scholarly journals Non-monotonic recruitment of ventromedial prefrontal cortex during remote memory recall

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel N. Barry ◽  
Martin J. Chadwick ◽  
Eleanor A. Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Remote Memory ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Temporal Profile ◽  
Different Ages ◽  
Over Time

AbstractSystems-level consolidation refers to the time-dependent reorganisation of memory traces in the neocortex, a process in which the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been implicated. Capturing the precise temporal evolution of this crucial process in humans has long proved elusive. Here, we used multivariate methods and a longitudinal functional MRI design to detect, with high granularity, the extent to which autobiographical memories of different ages were represented in vmPFC and how this changed over time. We observed an unexpected time-course of vmPFC recruitment during retrieval, rising and falling around an initial peak of 8-12 months, before re-engaging for older two and five year old memories. This pattern was replicated in two independent sets of memories. Moreover, it was further replicated in a follow-up study eight months later with the same participants and memories, where the individual memory representations had undergone their hypothesised strengthening or weakening over time. We conclude that the temporal engagement of vmPFC in memory retrieval seems to be non-monotonic, revealing a complex relationship between systems-level consolidation and prefrontal cortex recruitment that is unaccounted for by current theories.Author SummaryOur past experiences are captured in autobiographical memories which allow us to recollect events from our lives long after they originally occurred. A part of the brain’s frontal lobe, called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex or vmPFC, is known to be important for supporting autobiographical memories especially as memories become more remote. The precise temporal profile of the vmPFC’s involvement is unclear, yet this information is vital if we are to understand how memories change over time and the mechanisms involved. In this study we sought to establish the time-course of vmPFC engagement in the recollection of autobiographical memories while participants recalled memories of different ages during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Using a method that detects brain activity patterns associated with individual memories, we found that memory-specific neural patterns in vmPFC became more distinct over the first few months after a memory was formed, but then this initial involvement of vmPFC subsided after one year. However, more remote memories (two years and older), appeared to re-engage vmPFC once again. This temporal profile is difficult to accommodate within any single existing theory. Consequently, our results provoke a re-think about how memories evolve over time and the role played by the vmPFC.

scholarly journals Roles of Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex and Anterior Cingulate in Subjective Valuation of Prospective Effort

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 4277-4290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick S Hogan ◽  
Joseph K Galaro ◽  
Vikram S Chib
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Effort Level ◽  
Perceived Effort ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Subjective Valuation

Abstract The perceived effort level of an action shapes everyday decisions. Despite the importance of these perceptions for decision-making, the behavioral and neural representations of the subjective cost of effort are not well understood. While a number of studies have implicated anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in decisions about effort/reward trade-offs, none have experimentally isolated effort valuation from reward and choice difficulty, a function that is commonly ascribed to this region. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to monitor brain activity while human participants engaged in uncertain choices for prospective physical effort. Our task was designed to examine effort-based decision-making in the absence of reward and separated from choice difficulty—allowing us to investigate the brain’s role in effort valuation, independent of these other factors. Participants exhibited subjectivity in their decision-making, displaying increased sensitivity to changes in subjective effort as objective effort levels increased. Analysis of blood-oxygenation-level dependent activity revealed that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) encoded the subjective valuation of prospective effort, and ACC activity was best described by choice difficulty. These results provide insight into the processes responsible for decision-making regarding effort, partly dissociating the roles of vmPFC and ACC in prospective valuation of effort and choice difficulty.

scholarly journals Functions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in emotion regulation under stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukihiro Suzuki ◽  
Saori C. Tanaka
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Regulation Of Emotion ◽  
Emotional Strength

AbstractRecent neuroimaging studies suggest that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) contributes to regulation of emotion. However, the adaptive response of the vmPFC under acute stress is not understood. We used fMRI to analyse brain activity of people viewing and rating the emotional strength of emotional images after acute social stress. Here, we show that the vmPFC is strongly activated by highly emotional images, indicating its involvement in emotional regulation, and that the midbrain is activated as a main effect of stress during the emotional response. vmPFC activation also exhibits individual differences in behavioural scores reflecting individual reactions to stress. Moreover, functional connectivity between the vmPFC and midbrain under stress reflects stress-induced emotion regulation. Those results suggest that the functions of the network including the vmPFC in emotion regulation is affected by stress depending on the individuals' level of reaction to the stress.

scholarly journals Diffusion modeling reveals reinforcement learning impairments in gambling disorder that are linked to attenuated ventromedial prefrontal cortex value representations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonius Wiehler ◽  
Jan Peters
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Gambling Disorder ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Response Threshold ◽  
Boundary Separation ◽  
Learning Impairments ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Learning Rates ◽  
Over Time

AbstractGambling disorder is associated with deficits in classical feedback-based learning tasks, but the computational mechanisms underlying such learning impairments are still poorly understood. Here, we examined this question using a combination of computational modeling and functional resonance imaging (fMRI) in gambling disorder participants (n=23) and matched controls (n=19). Participants performed a simple reinforcement learning task with two pairs of stimuli (80% vs. 20% reinforcement rates per pair). As predicted, gamblers made significantly fewer selections of the optimal stimulus, while overall response times (RTs) were not significantly different between groups. We then used comprehensive modeling using reinforcement learning drift diffusion models (RLDDMs) in combination with hierarchical Bayesian parameter estimation to shed light on the computational underpinnings of this performance impairment. In both groups, an RLDDM in which both non-decision time and response threshold (boundary separation) changed over the course of the experiment accounted for the data best. The model showed good parameter recovery, and posterior predictive checks revealed that in both groups, the model reproduced the evolution of both accuracy and RTs over time. Examination of the group-wise posterior distributions revealed that the learning impairment in gamblers was attributable to both reduced learning rates and a more rapid reduction in boundary separation over time, compared to controls. Furthermore, gamblers also showed substantially shorter non-decision times. Model-based imaging analyses then revealed that value representations in gamblers in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex were attenuated compared to controls, and these effects were partly associated with model-based learning rates. Exploratory analyses revealed that a more anterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex cluster showed attenuations in value representations in proportion to gambling disorder severity in gamblers. Taken together, our findings reveal computational mechanisms underlying reinforcement learning impairments in gambling disorder, and confirm the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and as a critical neural hub in this disorder.

scholarly journals Inverted activity patterns in ventromedial prefrontal cortex during value-guided decision-making in a less-is-more task

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios K. Papageorgiou ◽  
Jerome Sallet ◽  
Marco K. Wittmann ◽  
Bolton K. H. Chau ◽  
Urs Schüffelgen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Less Is More

scholarly journals Dissociable Roles of Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex and Anterior Cingulate in Subjective Valuation of Prospective Effort

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick S. Hogan ◽  
Joseph K. Galaro ◽  
Vikram S. Chib
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Effort Level ◽  
Perceived Effort ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Subjective Valuation

ABSTRACTThe perceived effort level of an action shapes everyday decisions. Despite the importance of these perceptions for decision-making, the behavioral and neural representations of the subjective cost of effort are not well understood. While a number of studies have implicated anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in decisions about effort/reward trade-offs, none have experimentally isolated effort valuation from reward and choice difficulty, a function that is commonly ascribed to this region. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to monitor brain activity while human participants engaged in uncertain choices for prospective physical effort. Our task was designed to examine effort-based decision making in the absence of reward and separated from choice difficulty – allowing us to investigate the brain’s role in effort valuation, independent of these other factors. Participants exhibited subjectivity in their decision-making, displaying increased sensitivity to changes in subjective effort as objective effort levels increased. Analysis of blood-oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) activity revealed that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) encoded the subjective valuation of prospective effort and ACC encoded choice difficulty. These results provide insight into the processes responsible for decision-making regarding effort, dissociating the roles of vmPFC and ACC in prospective valuation of effort and choice difficulty.

scholarly journals The hidden cost of receiving favors: A theory of indebtedness

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxue Gao ◽  
Eshin Jolly ◽  
Hongbo Yu ◽  
Huiying Liu ◽  
Xiaolin Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Utility Model ◽  
Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Hidden Cost

AbstractReceiving help or a favor from another person can sometimes have a hidden cost. In this study, we explore these hidden costs by developing and validating a theoretical model of indebtedness across three studies that combine large-scale experience sampling, interpersonal games, computational modeling, and neuroimaging. Our model captures how individuals infer the altruistic and strategic intentions of the benefactor. These inferences produce distinct feelings of guilt and obligation that together comprise indebtedness and motivate reciprocity. Altruistic intentions convey care and concern and are associated with activity in the insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, while strategic intentions convey expectations of future reciprocity and are associated with activation in the temporal parietal junction and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. We further develop a neural utility model of indebtedness using multivariate patterns of brain activity that captures the tradeoff between these feelings and reliably predicts reciprocity behavior.

scholarly journals Nonmonotonic recruitment of ventromedial prefrontal cortex during remote memory recall

PLoS Biology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e2005479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel N. Barry ◽  
Martin J. Chadwick ◽  
Eleanor A. Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Remote Memory ◽  
Memory Recall

Early Amygdala Activation and Later Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Activation During Anger Induction and Imagery

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Darin D. Dougherty ◽  
Tina Chou ◽  
Ulrike Buhlmann ◽  
Scott L. Rauch ◽  
Thilo Deckersbach
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Time Course ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Region Of Interest ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Amygdala Activation ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Initial Onset ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Neutral Conditions

Background: Neurobiological studies implicate the amygdala and related limbic/paralimbic structures, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), in anger and aggression. Previous studies of self-generated anger using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) have consistently documented a lack of amygdala activation during anger. Objective: We investigated the hypothesis that a lack of amygdala activation during anger is due to differences in the time course of amygdala and VMPFC activation. Specifically, we explored whether the amygdala is involved in the early phases of anger experience which is later followed by increased VMPFC activation. Methods: Eighteen healthy control participants underwent fMRI. We adapted an anger induction paradigm previously used in our PET study, in which neutral and angry states were induced using autobiographical scripts. The hypothesized time course of amygdala and VMPFC activation during acute anger induction and imagery were modeled. Region of interest (ROI) analyses were used to identify significant a priori region activation, and correlations were run between signal values and VAS anger ratings. Results: Amygdala activation increased during the acute phase of anger induction and decreased during the later phase of anger imagery, whereas VMPFC activation decreased during anger induction and increased during anger imagery, compared to the neutral conditions. In addition, negative correlations were found between self-ratings of anger and bilateral VMPFC activation. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that the amygdala may be active at the initial onset of anger while the VMPFC is activated over time as the individual sustains and perhaps regulates that emotional state.

Brain activity in ventromedial prefrontal cortex predicts negative temperament

NeuroImage ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 490 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zald ◽  
Dorothy Mattson ◽  
José Pardo
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document