Published in

Society for Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, 26(29), p. 8388-8395, 2009

DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0717-09.2009

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The role of Human Orbitofrontal Cortex in value comparison for incommensurable objects

Journal article published in 2009 by Thomas H. B. FitzGerald ORCID, Ben Seymour, Raymond J. Dolan
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

The human orbitofrontal cortex is strongly implicated in appetitive valuation. Whether its role extends to support comparative valuation necessary to explain probabilistic choice patterns for incommensurable goods is unknown. Using a binary choice paradigm, we derived the subjective values of different bundles of goods, under conditions of both gain and loss. We demonstrate that orbitofrontal activation reflects the difference in subjective value between available options, an effect evident across valuation for both gains and losses. In contrast, activation in dorsal striatum and supplementary motor areas reflects subjects' choice probabilities. These findings indicate that orbitofrontal cortex plays a pivotal role in valuation for incommensurable goods, a critical component process in human decision making.