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, December.
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