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Dissociable roles of cortical excitation-inhibition balance during patch-leaving versus value-guided decisions

Author

Listed:
  • Luca F. Kaiser

    (Heinrich Heine University
    Otto von Guericke University)

  • Theo O. J. Gruendler

    (Otto von Guericke University
    Military Hospital Berlin)

  • Oliver Speck

    (Otto von Guericke University
    Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology
    German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
    Otto von Guericke University)

  • Lennart Luettgau

    (Heinrich Heine University
    Otto von Guericke University)

  • Gerhard Jocham

    (Heinrich Heine University
    Otto von Guericke University)

Abstract

In a dynamic world, it is essential to decide when to leave an exploited resource. Such patch-leaving decisions involve balancing the cost of moving against the gain expected from the alternative patch. This contrasts with value-guided decisions that typically involve maximizing reward by selecting the current best option. Patterns of neuronal activity pertaining to patch-leaving decisions have been reported in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), whereas competition via mutual inhibition in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is thought to underlie value-guided choice. Here, we show that the balance between cortical excitation and inhibition (E/I balance), measured by the ratio of GABA and glutamate concentrations, plays a dissociable role for the two kinds of decisions. Patch-leaving decision behaviour relates to E/I balance in dACC. In contrast, value-guided decision-making relates to E/I balance in vmPFC. These results support mechanistic accounts of value-guided choice and provide evidence for a role of dACC E/I balance in patch-leaving decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca F. Kaiser & Theo O. J. Gruendler & Oliver Speck & Lennart Luettgau & Gerhard Jocham, 2021. "Dissociable roles of cortical excitation-inhibition balance during patch-leaving versus value-guided decisions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20875-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20875-w
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    Cited by:

    1. Eleanor Holton & Jan Grohn & Harry Ward & Sanjay G. Manohar & Jill X. O’Reilly & Nils Kolling, 2024. "Goal commitment is supported by vmPFC through selective attention," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(7), pages 1351-1365, July.

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