Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA; email:
Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
Annu Rev Physiol. 2023 Feb 10;85:191-215. doi: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-031722-024731. Epub 2022 Nov 7.
Neural mechanisms of perceptual decision making have been extensively studied in experimental settings that mimic stable environments with repeating stimuli, fixed rules, and payoffs. In contrast, we live in an ever-changing environment and have varying goals and behavioral demands. To accommodate variability, our brain flexibly adjusts decision-making processes depending on context. Here, we review a growing body of research that explores the neural mechanisms underlying this flexibility. We highlight diverse forms of context dependency in decision making implemented through a variety of neural computations. Context-dependent neural activity is observed in a distributed network of brain structures, including posterior parietal, sensory, motor, and subcortical regions, as well as the prefrontal areas classically implicated in cognitive control. We propose that investigating the distributed network underlying flexible decisions is key to advancing our understanding and discuss a path forward for experimental and theoretical investigations.
神经决策机制在模拟稳定环境的实验设置中得到了广泛研究，这些环境具有重复刺激、固定规则和收益。相比之下，我们生活在一个不断变化的环境中，目标和行为需求各不相同。为了适应变化，我们的大脑会根据上下文灵活地调整决策过程。在这里，我们回顾了越来越多的研究，这些研究探讨了决策灵活性背后的神经机制。我们强调了决策中通过各种神经计算实现的多种形式的上下文相关性。在后顶叶、感觉、运动和皮质下区域以及经典上与认知控制相关的前额叶区域等大脑结构的分布式网络中观察到了上下文相关的神经活动。我们提出，研究灵活决策背后的分布式网络是推进我们理解的关键，并讨论了实验和理论研究的前进方向。
