Disentangling the effects of reward value and probability on anticipatory event-related potentials. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schutte, Iris; Heitland, Ivo; Kenemans, J. Leon
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 132(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Reward -- Probability -- Event-related potential -- Reward positivity -- P300; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107138
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: Optimal decision-making requires humans to predict the value and probability of prospective (rewarding) outcomes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and dissociate the cortical mechanisms activated by information on an upcoming potentially rewarded target stimulus with varying probabilities. Electro-cortical activity was recorded during a cued Go/NoGo experiment, during which cue letters signaled upcoming target letters to which participants had to respond. The probability of target letter appearance after the cue letter and the amount of money that could be won for correct and fast responses were orthogonally manipulated across four task blocks. As expected, reward availability affected a prefrontally distributed reward-related positivity, and a centrally distributed P300-like event-related potential (ERP). Moreover, a late prefrontally distributed ERP was affected by probability information. These results show that information on value and probability, respectively, activates separate mechanisms in the cortex. These results contribute to a further understanding of the neural underpinnings of normal and abnormal reward processing. Highlights: The value and probability of future outcomes are processed via separate mechanisms in the cortex. Cued reward value affects a prefrontal reward positivity and a centrally distributed P300-like event-related potential. Cued target probability affects a late prefrontally distributed event-related potential.