Oxford Centre for Computational Neuroscience Oxford, UK.
Front Integr Neurosci. 2012 Sep 7;6:68. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2012.00068. eCollection 2012.
It is shown that the randomness of the firing times of neurons in decision-making attractor neuronal networks that is present before the decision cues are applied can cause statistical fluctuations that influence the decision that will be taken. In this rigorous sense, it is possible to partially predict decisions before they are made. This raises issues about free will and determinism. There are many decision-making networks in the brain. Some decision systems operate to choose between gene-specified rewards such as taste, touch, and beauty (in for example the peacock's tail). Other processes capable of planning ahead with multiple steps held in working memory may require correction by higher order thoughts that may involve explicit, conscious, processing. The explicit system can allow the gene-specified rewards not to be selected or deferred. The decisions between the selfish gene-specified rewards, and the explicitly calculated rewards that are in the interests of the individual, the phenotype, may themselves be influenced by noise in the brain. When the explicit planning system does take the decision, it can report on its decision-making, and can provide a causal account rather than a confabulation about the decision process. We might use the terms "willed action" and "free will" to refer to the operation of the planning system that can think ahead over several steps held in working memory with which it can take explicit decisions. Reduced connectivity in some of the default mode cortical regions including the precuneus that are active during self-initiated action appears to be related to the reduction in the sense of self and agency, of causing willed actions, that can be present in schizophrenia.
研究表明，在应用决策提示之前，决策吸引神经元网络中神经元发射时间的随机性会导致影响所做出决策的统计波动。从严格意义上讲，我们可以在做出决策之前对其进行部分预测。这引发了关于自由意志和决定论的问题。大脑中有许多决策网络。一些决策系统用于在基因指定的奖励（如味觉、触觉和美感（例如孔雀的尾巴））之间进行选择。其他能够在工作记忆中进行多步规划的过程可能需要通过可能涉及明确的、有意识的处理的更高阶思维来进行修正。显式系统可以允许不选择或推迟基因指定的奖励。自私的基因指定奖励和明确计算的奖励（符合个体利益、表型）之间的决策本身可能会受到大脑噪声的影响。当显式规划系统做出决策时，它可以报告其决策过程，并提供因果解释，而不是对决策过程的编造。我们可以使用“意志行为”和“自由意志”这两个术语来指代规划系统的运作，该系统可以在工作记忆中进行多步思考，并通过显式决策来采取行动。包括楔前叶在内的默认模式皮质区域的连通性降低，似乎与精神分裂症中自我意识和能动性的降低有关，即意志行为的产生减少。
