title: Developmental changes of neuronal networks associated with strategic social decision-making.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the important prerequisites for successful social interaction is the willingness of each individual to cooperate socially. Using the ultimatum game, several studies have demonstrated that the process of decision-making to cooperate or to defeat in interaction with a partner is associated with activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), anterior insula (AI), and inferior frontal cortex (IFC). This study investigates developmental changes in this neuronal network.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 healthy children (8-12 years), 15 adolescents (13-18 years) and 15 young adults (19-28 years) were investigated using the ultimatum game. Neuronal networks representing decision-making based on strategic thinking were characterized using functional MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all age groups, the process of decision-making in reaction to unfair offers was associated with hemodynamic changes in similar regions. Compared with children, however, healthy adults and adolescents revealed greater activation in the IFC and the fusiform gyrus, as well as the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, healthy children displayed more activation in the AI, the dorsal part of the ACC, and the DLPFC. There were no differences in brain activations between adults and adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The neuronal mechanisms underlying strategic social decision making are already developed by the age of eight. Decision-making based on strategic thinking is associated with age-dependent involvement of different brain regions. Neuronal networks underlying theory of mind and reward anticipation are more activated in adults and adolescents with regard to the increasing perspective taking with age. In relation to emotional reactivity and respective compensatory coping in younger ages, children have higher activations in a neuronal network associated with emotional processing and executive control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; Institute of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Diesterwegstr. 10-12, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Electronic address: steinmann@med-psych.uni-kiel.de.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steinmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmalor
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrative Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prehn-Kristensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galka
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Möhring
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolf-Dieter
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.affiliation: Center of Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, University of Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stephani
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Child and Adolescents Psychiatry, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siniatchkin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011340:Problem Solving; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Decision-making; Normal development; Strategic social behavior; Ultimatum game; fMRI