OFC and ACC: Reward and Motivation

Question 1

Where does the OFC receive projections from?

Answer 1

Magnocellular nucleus of mediodorsal thalamus
Sensory modalities (e.g. olfactory cortex, S1, insula, visual cortex)

Question 2

Where are offer values neurons found and what do they encode?

Answer 2

OFC

Encode absolute value of certain stimulus - fires regardless of what else on offer - menu invariance

Question 3

What are the different things OFC neurons can encode?

Answer 3

Reward value of multiple stimuli
Reward value of certain stimuli
Reward value independent of stimulus identity - convert each value to common currency
Relative reward value - when expecting preferred reward of pair presented

Question 4

What does medial OFC activity encode?

Answer 4

Stimulus pleasantness/value

Question 5

How is the OFC representation of stimulus value used?

Answer 5

Inform decision-making

Question 6

What are the 3 steps of OFC firing during discrimination learning tasks in rats?

Answer 6

Early learning - fire after reward
Late learning - start firing before reward - peak rate at reward presentation
After learning - fire after cue predicting reward

Question 7

Name the 4 subdivisions of the cingulate cortex

Answer 7

Anterior cingulate cortex
Mid-cingulate cortex
Posterior cingulate cortex
Retrosplenial cortex

Question 8

What are the roles of the ACC?

Answer 8

Autonomic response
Processing affective component of pain
Reward processing
Decision-making
Conflict monitoring

Question 9

What is an error-related negativity (ERN)?

Answer 9

Event-related potential
After incorrect response
Recorded from scalp electrodes

Question 10

Where is an error-related negativity (ERN) generated in the Stroop test and why?

Answer 10

dACC and dlPFC

Stroop test incongruent - conflicting demands

Question 11

What does the unified theory of value encoding and decision-making suggest?

Answer 11

OFC and ACC integrate inputs from primary sensory cortices - encode value of rewards/punishers
dACC receives motor input about ongoing actions - encodes action-outcome associations
dACC association info relayed to mPFC - where decisions between available options occur

Question 12

How is the ACC involved in foraging/exploration decisions?

Answer 12

ACC is accumulator
As patch value decreases - increased ACC firing rate - leaves patch earlier
Informs decision on when to leave current foraging patch