Cited by 163Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Anterior cingulate is a source of valence-specific information about value and uncertainty

Open access
Monosov, Ilya E.·2017·Nature Communications

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is thought to control a wide range of reward, punishment, and uncertainty-related behaviors. However, how it does so is unclear. Here, in a Pavlovian procedure in which monkeys displayed a diverse repertoire of reward-related, punishment-related, and uncertainty-related behaviors, we show that many ACC-neurons represent expected value and uncertainty in a valence-specific manner, signaling value or uncertainty predictions about either rewards or punishments. Other ACC-neurons signal prediction information about rewards and punishments by displaying excitation to both (rather than excitation to one and inhibition to the other). This diversity in valence representations may support the role of ACC in many behavioral states that are either enhanced by reward and punishment (e.g., vigilance) or specific to either reward or punishment (e.g., approach and avoidance). Also, this first demonstration of punishment-uncertainty signals in the brain suggests that ACC could be a target for the treatment of uncertainty-related disorders of mood.

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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.”

    From Dissociable roles of prefrontal plasticity in decision-making strategy and execution of habitual behavior (2026) · cites this paper as [34]

    The Results section ('Many ACC cells signal value of either reward or punishment'; page not specified) reports ACC neurons encoding predicted reward value and signaling reward deliveries and omissions. The cited paper does not establish that the ACC is required for action–outcome monitoring, and the passages examined do not show that its neurons represent the cost of an action. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Activity in ACC has been linked to information seeking and initiation of behavioral change.

    “Activity in ACC has also been linked to information seeking and initiation of behavioral change14,17,22,62–66”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [66]Craig, K., Brown, K. & Baum, A. Environmental factors in the etiology of anxiety. Psychopharmacology 1325–1339 (Raven Press, 1995).

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Authors
Monosov, I. E.
Affiliations
Washington University in St. Louis (US)
Corresponding author
Monosov, Ilya E.
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2017-07-26
Volume
8
Issue
1
Pages
134-134
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2951164981
Cited by
163
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 1
FWCI
5.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Commons@Becker (Washington University School of Medicine) (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (HR0011-16-2-0022, HR0011)
  • Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH110594)
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
anterior cingulate cortex, expected value, uncertainty, valence, reward, punishment, prediction error, classical conditioning, single-unit recording, approach-avoidance behavior, sustained attention, mood disorders
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain Mapping, Conditioning, Classical, Cues, Gyrus Cinguli, Macaca mulatta, Male, Neurons, Punishment, Reaction Time, Reward, Uncertainty

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