Katharina Buczek
The first task presented the monkeys with a choice between two different options that had different probabilities of reward. The second task did not present the monkeys with a choice but allowed them to receive a reward at the trial’s end.
And while each monkey performed these tasks, their neural activity and behavioral task performance were recorded. Then, the researchers analyzed the results and were actually surprised themselves.
“We found that the single-neuron activity in four core areas of the reward circuit reflected the subjective value judgments made by the monkeys while they completed the economic decision-making task, indicating that the activity conformed to the prospect theory framework,” Professor Yasuhiro Tsubo, one of the study’s authors, explained.
Additionally, the study found that these neural firing patterns were distributed throughout various regions of the brain’s reward system.
“Our study is the first to show that prospect theory can be used to describe the activity of individual neurons in the reward system,” added Professor Agnieszka Tymula, another study author.
So now, these results can help people conclusively understand how they make economic decisions and opens up a plethora of new research opportunities.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Nature Communications, visit the link here.
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