Brain correlates of risky decision-making

Understanding the neurocognitive basis of risk-taking behavior is an important issue, especially in economic decision-making. Classical behavioral studies have shown that risk-attitude changes across different contexts, but little is so far known about the brain correlates of processing of outcomes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2010-01, Vol.49 (2), p.1886-1894
Main Authors: Polezzi, David, Sartori, Giuseppe, Rumiati, Rino, Vidotto, Giulio, Daum, Irene
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Behavior
Brain - physiology
Brain Mapping
Decision making
Decision Making - physiology
Dopamine
Electroencephalography
Event-Related Potentials, P300
Evoked Potentials
Female
Fixed rates
Frontal Lobe - physiology
Gambling
Gyrus Cinguli - physiology
Human subjects
Humans
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Parietal Lobe - physiology
Risk-Taking
Studies
Young Adult
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Summary:Understanding the neurocognitive basis of risk-taking behavior is an important issue, especially in economic decision-making. Classical behavioral studies have shown that risk-attitude changes across different contexts, but little is so far known about the brain correlates of processing of outcomes across such context shifts. In this study, EEG was recorded while subjects performed a gambling task. Participants could choose between a risky and a safer option, within two different contexts: one in which options yielded gains and losses of the same magnitude (Zero Expected Value context) and another in which gains were larger than losses (Positive Expected Value context). Based on their risk-attitude, two groups were compared: subjects who are risk-seekers in the zero Expected Value context (Zero-Oriented group) and subjects who are risk-seekers in the positive Expected Value condition (Positive-Oriented group). The Feedback Related Negativity (FRN) reflects this distinction, with each group being insensitive to magnitude of outcomes in the condition in which they were risk-prone. P300 amplitude mirrored the behavioral results, with larger amplitudes in the condition in which each group showed a higher risk-tendency. Source analyses highlighted the involvement of posterior cingulate cortex in risky decision-making. Taken together, the findings make a contribution to the clarification of the neurocognitive substrates of risky decision-making.
ISSN:1053-8119
1095-9572
DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.08.068