Subregions of the ventral striatum show preferential coding of reward magnitude and probability

TY - JOUR

T1 - Subregions of the ventral striatum show preferential coding of reward magnitude and probability

AU - Yacubian, Juliana

AU - Sommer-Blöchl, Tobias

AU - Schroeder, Katrin

AU - Gläscher, Jan

AU - Braus, Dieter F

AU - Büchel, Christian

PY - 2007/11/15

Y1 - 2007/11/15

N2 - As shown in non-human primate and human fMRI studies the probability and magnitude of anticipated rewards modulate activity in the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. Importantly, non-human primate data have revealed that single dopaminergic neurons code for both probability and magnitude of expected reward, suggesting an identical system. Using a guessing task that allowed the independent assessment of the factors probability and magnitude we were able to assess the impact of reward probability and magnitude in ventral striatal subregions in a large sample (n=98). We observed more anterior and lateral peak activation foci in the ventral striatum for reward probability and a more posterior and medial activation peak for reward magnitude, suggesting a functional segregation at the mesoscopic level. Importantly, this functional bias observed for the group average was also tested in each individual subject, allowing for proper random effects inference for the spatial dissociation. Taken together, our data point toward a functional dissociation of neuronal assemblies suggesting that certain populations of neurons are more sensitive to expected reward probability and other populations are more sensitive to reward magnitude.

AB - As shown in non-human primate and human fMRI studies the probability and magnitude of anticipated rewards modulate activity in the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. Importantly, non-human primate data have revealed that single dopaminergic neurons code for both probability and magnitude of expected reward, suggesting an identical system. Using a guessing task that allowed the independent assessment of the factors probability and magnitude we were able to assess the impact of reward probability and magnitude in ventral striatal subregions in a large sample (n=98). We observed more anterior and lateral peak activation foci in the ventral striatum for reward probability and a more posterior and medial activation peak for reward magnitude, suggesting a functional segregation at the mesoscopic level. Importantly, this functional bias observed for the group average was also tested in each individual subject, allowing for proper random effects inference for the spatial dissociation. Taken together, our data point toward a functional dissociation of neuronal assemblies suggesting that certain populations of neurons are more sensitive to expected reward probability and other populations are more sensitive to reward magnitude.

KW - Brain Mapping

KW - Corpus Striatum

KW - Functional Laterality

KW - Humans

KW - Image Processing, Computer-Assisted

KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

KW - Play and Playthings

KW - Probability

KW - Reward

KW - Space Perception

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.08.007

DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.08.007

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 17889562

VL - 38

SP - 557

EP - 563

JO - NEUROIMAGE

JF - NEUROIMAGE

SN - 1053-8119

IS - 3

ER -