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. 2009 Dec 15;3(3):350-62.
doi: 10.3389/neuro.01.034.2009. eCollection 2009.

Reward networks in the brain as captured by connectivity measures

Estela Camara  1 , Antoni Rodriguez-Fornells, Zheng Ye, Thomas F Münte
Affiliations

Reward networks in the brain as captured by connectivity measures

Estela Camara et al. Front Neurosci. .

Abstract

An assortment of human behaviors is thought to be driven by rewards including reinforcement learning, novelty processing, learning, decision making, economic choice, incentive motivation, and addiction. In each case the ventral tegmental area/ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens) (VTA-VS) system has been implicated as a key structure by functional imaging studies, mostly on the basis of standard, univariate analyses. Here we propose that standard functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis needs to be complemented by methods that take into account the differential connectivity of the VTA-VS system in the different behavioral contexts in order to describe reward based processes more appropriately. We first consider the wider network for reward processing as it emerged from animal experimentation. Subsequently, an example for a method to assess functional connectivity is given. Finally, we illustrate the usefulness of such analyses by examples regarding reward valuation, reward expectation and the role of reward in addiction.

Keywords: addiction; connectivity; functional magnetic resonance imaging; learning; reward.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Reward processing networks also involved in learning, memory and addition. Green boxes highlight the hippocampal-VTA learning-memory circuit described by Lisman and Grace (2005). The motivational system has been adapted from Kelley (2004) (yellow boxes). Notice that the direct and indirect projections from the hypothalamus to the neocortex–limbic structures through the dorsal thalamus is omitted from the figure. vmPFC, ventromedial prefrontal cortex; OFC, orbitofrontal cortex; PPTg, pedunculopontine tegmentum; LTP, long-term potentiation; v, ventral.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Nucleus accumbens connectivity during reward valuation. (A) Scheme of the reward valuation network in light of Camara et al. (2008) results (yellow boxes, black arrows) embedded in a wider motivation/learning circuit (gray boxes and arrows). The wider network is slightly modified (omitting unspecific hypothalamic/thalamic projections) from Kelley (2004). (B) Regions functionally connected with the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) after unexpectedly large sums were won or lost are superimposed on a group-averaged structural MRI image in standard stereotactic space (T-score overlays). Gains and losses connectivity patterns are simultaneously depicted: gain (green, P < 0.001), loss (red, P < 0.001) and conjunction gain ∩ loss (yellow, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Nucleus accumbens connectivity during reward expectation. Regions functionally connected with the NAcc during reward expectation under placebo and pramipexole. Arrows indicate the frontal cortex (blue) and the insular cortex (green). Left hemisphere is on the left side. Color scale refers to T values. Bottom: Scheme presents the connectivity patterns under placebo and pramipexole.
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