Biology subjects

Mas Herrero, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Mas Herrero, E..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

The neural basis of effort valuation: A meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies

Choosing how much effort to expend is a critical for everyday decisions. While effort-based decision-making is altered in common psychopathologies and many neuroimaging studies have been conducted to examine how effort is valued, it remains unclear where the brain processes effort-related costs and integrates them with rewards. Using meta-analyses of combined maps and coordinates of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies (total N = 22), we showed that raw effort demands consistently activated the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA). In contrast, the net value of effortful reward consistently activated regions, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum (VS), that have been previously implicated in value integration in other cost domains. The opposite activation patterns of the pre-SMA and vmPFC imply a double dissociation of these two regions, in which the pre-SMA is involved in pure effort cost representation and the vmPFC in net value integration. These findings advance our understanding of the neural basis of effort-related valuation and reveal potential brain targets to treat motivation-related disorders.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Common and distinct neural correlates of music and food-induced pleasure: a coordinate-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.

Neuroimaging studies have shown that, despite the abstractness of music, it may mimic biologically rewarding stimuli (e.g. food) in its ability to engage the brains reward circuity. However, due to the lack of research comparing music and other types of reward, it is unclear to what extent the recruitment of reward-related structures overlaps among domains. To achieve this goal, we performed a coordinate-based meta-analysis of 38 neuroimaging studies (703 subjects) comparing the brain responses specifically to music and food-induced pleasure. Both engaged a common set of brain regions including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, ventral striatum, and insula. Yet, comparative analyses indicated a partial dissociation in the engagement of the reward circuitry as a function of the type of reward, as well as additional reward type-specific activations in brain regions related to perception, sensory processing, and learning. These results support the idea that hedonic reactions rely on the engagement of a common reward network, yet through specific routes of access depending on the modality and nature of the reward.

neuroscience↗