Biology subjects

Abdurahman, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Abdurahman, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Distinct neural representations for prosocial and self-benefitting effort

Prosocial behaviours - actions that benefit others - are central to individual and societal well-being. Most prosocial acts are effortful. Yet, how the brain encodes effort costs when actions benefit others is unknown. Here, using a combination of multivariate representational similarity analysis and model-based univariate analysis during fMRI, we reveal how the costs of prosocial efforts are processed. Strikingly, we identified a unique neural signature of effort in the anterior cingulate gyrus for prosocial acts both when choosing to help others and when exerting force for their benefit. This pattern was absent for similar self-benefitting behaviour and correlated with individual levels of empathy. In contrast, the ventral tegmental area and the ventral insula signalled subjective value preferentially when choosing whether to exert effort to benefit oneself. These findings demonstrate partially distinct brain areas guide the evaluation and exertion of effort costs when acts are prosocial or self-benefitting.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Ageing disrupts reinforcement learning whilst learning to help others is preserved

Reinforcement learning is a fundamental mechanism displayed by many species. However, adaptive behaviour depends not only on learning about actions and outcomes that affect ourselves, but also those that affect others. Here, using computational reinforcement learning models, we tested whether young (age 18-36) and older (age 60-80, total n=152) adults can learn to gain rewards for themselves, another person (prosocial), or neither individual (control). Detailed model comparison showed that a model with separate learning rates for each recipient best explained behaviour. Young adults were faster to learn when their actions benefitted themselves, compared to helping others. Strikingly, compared to younger adults, older adults showed preserved prosocial learning rates but reduced self-relevant learning rates. Moreover, psychopathic traits were lower in older adults and negatively correlated with prosocial learning. These findings suggest learning how to benefit others is preserved across the lifespan with implications for reinforcement learning and theories of healthy ageing.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Neural signatures of model-free learning when avoiding harm to self and other

Moral behaviour requires learning how our actions help or harm others. Theoretical accounts of learning propose a key division between model-free algorithms that efficiently cache outcome values in actions and model-based algorithms that prospectively map actions to outcomes, a distinction that may be critical for moral learning. Here, we tested the engagement of these learning mechanisms and their neural basis as participants learned to avoid painful electric shocks for themselves and a stranger. We found that model-free learning was prioritized when avoiding harm to others compared to oneself. Model-free prediction errors for others relative to self were tracked in the thalamus/caudate at the time of the outcome. At the time of choice, a signature of model-free moral learning was associated with responses in subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), and resisting this model-free influence was predicted by stronger connectivity between sgACC and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Finally, multiple behavioural and neural correlates of model-free moral learning varied with individual differences in moral judgment. Our findings suggest moral learning favours efficiency over flexibility and is underpinned by specific neural mechanisms.

neuroscience↗