The neuropsychology of ventral prefrontal cortex: decision-making and reversal learning.

Full Abstract

Converging evidence from human lesion, animal lesion, and human functional neuroimaging studies implicates overlapping neural circuitry in ventral prefrontal cortex in decision-making and reversal learning. The ascending 5-HT and dopamine neurotransmitter systems have a modulatory role in both processes. There is accumulating evidence that measures of decision-making and reversal learning may be useful as functional markers of ventral prefrontal cortex integrity in psychiatric and neurological disorders. Whilst existing measures of decision-making may have superior sensitivity, reversal learning may offer superior selectivity, particularly within prefrontal cortex. Effective decision-making on existing measures requires the ability to adapt behaviour on the basis of changes in emotional significance, and this may underlie the shared neural circuitry with reversal learning.

Author information

Author/s: Clark, L (L); Cools, R (R); Robbins, T W (TW);

Affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. lc260(-atsign-)cam.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Brain and cognition (Brain Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2004-Jun; vol 55 (issue 1) : pp 41-53

Dates: Created 2004/05/11; Completed 2004/07/28; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 15134842, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 2/18/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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