Is the core function of orbitofrontal cortex to signal values or make predictions?
Open accessAbstract
One dominant hypothesis about the function of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is that the OFC signals the subjective values of possible outcomes to other brain areas for learning and decision making. This popular view generally neglects the fact that OFC is not necessary for simple value-based behavior (i.e., when values have been directly experienced). An alternative, emerging view suggests that OFC plays a more general role in representing structural information about the task or environment, derived from prior experience, and relevant to predicting behavioral outcomes, such as value. From this perspective, value signaling is simply one derivative of the core underlying function of OFC. New data in favor of both views have been accumulating rapidly. Here we review these new data in discussing the relative merits of these two ideas.
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Detailed parcellation studies in macaques have shown the importance of central regions of OFC in updating the valuations of expected outcomes on the basis of an animal's current state (area 13) and translating that information into goals for action selection (area 11).
“In summary, detailed parcellation studies in macaques have shown the importance of central regions of OFC in updating the valuations of expected outcomes on the basis of an animal's current state (area 13) and translating that information into goals for action selection (area 11).”
From Prefrontal cortex and depression (2022) · cites this paper as [150]
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredArea 14 in the medial OFC/caudal vmPFC appears more important for comparing values of alternative options.
“Conversely, area 14 in the medial OFC/caudal vmPFC appears more important for comparing values of alternative options.”
From Prefrontal cortex and depression (2022) · cites this paper as [150]
The Introduction’s “Neural correlates of value in the OFC” section describes OFC activity associated with the values of goods on offer. It does not identify area 14 or say that this region is more important for comparing options. The “OFC is required for model-based value computation” section also reports that medial OFC inactivation did not affect choice behavior in well-trained rats. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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References 74 · Cited by 57
- Authors
- Zhou, J., Gardner, M. P., & Schoenbaum, G.
- Affiliations
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (US)
- Corresponding author
- Zhou, Jingfeng
- Schoenbaum, Geoffrey
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-10
- Volume
- 41
- Pages
- 1-9
- ISSN
- 2352-1546 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8052096
- OpenAlex
- W3142531274
- Cited by
- 57
- References
- 74
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 1.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (ZIA-DA000587, K99DA049888)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- orbitofrontal cortex, prediction, subjective value, decision-making, learning, functional hypothesis, prior experience
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