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Orbitofrontal signals for two-component choice options comply with indifference curves of Revealed Preference Theory.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Pastor-Bernier, Alexandre  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8865-6551

Abstract

Economic choice options contain multiple components and constitute vectorial bundles. The question arises how they are represented by single-dimensional, scalar neuronal signals that are suitable for economic decision-making. Revealed Preference Theory provides formalisms for establishing preference relations between such bundles, including convenient graphic indifference curves. During stochastic choice between bundles with the same two juice components, we identified neuronal signals for vectorial, multi-component bundles in the orbitofrontal cortex of monkeys. A scalar signal integrated the values from all bundle components in the structured manner of the Theory; it followed the behavioral indifference curves within their confidence limits, was indistinguishable between differently composed but equally revealed preferred bundles, predicted bundle choice and complied with an optimality axiom. Further, distinct signals in other neurons coded the option components separately but followed indifference curves as a population. These data demonstrate how scalar signals represent vectorial, multi-component choice options.

Description

Keywords

Animals, Behavior, Animal, Choice Behavior, Decision Making, Macaca mulatta, Models, Theoretical, Neurons, Prefrontal Cortex, Reward, Stochastic Processes

Journal Title

Nat Commun

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

10

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (095495/Z/11/Z)
European Research Council (293549)
National Institutes of Health (NIH) (via California Institute of Technology (Caltech)) (Contract # 23A-1093226)
Wellcome Trust (204811/Z/16/Z)
Wellcome Trust