title: Memory, Decision-Making, and the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC): The Roles of Subcallosal and Posterior Orbitofrontal Cortices in Monitoring and Control Processes.
abstract: The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) prominently and separately features in neurobiological models of decision-making (e.g., value-encoding) and of memory (e.g., automatic veracity-monitoring). Recent decision-making models propose value judgments that inherently comprise of second-order confidence estimates. These demonstrate quadratic relationships with first-order judgments and are automatically encoded in vmPFC activity. Memory studies use Quantity-Accuracy Profiles to capture similar first-order and second-order meta-mnemonic processes, suggesting convergence across domains. Patients with PFC damage answered general knowledge questionnaires under 2 conditions. During forced report, they chose an answer and rated the probability of it being correct (first-order "monitoring"). During free report, they could choose to volunteer or withhold their previous answers (second-order "control") to maximize performance. We found quadratic relationships between first-order and second-order meta-mnemonic processes; voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping demonstrated that vmPFC damage diminished that relationship. Furthermore, damage to subcallosal vmPFC was specifically associated with impaired monitoring and additional damage to posterior orbitofrontal cortex led to deficient control. In decision-making, these regions typically support valuation and choice, respectively. Persistent spontaneous confabulation (false memory production) confirmed the clinical relevance of these dissociations. Compared with patients with no confabulation history, patients who currently confabulate were impaired on both monitoring and control, whereas former confabulators demonstrated impaired monitoring but intact control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3G3 mhebscher@research.baycrest.org agilboa@research.baycrest.org.|Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada M6A 2E1.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hebscher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 31903, Israel.
authors.forename: Moran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barkan-Abramski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 31903, Israel.
authors.forename: Morris
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Neurology Unit, Rambam Medical Centre, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aharon-Peretz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3G3.|Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada M6A 2E1.|Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1G 5Z3.
authors.forename: Asaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gilboa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000067489:Metacognition / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: choice; confabulation; metacognition; reward; valuation confidence