title: Variables influencing the neural correlates of perceived risk of physical harm.
abstract: Many human activities involve a risk of physical harm. However, not much is known about the specific brain regions involved in decision making regarding these risks. To explore the neural correlates of risk perception for physical harms, 19 participants took part in an event-related fMRI study while rating risky activities. The scenarios varied in level of potential harm (e.g., paralysis vs. stubbed toe), likelihood of injury (e.g., 1 chance in 100 vs. 1 chance in 1,000), and format (frequency vs. probability). Networks of brain regions were responsive to different aspects of risk information. Cortical language- processing areas, the middle temporal gyrus, and a region around the bed nucleus of stria terminalis responded more strongly to high- harm conditions. Prefrontal areas, along with subcortical ventral striatum, responded preferentially to high- likelihood conditions. Participants rated identical risks to be greater when information was presented in frequency format rather than probability format. These findings indicate that risk assessments for physical harm engage a broad network of brain regions that are sensitive to the severity of harm, the likelihood of risk, and the framing of risk information.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA. mariam.coaster@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coaster
authors.forename: Baxter P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Owen D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: W Kip
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Viscusi
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Merkle
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Zald
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012306:Risk