Doctoral Dissertation Research in DRMS: The Role of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Risky Choice.

神经经济学研究表明，通过重复经颅磁刺激（rTMS）暂时抑制右侧背外侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC），会导致实验受试者选择风险更高但可能更大的奖励选项，而不是风险较小的奖励选项。这一发现被解释为表明，推翻或抑制选择诱人但风险更大的选择的驱动力的能力存在于大脑的特定区域？外侧前额叶皮层 然而，研究结果表明，除了选择更危险的选项后，前额抑制，选择一个特定的选项的概率接近机会水平。因此，对证据的另一种解释是，由于DLPFC的抑制，受试者更难区分两个选项的主观价值，并选择最高价值的选项。 这个博士论文改进补助金将使合作PI测试这些替代假设的外侧前额叶皮层功能对彼此抑制活动在这个大脑区域与rTMS之前，健康的人类参与者执行一个选择任务，他们必须作出选择之间的某些和风险的选项与不同的相对主观价值。 研究结果将揭示外侧前额叶皮层的破坏是否会特别调节冒险行为，或者帮助个体比较主观价值并选择最有价值的选项。 就更广泛的影响而言，这项研究将为改善依赖于风险感知的各种情况（例如保险，投资，健康决策）中的适应不良决策提供信息。

Neuroeconomic research demonstrates that temporary suppression of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) leads experimental subjects to choose riskier, but potentially larger reward options over a less risky reward options. This finding has been interpreted as suggesting that the ability to override or inhibit the drive to choose tempting but riskier choices lies in a specific region of the brain ? the lateral prefrontal cortex. However, the findings reveal that, in addition to choosing more risky options following prefrontal suppression, the probability of choosing a particular option approaches chance level. Thus, an alternative interpretation of the evidence is that, as a result of suppression of the DLPFC, subjects have greater difficulty discriminating between the subjective values of the two options and choosing the highest valued alternative. This Doctoral Dissertation Improvement grant will enable the co-PI to test these alternative hypotheses of lateral prefrontal cortex function against each other by suppressing activity in this brain region with rTMS immediately before healthy human participants perform a choice task in which they must make choices between certain and risky options with varying relative subjective values. The results will reveal whether disruption of the lateral prefrontal cortex specifically modulates risk taking or helps individuals compare subjective values and select the most valued option. In terms of broader impacts, this research will inform solutions for improving maladaptive decision making in the wide range of situations (e.g. insurance, investing, health decisions) that depend upon perceptions of risk.