Ventromedial Prefrontal and Anterior Cingulate Cortex Adopt Choice and Default Reference Frames during Sequential Multi-Alternative Choice

摘要

Although damage to the medial frontal cortex causes profound decision-making impairments, it has been difficult to pinpoint the relativeudcontributions of key anatomical subdivisions. Here we use function magnetic resonance imaging to examine the contributions of humanudventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) during sequential choices between multiple alternatives—udtwo key features of choices made in ecological settings. By carefully constructing options whose current value at any givenuddecision was dissociable from their longer term value, we were able to examine choices in current and long-term frames of reference. Weudpresent evidence showing that activity at choice and feedback in vmPFC and dACC was tied to the current choice and the best long-termudoption, respectively. vmPFC, mid-cingulate, and posterior cingulate cortex encoded the relative value between the chosen and next bestudoption at each sequential decision, whereas dACC encoded the relative value of adapting choices from the option with the highest value inudthe longer term. Furthermore, at feedback we identify temporally dissociable effects that predict repetition of the current choice andudadaptation away from the long-term best option in vmPFC and dACC, respectively. These functional dissociations at choice and feedbackudsuggest that sequential choices are subject to competing cortical mechanisms.