Cortical Oscillatory Dynamics and Human Decision-Making

University Of California Berkeley, Berkeley CA

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Abstract

Project summary/abstract The research proposal focuses on studying the electrophysiological and oscillatory mechanisms underlying decision-making involving risk-reward tradeoffs. Specifically, we will record electrophysiological data from patients with extensive prefrontal cortex ECoG coverage (tens to hundreds of electrodes in lateral PFC, orbitofrontal cortex, and other PFC areas) while they carry out a gambling task. Using this data, we will test the hypotheses that oscillatory mechanisms reflect local valuation and global top-down control processes in decision-making. Decision-making is disturbed in numerous psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, major depression, and a variety of personality disorders. As such, a deeper understanding of the cortical mechanisms supporting decision-making capacity has the promise to shed new light in a host of disorders relevant to the mission of the NIMH.