RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Neural Basis of Loss Aversion in Decision-Making Under Risk
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 515
OP 518
DO 10.1126/science.1134239
VO 315
IS 5811
A1 Tom, Sabrina M.
A1 Fox, Craig R.
A1 Trepel, Christopher
A1 Poldrack, Russell A.
YR 2007
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/315/5811/515.abstract
AB People typically exhibit greater sensitivity to losses than to equivalent gains when making decisions. We investigated neural correlates of loss aversion while individuals decided whether to accept or reject gambles that offered a 50/50 chance of gaining or losing money. A broad set of areas (including midbrain dopaminergic regions and their targets) showed increasing activity as potential gains increased. Potential losses were represented by decreasing activity in several of these same gain-sensitive areas. Finally, individual differences in behavioral loss aversion were predicted by a measure of neural loss aversion in several regions, including the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex.