Cited by 948Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorDecision-Making and Behavioral Economics

Optimal decision making and the anterior cingulate cortex

Kennerley, Steven W, Walton, Mark E, Behrens, Timothy E J, Buckley, Mark J, Rushworth, Matthew F S·2006·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

Learning the value of options in an uncertain environment is central to optimal decision making. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been implicated in using reinforcement information to control behavior. Here we demonstrate that the ACC's critical role in reinforcement-guided behavior is neither in detecting nor in correcting errors, but in guiding voluntary choices based on the history of actions and outcomes. ACC lesions did not impair the performance of monkeys (Macaca mulatta) immediately after errors, but made them unable to sustain rewarded responses in a reinforcement-guided choice task and to integrate risk and payoff in a dynamic foraging task. These data suggest that the ACC is essential for learning the value of actions.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nn1724

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52 of 52 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • ACC is required for monitoring and prediction of an action-outcome relationship by representing reward-related information such as reward value and cost of action.

    “The ACC is required for monitoring and prediction of an action-outcome relationship30,31, by representing various reward-related information, such as reward value and cost of action32–34.”
  • The macaque anterior cingulate cortex helps in monitoring and reacting to particular forms of conflict.

    “From this and related findings (Kennerley et al., 2006; Rushworth et al., 2004), it was proposed that the macaque anterior cingulate cortex helps in monitoring and reacting to particular forms of conflict”

    From The cingulum bundle: Anatomy, function, and dysfunction (2018) · cites this paper as Kennerley et al., 2006

  • Lesions of anterior cingulate cortex, a key part of MFa, impair the use of positive feedback to stay with correct actions after action reversals.

    “Kennerley et al. (96) found that lesions of the anterior cingulate cortex, a key part of MFa, impair the use of positive feedback to stay with correct actions after action reversals.”
  • A few studies have estimated the time constant of the reward filter from behavior, and assessed how past rewards affect choice selection.

    “So far a few studies have estimated the time constant of this filter from behavior, and assessed how past rewards affect choice selection8-12”
  • A shift from an exploitive to an exploratory strategy as the environment becomes uncertain is often assessed by an increase in the learning rate.

    “This is noteworthy, since a shift from an exploitive to an exploratory strategy as the environment becomes uncertain is often assessed by an increase in the learning rate10.”

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Authors
Kennerley, S. W., Walton, M. E., Behrens, T. E. J., Buckley, M. J., & Rushworth, M. F. S.
Affiliations
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • John Radcliffe Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Kennerley, Steven W
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2006-06-18
Volume
9
Issue
7
Pages
940-947
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W2009639618
Cited by
948
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 41 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 57 · 2016: 58 · 2015: 51 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 58 · 2012: 55
FWCI
26.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Wellcome Trust
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
anterior cingulate cortex, optimal decision making, reinforcement learning, value learning, error correction, error detection, voluntary choice, foraging behavior, lesion studies, macaque
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Conditioning, Operant, Decision Making, Gyrus Cinguli, Macaca mulatta, Male, Probability Learning, Psychomotor Performance, Reinforcement, Psychology, Reinforcement Schedule

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