Molecular neuroimaging of emotional decision-making

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  • 情動的意思決定の分子イメージング
  • ジョウ ドウテキ イシ ケッテイ ノ ブンシ イメージング

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Abstract

We sometimes make boundedly rational decision- makings (altruistic behavior, moral judgment gamble etc.) , which is not accounted for by normative economic theories (e. g. expected utility theory) that assume that individuals are rational decision makers and have purely self- regarding preferences. These boundedly rational decision- makings are highly influenced by emotions. A leading alternative to the expected utility theory is the prospect theory. Central features of the prospect theory are non- linear probability weighting and loss aversion. We behaviorally estimated the degree of non- linearity of probability weighting, and the measured dopamine receptor density by positron emission tomography (PET) in healthy volunteers. We found that people with low D1 receptor density in the striatum showed more non- linear probability weighting (more pronounced overestimation of low probabilities and underestimation of high probabilities) . We also examined relationship between the degree of loss aversion and noradrenalin transmission by PET. Our finding was that individual with low norepinephrine transporter density in the thalamus tended to be more loss averse. Our approach may contribute to a better understanding of the role of neurotransmitters in emotional and boundedly rational decision- making in human. At the same time, understanding the molecular mechanism of extreme or impaired decision- making can con-tribute to the assessment and prevention of neuropsychiatric disorders.

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