Contributions of the Amygdala to Reward Expectancy and Choice Signals in Human Prefrontal Cortex
Open accessAbstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) receives substantial anatomical input from the amygdala, and these two structures have long been implicated in reward-related learning and decision making. Yet little is known about how these regions interact, especially in humans. We investigated the contribution of the amygdala to reward-related signals in PFC by scanning two rare subjects with focal bilateral amygdala lesions using fMRI. The subjects performed a reversal learning task in which they first had to learn which of two choices was the more rewarding, and then flexibly switch their choices when contingencies changed. Compared with healthy controls, both amygdala lesion subjects showed a profound change in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity associated with reward expectation and behavioral choice. These findings support a critical role for the human amygdala in establishing expected reward representations in PFC, which in turn may be used to guide behavioral choice.
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The amygdala's role in mediating loss aversion may be analogous to its role in modulating caudate- or hippocampal-dependent memory and choice in reversal tasks.
“In this regard, the amygdala’s role in mediating loss aversion may be analogous to its role in modulating caudate- or hippocampal-dependent memory (31), and choice in reversal tasks (20).”
From Amygdala damage eliminates monetary loss aversion (2010) · cites this paper as [20]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Hampton, A. N., Adolphs, R., Tyszka, J. M., & O'Doherty, J. P.
- Affiliations
- California Institute of Technology (US)
- Venue
- Neuron
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-08
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 545-555
- ISSN
- 0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2020628123
- Cited by
- 213
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 6.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neuron (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- amygdala, prefrontal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, reward anticipation, behavioral choice, reversal learning, amygdala lesions, decision-making, reward learning
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amygdala, Attention, Brain Injuries, Brain Mapping, Choice Behavior, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Reward, Time Factors, Prefrontal Cortex
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