Cited by 409Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorDecision-Making and Behavioral Economics

Effects of lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex on sensitivity to delayed and probabilistic reinforcement

S., Mobini, S., Body, M.-Y., Ho, C., Bradshaw, E., Szabadi, J., Deakin, I., Anderson·2002·Psychopharmacology

Abstract

Rationale Lesions of the orbital prefrontal cortex (OPFC) can cause pathologically impulsive behaviour in humans. Inter-temporal choice behaviour (choice between reinforcers differing in size, delay and/or probability) has been proposed as a model of "impulsive choice" in animals.Objective The effect of lesions of the OPFC on rats' inter-temporal choice behaviour was examined in two experiments: (1) rats chose between a smaller immediate reinforcer and a larger delayed reinforcer; (2) rats chose between a smaller certain reinforcer and a larger probabilistic reinforcer.Methods Under halothane anaesthesia, rats received injections of the excitotoxin quinolinate into the OPFC (0.1 M, 0.5 microl, two injections in each hemisphere), or sham lesions (injections of vehicle). They were trained to press two levers (A and B) for food-pellet reinforcers in discrete-trials schedules. In free-choice trials, a press on A resulted in immediate delivery of one food pellet; a press on B resulted in delivery of two pellets, either following a delay ( d) (experiment 1), or with a probability ( p) <1 (experiment 2). The values of d and p were manipulated across phases of the experiments. The locations of the lesions were verified histologically at the end of the experiment.Results In experiment 1, both groups showed declining choice of lever B as a function of d. The lesioned rats showed significantly shorter indifference delays ( D50: the value of d corresponding to 50% choice of lever B) than the sham-lesioned rats. In experiment 2, both groups showed declining choice of lever B as a function of the odds against delivery of the two-pellet reinforcer, theta ( theta =[1/ p]-1). The lesioned rats showed lower indifference odds ( theta50: the value of theta corresponding to 50% choice of lever B) than the sham-lesioned rats. In both experiments, the lesioned rats showed extensive atrophy of the OPFC, with sparing of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.Conclusions The results show that lesions of the OPFC can promote preference for the smaller and more immediate, and the smaller and more certain of two reinforcers. The results are consistent with two interpretations: the lesion may have altered (i) the rates of delay and odds discounting, and/or (ii) sensitivity to the ratio of the sizes of the two reinforcers.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s00213-001-0983-0

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  • Rats with orbitofrontal cortex lesions show a similar bias toward immediate rewards.

    “Similar results are seen in rats with lesions of the OFC (Mobini et al., 2002; Rudebeck et al., 2006).”

    From Impulsivity, frontal lobes and risk for addiction (2009) · cites this paper as Mobini et al., 2002

  • Orbitofrontal cortex moderates impulsive choice and represents subjective value during decision-making.

    “The OFC is thought to moderate impulsive choice (Mobini et al., 2002; Rudebeck et al., 2006), and to represent subjective value during decision-making (Izquierdo et al., 2004; Padoa-Schioppa and Assad, 2006; Roesch and Olson, 2004; Schoenbaum and Roesch, 2005).”

    From Impulsivity, frontal lobes and risk for addiction (2009) · cites this paper as Mobini et al., 2002

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Authors
S., M., S., B., M.-Y., H., C., B., E., S., J., D., & I., A.
Venue
Psychopharmacology
Published
2002-03-01
Volume
160
Issue
3
Pages
290-298
ISSN
  • 0033-3158 (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-2072
OpenAlex
W2081378522
Cited by
409
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 22
FWCI
7.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
Keywords
orbitofrontal cortex, intertemporal choice, impulsivity, delay discounting, probability discounting, quinolinate, excitotoxic lesions, rats, reinforcement sensitivity
MeSH terms
Animals, Conditioning, Operant, Female, Frontal Lobe, Neurotoxins, Orbit, Probability Learning, Reaction Time, Reinforcement, Psychology, Rats, Wistar, Rats

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