Neural representation of expected value in the adolescent brain
Open accessAbstract
Significance: The brain undergoes significant maturation during adolescence that influences reward sensitivity and risk-taking behavior. However, it is unknown if the adolescent brain truly values rewards in a way that is unique from the mature brain or if confounding factors contribute to this developmental difference. Here we show that adolescents place greater value on rewards than do adults through exaggerated activation of the ventral striatum and that this valuation increases gambling behavior. This developmental effect remains even when controlling for income and task performance. We also find that heightened reward sensitivity leads to more advantageous risk-taking in adolescents versus adults. These data provide behavioral and neural evidence for ontogenetic differences in how value computation is used to bias reward-related behavior during adolescence.
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Studies using a task design in which the reward cue signals not only the opportunity for reward, but also an increased likelihood of earning that reward, tend to find increased adolescent activity in the striatum during anticipation.
“Studies using a task design in which the reward cue signals not only the opportunity for reward, but also an increased likelihood of earning that reward, tend to find increased adolescent activity in the striatum during anticipation (e.g., Barkley-Levenson and Galvan, 2014, Van Leijenhorst et al., 2010b).”
From The dual systems model: Review, reappraisal, and reaffirmation (2016) · cites this paper as Barkley-Levenson and Galvan, 2014
The paper reports greater adolescent ventral-striatal activation as the expected value of a presented gamble increased (p. 2). But Materials and Methods (p. 6) say the mixed gambles had a fixed 50% chance of gaining and 50% chance of losing; the task varied monetary amounts, not the likelihood of earning a reward. It therefore supports the neural-activity finding, but not the cited description of the task design. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredDespite occasional inconsistencies in the literature, self-reported sensation seeking, behavioral measures of reward sensitivity, and neuroimaging studies of reward processing support the contention that reward sensitivity reaches its apex during adolescence.
“In summary, despite occasional inconsistencies in the literature, self-reported sensation seeking, behavioral measures of reward sensitivity, and neuroimaging studies of reward processing support the contention that reward sensitivity reaches its apex during adolescence (e.g., Barkley-Levenson and Galvan, 2014, Christakou et al., 2011, Collado et al., 2014, Galvan and McGlennen, 2013, MacPherson”
From The dual systems model: Review, reappraisal, and reaffirmation (2016) · cites this paper as Barkley-Levenson and Galvan, 2014
Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe handful of studies that include a behavioral measure or control for behavioral differences in reward sensitivity across development all report both greater recruitment of the striatum during anticipation of reward and higher reward sensitivity among adolescents compared to adults, reflected in the behavioral outcomes.
“While most reward processing tasks used in neuroimaging studies do not include a behavioral measure or control for behavioral differences in reward sensitivity across development, the handful of studies that do (Barkley-Levenson and Galvan, 2014, Christakou et al., 2011, Geier et al., 2010, Padmanabhan et al., 2011, Somerville et al., 2011) all report both greater recruitment of the striatum”
From The dual systems model: Review, reappraisal, and reaffirmation (2016) · cites this paper as Barkley-Levenson and Galvan, 2014
Early development of the valuation system is indicated by increases in striatal dopamine levels, dopamine receptor availability, and BOLD activity to rewarding stimuli in early adolescence.
“Indications of the early development of the valuation system include increases in striatal dopamine levels, dopamine receptor availability, and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activity related to rewarding stimuli in early adolescence (34, 35)”
From Adolescent impatience decreases with increased frontostriatal connectivity (2015) · cites this paper as [35]
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Adolescent impatience decreases with increased frontostriatal connectivity
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- Authors
- Barkley-Levenson, E., & Galván, A.
- Affiliations
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563; and
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- ORCID
- Galván, Adriana
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2014-01-13
- Volume
- 111
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1646-1651
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC3910617
- OpenAlex
- W2081265660
- Cited by
- 114
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 4 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 6.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (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
- expected value, adolescent brain, ventral striatum, decision-making, subjective value
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Adult, Age Factors, Brain, Female, Humans, Male, Motivation
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