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Orbitofrontal cortex contributes to the comparison of values underlying economic choices

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  • Sébastien Ballesta

    (Washington University in St. Louis
    Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (UMR 7364)
    Centre de Primatologie de l’Université de Strasbourg)

  • Weikang Shi

    (Washington University in St. Louis
    Yale University)

  • Camillo Padoa-Schioppa

    (Washington University in St. Louis
    Washington University in St. Louis
    Washington University in St. Louis)

Abstract

Economic choices between goods entail the computation and comparison of subjective values. Previous studies examined neuronal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of monkeys choosing between different types of juices. Three groups of neurons were identified: offer value cells encoding the value of individual offers, chosen juice cells encoding the identity of the chosen juice, and chosen value cells encoding the value of the chosen offer. The encoded variables capture both the input (offer value) and the output (chosen juice, chosen value) of the decision process, suggesting that values are compared within OFC. Recent work demonstrates that choices are causally linked to the activity of offer value cells. Conversely, the hypothesis that OFC contributes to value comparison has not been confirmed. Here we show that weak electrical stimulation of OFC specifically disrupts value comparison without altering offer values. This result implies that neuronal populations in OFC participate in value comparison.

Suggested Citation

  • Sébastien Ballesta & Weikang Shi & Camillo Padoa-Schioppa, 2022. "Orbitofrontal cortex contributes to the comparison of values underlying economic choices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-32199-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32199-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Glimcher, Paul W. & Dorris, Michael C. & Bayer, Hannah M., 2005. "Physiological utility theory and the neuroeconomics of choice," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 213-256, August.
    2. Sébastien Ballesta & Weikang Shi & Katherine E. Conen & Camillo Padoa-Schioppa, 2020. "Values encoded in orbitofrontal cortex are causally related to economic choices," Nature, Nature, vol. 588(7838), pages 450-453, December.
    3. Alexandre Pastor-Bernier & Arkadiusz Stasiak & Wolfram Schultz, 2019. "Orbitofrontal signals for two-component choice options comply with indifference curves of Revealed Preference Theory," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Camillo Padoa-Schioppa & John A. Assad, 2006. "Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex encode economic value," Nature, Nature, vol. 441(7090), pages 223-226, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Romane Cecchi & Antoine Collomb-Clerc & Inès Rachidi & Lorella Minotti & Philippe Kahane & Mathias Pessiglione & Julien Bastin, 2024. "Direct stimulation of anterior insula and ventromedial prefrontal cortex disrupts economic choices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Demetrio Ferro & Tyler Cash-Padgett & Maya Zhe Wang & Benjamin Y. Hayden & Rubén Moreno-Bote, 2024. "Gaze-centered gating, reactivation, and reevaluation of economic value in orbitofrontal cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.

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