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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2019.12.15.877019

Dissociable roles of cortical excitation-inhibition balance during patch-leaving versus value-guided decisions

Kaiser, L. F.·Gruendler, T. O. J.·Speck, O.·Luettgau, L.·Jocham, G.
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Abstract

In a dynamic world, it is essential to decide when to leave an exploited resource. Such patch-leaving decisions involve balancing the cost of moving against the gain expected from the alternative patch. This is in contrast with value-guided decisions that typically involve maximizing reward by selecting the current best option. Patterns of neuronal activity pertaining to patch-leaving decisions have been reported in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), whereas competition via mutual inhibition in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is thought to underlie value-guided choice. Here, we show that the balance between cortical excitation and inhibition (E/I balance), measured by the ratio of GABA and glutamate concentrations, plays a dissociable role for the two kinds of decisions. Patch-leaving decision behaviour was related to E/I balance in dACC. In contrast, value-guided decision making was related to E/I balance in vmPFC. These results support previous mechanistic accounts of value-guided choice and provide novel evidence for a role of dACC E/I balance in patch-leaving decisions.

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Kaiser, L. F., Gruendler, T. O. J., Speck, O., Luettgau, L., Jocham, G.. 2019-12-16. Dissociable roles of cortical excitation-inhibition balance during patch-leaving versus value-guided decisions. https://doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.15.877019

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