據(jù)近期發(fā)表在《自然—神經(jīng)科學》上的一項研究顯示,，猴子會將有關其獲得的以及贈予其他動物的獎勵的信息記錄在其大腦。這表明該片大腦區(qū)域可能對利他行為起著支撐作用,。
大腦前額區(qū)域記錄著有關獎勵事件的信息。Michael Platt等人發(fā)現(xiàn)猴腦中一個名為扣帶回前部的特殊區(qū)域會對猴子獲得獎勵或者將獎勵贈予其他動物的行為產(chǎn)生反應,。研究人員設定這樣一個場景：給一只猴子一些果汁,，由它自己決定是自己喝掉還是送給周圍其他猴子。猴子多數(shù)時候會選擇自己享用果汁,，但有些時候又會表現(xiàn)得無私,，將果汁送給其他猴子,。
研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，有一些腦細胞僅僅在猴子自己喝掉果汁時產(chǎn)生反應,，而另外一些腦細胞只在猴子將果汁贈送出去時產(chǎn)生反應,。還有一部分細胞則不論猴子作出哪種選擇均會產(chǎn)生反應，這意味著這些神經(jīng)細胞負責記錄獎勵的社會性價值,。(生物谷Bioon.com)
doi:10.1038/nn.3287
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PMID:
Neuronal reference frames for social decisions in primate frontal cortex
Steve W C Chang, Jean-François Gariépy & Michael L Platt
Social decisions are crucial for the success of individuals and the groups that they comprise. Group members respond vicariously to benefits obtained by others, and impairments in this capacity contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism and sociopathy. We examined the manner in which neurons in three frontal cortical areas encoded the outcomes of social decisions as monkeys performed a reward-allocation task. Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) predominantly encoded rewards that were delivered to oneself. Neurons in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACCg) encoded reward allocations to the other monkey, to oneself or to both. Neurons in the anterior cingulate sulcus (ACCs) signaled reward allocations to the other monkey or to no one. In this network of received (OFC) and foregone (ACCs) reward signaling, ACCg emerged as an important nexus for the computation of shared experience and social reward. Individual and species-specific variations in social decision-making might result from the relative activation and influence of these areas.
