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Is the reward really worth it?

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How does the brain evaluate whether the benefits of a decision outweigh the costs? A study now reveals that neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex encode costs and benefits, and altering brain activity here biases choices away from negative outcomes. These results link anterior cingulate cortex with the regulation of emotional states.

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Figure 1: The role of the pACC during Ap-Av decision-making.

Katie Vicari

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Steven W. Kennerley is at the Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,

    Steven W Kennerley

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  1. Steven W Kennerley
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Correspondence to Steven W Kennerley.

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Kennerley, S. Is the reward really worth it?. Nat Neurosci 15, 647–649 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3096

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