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1. Decision analysis and reinforcement learning in surgical decision-making

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2020.04.049  

   Loftus, Tyler J.; Filiberto, Amanda C.; Li, Yanjun; Balch, Jeremy; Cook, Allyson C.; Tighe, Patrick J.; Efron, Philip A.; Upchurch, Gilbert R.; Rashidi, Parisa; Li, Xiaolin; et al (August 2020, Surgery)

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2. A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61466-x  

   Beck, Dirk W; Heaton, Cory N; Davila, Luis D; Rakocevic, Lara I; Drammis, Sabrina M; Tyulmankov, Danil; Giri, Atanu; Umashankar_Beck, Shreeya; Zhang, Qingyang; Pokojovy, Michael; et al (December 2025, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Optimal decision-making requires consideration of internal and external contexts. Biased decision-making is a transdiagnostic symptom of neuropsychiatric disorders. We created a computational model demonstrating how the striosome compartment of the striatum constructs a context-dependent mathematical space for decision-making computations, and how the matrix compartment uses this space to define action value. The model explains multiple experimental results and unifies other theories like reward prediction error, roles of the direct versus indirect pathways, and roles of the striosome versus matrix, under one framework. We also found, through new analyses, that striosome and matrix neurons increase their synchrony during difficult tasks, caused by a necessary increase in dimensionality of the space. The model makes testable predictions about individual differences in disorder susceptibility, decision-making symptoms shared among neuropsychiatric disorders, and differences in neuropsychiatric disorder symptom presentation. The model provides evidence for the central role that striosomes play in neuroeconomic and disorder-affected decision-making. 

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3. A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making

   Beck, DW; Heaton, CN; Davila, LD; Rakocevic, L I; Drammis, SM; Tyulmankov, D; Giri, A; Umashankar-Beck, S; Zhang, Q; Pokojovy, M; et al (August 2025, Nature communications)

   Optimal decision-making requires consideration of internal and external contexts. Biased decision-making is a transdiagnostic symptom of neuropsychiatric disorders. We created a computational model demonstrating how the striosome compartment of the striatum constructs a context-dependent mathematical space for decision-making computations, and how the matrix compartment uses this space to define action value. The model explains multiple experimental results and unifies other theories like reward prediction error, roles of the direct versus indirect pathways, and roles of the striosome versus matrix, under one framework. We also found, through new analyses, that striosome and matrix neurons increase their synchrony during difficult tasks, caused by a necessary increase in dimensionality of the space. The model makes testable predictions about individual differences in disorder susceptibility, decision-making symptoms shared among neuropsychiatric disorders, and differences in neuropsychiatric disorder symptom presentation. The model provides evidence for the central role that striosomes play in neuroeconomic and disorder-affected decision-making. 

   more » « less
4. A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making

   Beck, Dirk W; Heaton, Cory N; Davila, Luis D; Rakocevic, Lara I; Drammis, Sabrina M; Tyulmankov, Danil; Giri, Atanu; Beck, Shreeya Umashankar; Zhang, Qingyang; Pokojovy, Michael; et al (August 2025, Nature communications)

   Optimal decision-making requires consideration of internal and external contexts. Biased decision-making is a transdiagnostic symptom of neu- ropsychiatric disorders. We created a computational model demonstrating how the striosome compartment of the striatum constructs a context- dependent mathematical space for decision-making computations, and how the matrix compartment uses this space to define action value. The model explains multiple experimental results and unifies other theories like reward prediction error, roles of the direct versus indirect pathways, and roles of the striosome versus matrix, under one framework. We also found, through new analyses, that striosome and matrix neurons increase their synchrony during difficult tasks, caused by a necessary increase in dimensionality of the space. The model makes testable predictions about individual differences in disorder susceptibility, decision-making symptoms shared among neuropsychiatric disorders, and differences in neuropsychiatric disorder symptom presenta- tion. The model provides evidence for the central role that striosomes play in neuroeconomic and disorder-affected decision-making. 

   more » « less
5. Human decision-makers terminate evidence accumulation using flexible decision rules

   https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.111082.1  

   Kalburge, Ishan; Dallstream, Alice; Josić, Krešimir; Kilpatrick, Zachary P; Ding, Long; Gold, Joshua I (June 2026, eLife)

   Decisions based on evidence accumulated over time require rules governing when to end the accumulation process and commit to a choice. These rules control inherent trade-offs between decision speed and accuracy, which require careful balance to maximize quantities that depend on both like reward rate. We previously showed that, to maximize reward rate, normative decision rules adapt to changing task conditions (Barendregt et al., 2022). Here we used a novel task to examine whether and how people use adaptive rules for individual decisions under a variety of conditions, including changes in decision outcomes across trials and changes in evidence quality both across and within trials. We found that the participants tended to use rules that adjusted, at least partially, to predictable changes in task conditions to improve reward rate, consistent with a rationally bounded implementation of normative principles. These findings help inform our understanding of the extent and limits of flexible decision formation in the brain. 

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