Selective alteration of human value decisions with medial frontal tDCS is predicted by changes in attractor dynamics

During value-based decision making, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is thought to support choices by tracking the expected gain from different outcomes via a competition-based process. Using a computational neurostimulation approach we asked how perturbing this region might alter this competi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 25160
Main Authors: Hämmerer, D., Bonaiuto, J., Klein-Flügge, M., Bikson, M., Bestmann, S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 05.05.2016
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects:
631/378/116/1925
631/378/1595/1396
631/477/2811
Adult
Choice Behavior
Cognition
Competition
Computational neuroscience
Decision making
Depolarization
Electrical stimulation of the brain
Electrodes
ESB
Female
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Male
Models, Neurological
multidisciplinary
Prefrontal cortex
Prefrontal Cortex - physiology
Pyramidal cells
Science
Stochasticity
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Young Adult
ISSN:2045-2322, 2045-2322
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:During value-based decision making, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is thought to support choices by tracking the expected gain from different outcomes via a competition-based process. Using a computational neurostimulation approach we asked how perturbing this region might alter this competition and resulting value decisions. We simulated a perturbation of neural dynamics in a biophysically informed model of decision-making through in silico depolarization at the level of neuronal ensembles. Simulated depolarization increased baseline firing rates of pyramidal neurons, which altered their susceptibility to background noise, and thereby increased choice stochasticity. These behavioural predictions were compared to choice behaviour in healthy participants performing similar value decisions during transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique. We placed the soma depolarizing electrode over medial frontal PFC. In line with model predictions, this intervention resulted in more random choices. By contrast, no such effect was observed when placing the depolarizing electrode over lateral PFC. Using a causal manipulation of ventromedial and lateral prefrontal function, these results provide support for competition-based choice dynamics in human vmPFC, and introduce computational neurostimulation as a mechanistic assay for neurostimulation studies of cognition.
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These authors contributed equally to this work.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep25160