Decision-making ability, psychopathology, and brain connectivity.
Accepted version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
Change log
Authors
Abstract
Decision-making is a cognitive process of central importance for the quality of our lives. Here, we ask whether a common factor underpins our diverse decision-making abilities. We obtained 32 decision-making measures from 830 young people and identified a common factor that we call "decision acuity," which was distinct from IQ and reflected a generic decision-making ability. Decision acuity was decreased in those with aberrant thinking and low general social functioning. Crucially, decision acuity and IQ had dissociable brain signatures, in terms of their associated neural networks of resting-state functional connectivity. Decision acuity was reliably measured, and its relationship with functional connectivity was also stable when measured in the same individuals 18 months later. Thus, our behavioral and brain data identify a new cognitive construct that underpins decision-making ability across multiple domains. This construct may be important for understanding mental health, particularly regarding poor social function and aberrant thought patterns.
Description
Keywords
Journal Title
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
1097-4199
Volume Title
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
Department of Health (via National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)) (156239)
Wellcome Trust (095844/Z/11/Z)
Medical Research Council (MC_G0802534)