Dopamine modulates neural networks involved in effort-based decision-making

Abstract

Recent animal and human studies suggest that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and its related subcortical structures including nucleus accumbens (NAc) are in the center of a brain network that determines and pursues the best option from available alternatives. Specifically, the involvement of the dACC network in decision-making can be categorized under two broad processes of evaluation and execution. The former aims to determine the most cost-effective option while the latter aims to attain the preferred option. The present article reviews neural and molecular findings to show that the dopamine system might modulate this dACC network at multiple levels to optimize both processes. ..