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This content will become publicly available on August 14, 2026

Title: A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making
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
Award ID(s):
2003830
PAR ID:
10633917
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more » ; ; ; « less
Publisher / Repository:
Nature Communications
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Nature communications
ISSN:
2041-1723
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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