Journal article
The amygdala and decision-making
Neuropsychologia, Vol.49(4), pp.760-766
03/2011
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.09.029
PMCID: PMC3032808
PMID: 20920513
Abstract
▶ The amygdala is a critical component of a neural network involved in decision-making. ▶ Involved in triggering autonomic responses to emotional stimuli (e.g., reward and punishment). ▶ These autonomic “somatic marker” type cues help guide future decision-making. ▶ Amygdala damage impairs decision-making as these autonomic cues are not initially produced. ▶ Evidence for an interaction between sex and laterality of amygdala functioning.
Decision-making is a complex process that requires the orchestration of multiple neural systems. For example, decision-making is believed to involve areas of the brain involved in emotion (e.g., amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex) and memory (e.g., hippocampus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). In this article, we will present findings related to the amygdala's role in decision-making, and differentiate the contributions of the amygdala from those of other structurally and functionally connected neural regions. Decades of research have shown that the amygdala is involved in associating a stimulus with its emotional value. This tradition has been extended in newer work, which has shown that the amygdala is especially important for decision-making, by triggering autonomic responses to emotional stimuli, including monetary reward and punishment. Patients with amygdala damage lack these autonomic responses to reward and punishment, and consequently, cannot utilize “somatic marker” type cues to guide future decision-making. Studies using laboratory decision-making tests have found deficient decision-making in patients with bilateral amygdala damage, which resembles their real-world difficulties with decision-making. Additionally, we have found evidence for an interaction between sex and laterality of amygdala functioning, such that unilateral damage to the right amygdala results in greater deficits in decision-making and social behavior in men, while left amygdala damage seems to be more detrimental for women. We have posited that the amygdala is part of an “impulsive,” habit type system that triggers emotional responses to immediate outcomes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The amygdala and decision-making
- Creators
- Rupa Gupta - Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, United StatesTimothy R Koscik - Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, United StatesAntoine Bechara - Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, United StatesDaniel Tranel - Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Neuropsychologia, Vol.49(4), pp.760-766
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.09.029
- PMID
- 20920513
- PMCID
- PMC3032808
- NLM abbreviation
- Neuropsychologia
- ISSN
- 0028-3932
- eISSN
- 1873-3514
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/2011
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychiatry; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984002445202771
Metrics
49 Record Views