Work

Value coding by primate amygdala neurons complies with the continuity axiom of economic choice theory

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The amygdala-long associated with emotional responses-has recently been implicated in economic decision-making. Here, we show that primate amygdala neurons respond to visual cues indicating reward probability and magnitude in a manner that reflects the integration of these variables into subjective values. These value signals complied with the notion that decision makers maximize the value of rewards, formalized by key axioms of economic theory. Beyond valuation, some neurons processed subjective values into choice-predictive signals.

Source: Journal of Neurophysiology

DOI: 10.1152/jn.00574.2025

Authors: Fabian Grabenhorst, Wolfram Schultz, Simone Ferrari-Toniolo

Institutions: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge

Language: English

Topic: Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Wellcome Trust, University of Oxford, Directorate for Biological Sciences, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council