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Antoine Bechara - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Somatic Marker hypothesis: revisiting the role of the ‘body-loop’ in decision-making
Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 2018Co-Authors: Tasha Poppa, Antoine BecharaAbstract:The Somatic Marker hypothesis is one of the most influential neurocognitive theories of emotion and decision-making. A key aspect of the Somatic Marker hypothesis is the ‘body-loop’, which is the claim that emotive events that are expressed in the body can influence decision-making via afferent feedback to the brain. The body-loop has often been the subject of debate. However, evidence for the neural and peripheral mechanisms that support interactions between bodily states and cognitive functions has consistently emerged. The purpose of this article is to outline an updated neurophysiological account of how Somatic states may be triggered, and how they bias decisions through afferent feedback. We largely focus on vagus nerve-dependent feedback mechanisms, which demonstrate how interoceptive signals can shape high order cognition and goal-directed behavior.
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a Somatic Marker perspective of immoral and corrupt behavior
Social Neuroscience, 2011Co-Authors: Mona Sobhani, Antoine BecharaAbstract:Individuals who engage in corrupt and immoral behavior are in some ways similar to individuals with psychopathy. Normal people refrain from engaging in such behaviors because they tie together the moral value of society and the risk of punishment when they violate social rules. What is it, then, that allows these immoral individuals to behave in this manner, and in some situations even to prosper? When there is a dysfunction of Somatic Markers, specific disadvantageous impairments in decision-making arise, as in moral judgment, but, paradoxically, under some circumstances, the damage can cause the patient to make optimal financial investment decisions. Interestingly, individuals with psychopathy, a personality disorder, share many of the same behavioral characteristics seen in VMPFC and amygdala lesion patients, suggesting that defective Somatic Markers may serve as a neural framework for explaining immoral and corrupt behaviors. While these sociopathic behaviors of sometimes famous and powerful individua...
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the Somatic Marker framework as a neurological theory of decision making review conceptual comparisons and future neuroeconomics research
Journal of Economic Psychology, 2010Co-Authors: Martin Reimann, Antoine BecharaAbstract:A great deal of contemporary decision research in economics, business, psychology, and neuroscience now accepts the idea that emotions play a significant role in decision-making. Almost 20 years ago, insights from studies on brain lesion patients set the cornerstone for this stream of research and led to the formulation of the Somatic Marker hypothesis. Despite some debate, the Somatic Marker framework is still providing a unique neuroanatomical and cognitive framework that helps explain the role of emotion in decision-making. In this article, we review the neurological background, core mechanisms, and critiques of the Somatic Marker theory, put into perspective conceptually related approaches that link emotion to decision-making, and present an outlook for future neuroeconomics research.
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iowa gambling task performance and emotional distress interact to predict risky sexual behavior in individuals with dual substance and hiv diagnoses
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 2010Co-Authors: Margaret C Wardle, Antoine Bechara, Raul Gonzalez, Eileen M MartinthormeyerAbstract:HIV+ substance-dependent individuals (SDIs) show emotional distress and executive impairment, but in isolation these poorly predict sexual risk. We hypothesized that an executive measure sensitive to emotional aspects of judgment (Iowa Gambling Task; IGT) would identify HIV+ SDIs whose sexual risks were influenced by emotional distress. We assessed emotional distress and performance on several executive tasks in 190 HIV+ SDIs. IGT performance interacted significantly with emotional distress, such that only in better performers were distress and risk related. Our results are interpreted using the Somatic Marker hypothesis and indicate that the IGT identifies HIV+ SDIs for whom psychological distress influences HIV risk.
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a Somatic Marker theory of addiction
Neuropharmacology, 2009Co-Authors: Antonio Verdejogarcia, Antoine BecharaAbstract:Similar to patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPC) lesions, substance abusers show altered decision-making, characterized by a tendency to choose the immediate reward, at the expense of negative future consequences. The Somatic Marker model proposes that decision-making depends on neural substrates that regulate homeostasis, emotion and feeling. According to this model, there should be a link between alterations in processing emotions in substance abusers, and their impairments in decision-making. Growing evidence from neuroscientific studies indicate that core aspects of addiction may be explained in terms of abnormal emotional/homeostatic guidance of decision-making. Behavioral studies have revealed emotional processing and decision-making deficits in substance abusers. Neuroimaging studies have shown that altered decision-making in addiction is associated with abnormal functioning of a distributed neural network critical for the processing of emotional information, and the experience of "craving", including the VMPC, the amygdala, the striatum, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the insular/somato-sensory cortices, as well as non-specific neurotransmitter systems that modulate activities of neural processes involved in decision-making. The aim of this paper is to review this growing evidence, and to examine the extent to which these studies support a Somatic Marker theory of addiction. We conclude that there are at least two underlying types of dysfunction where emotional signals (Somatic Markers) turn in favor of immediate outcomes in addiction: (1) a hyperactivity in the amygdala or impulsive system, which exaggerates the rewarding impact of available incentives, and (2) hypoactivity in the prefrontal cortex or reflective system, which forecasts the long-term consequences of a given action.
Antonio R. Damasio - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the Somatic Marker hypothesis a neural theory of economic decision
Games and Economic Behavior, 2005Co-Authors: Antoine Bechara, Antonio R. DamasioAbstract:Modern economic theory ignores the influence of emotions on decision-making. Emerging neuroscience evidence suggests that sound and rational decision making, in fact, depends on prior accurate emotional processing. The Somatic Marker hypothesis provides a systems-level neuroanatomical and cognitive framework for decision-making and its influence by emotion. The key idea of this hypothesis is that decision-making is a process that is influenced by Marker signals that arise in bioregulatory processes, including those that express themselves in emotions and feelings. This influence can occur at multiple levels of operation, some of which occur consciously, and some of which occur non-consciously. Here we review studies that confirm various predictions from the hypothesis, and propose a neural model for economic decision, in which emotions are a major factor in the interaction between environmental conditions and human decision processes, with these emotional systems providing valuable implicit or explicit knowledge for making fast and advantageous decisions.
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The Iowa Gambling Task and the Somatic Marker hypothesis: some questions and answers.
Trends in cognitive sciences, 2005Co-Authors: Antoine Bechara, Hanna Damasio, Daniel Tranel, Antonio R. DamasioAbstract:A recent study by Maia and McClelland on participants' knowledge in the Iowa Gambling Task suggests a different interpretation for an experiment we reported in 1997. The authors use their results to question the evidence for the Somatic Marker hypothesis. Here we consider whether the authors' conclusions are justified.
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different contributions of the human amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex to decision making
The Journal of Neuroscience, 1999Co-Authors: Antoine Bechara, Hanna Damasio, Antonio R. Damasio, Gregory P LeeAbstract:The Somatic Marker hypothesis proposes that decision-making is a process that depends on emotion. Studies have shown that damage of the ventromedial prefrontal (VMF) cortex precludes the ability to use Somatic (emotional) signals that are necessary for guiding decisions in the advantageous direction. However, given the role of the amygdala in emotional processing, we asked whether amygdala damage also would interfere with decision-making. Furthermore, we asked whether there might be a difference between the roles that the amygdala and VMF cortex play in decision-making. To address these two questions, we studied a group of patients with bilateral amygdala, but not VMF, damage and a group of patients with bilateral VMF, but not amygdala, damage. We used the "gambling task" to measure decision-making performance and electrodermal activity (skin conductance responses, SCR) as an index of Somatic state activation. All patients, those with amygdala damage as well as those with VMF damage, were (1) impaired on the gambling task and (2) unable to develop anticipatory SCRs while they pondered risky choices. However, VMF patients were able to generate SCRs when they received a reward or a punishment (play money), whereas amygdala patients failed to do so. In a Pavlovian conditioning experiment the VMF patients acquired a conditioned SCR to visual stimuli paired with an aversive loud sound, whereas amygdala patients failed to do so. The results suggest that amygdala damage is associated with impairment in decision-making and that the roles played by the amygdala and VMF in decision-making are different.
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the Somatic Marker hypothesis and the possible functions of the prefrontal cortex
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 1996Co-Authors: Antonio R. DamasioAbstract:In this article I discuss a hypothesis, known as the Somatic Marker hypothesis, which I believe is relevant to the understanding of processes of human reasoning and decision making. The ventromedial sector of the prefrontal cortices is critical to the operations postulated here, but the hypothesis does not necessarily apply to prefrontal cortex as a whole and should not be seen as an attempt to unify frontal lobe functions under a single mechanism. The key idea in the hypothesis is that 'Marker' signals influence the processes of response to stimuli, at multiple levels of operation, some of which occur overtly (consciously, 'in mind') and some of which occur covertly (non-consciously, in a non-minded manner). The Marker signals arise in bioregulatory processes, including those which express themselves in emotions and feelings, but are not necessarily confined to those alone. This is the reason why the Markers are termed Somatic: they relate to body-state structure and regulation even when they do not arise in the body proper but rather in the brain's representation of the body. Examples of the covert action of 'Marker' signals are the undeliberated inhibition of a response learned previously; the introduction of a bias in the selection of an aversive or appetitive mode of behaviour, or in the otherwise deliberate evaluation of varied option-outcome scenarios. Examples of overt action include the conscious 'qualifying' of certain option-outcome scenarios as dangerous or advantageous. The hypothesis rejects attempts to limit human reasoning and decision making to mechanisms relying, in an exclusive and unrelated manner, on either conditioning alone or cognition alone.
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executive and cognitive functions of the prefrontal cortex the Somatic Marker hypothesis and the possible functions of the prefrontal cortex
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B, 1996Co-Authors: Antonio R. DamasioAbstract:In this article I discuss a hypothesis, known as the Somatic Marker hypothesis, which I believe is relevant to the understanding of processes of human reasoning and decision making. The ventromedial sector of the prefrontal cortices is critical to the operations postulated here, but the hypothesis does not necessarily apply to prefrontal cortex as a whole and should not be seen as an attempt to unify frontal lobe functions under a single mechanism. The key idea in the hypothesis is that ‘Marker’ signals influence the processes of response to stimuli, at multiple levels of operation, some of which occur overtly (consciously, ‘in mind’) and some of which occur covertly (non-consciously, in a non-minded manner). The Marker signals arise in bioregulatory processes, including those which express themselves in emotions and feelings, but are not necessarily confined to those alone. This is the reason why the Markers are termed Somatic: they relate to body-state structure and regulation even when they do not arise in the body proper but rather in the brain’s representation of the body. Examples of the covert action of ‘Marker’ signals are the undeliberated inhibition of a response learned previously; the introduction of a bias in the selection of an aversive or appetitive mode of behaviour, or in the otherwise deliberate evaluation of varied option-outcome scenarios. Examples of overt action include the conscious ‘qualifying’ of certain option-outcome scenarios as dangerous or advantageous. The hypothesis rejects attempts to limit human reasoning and decision making to mechanisms relying, in an exclusive and unrelated manner, on either conditioning alone or cognition alone.
Elena V Enikolopova - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the impact of executive functions and emotional intelligence on iowa gambling task performance focus on right frontal lobe damage
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 2017Co-Authors: Oksana Zinchenko, Elena V EnikolopovaAbstract:Objective Decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) has been intensively studied regarding both the "hot" and "cold" components. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is a key region involved in processing Somatic Marker information, though recent findings suggest dorsolateral regions are also important. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is also known as a substrate of executive functions-the cold component of decision-making. However, there is contradictory evidence about the role of executive functions, as well as the hot component of decision-making-emotional intelligence. Previous findings suggest that patients with right frontal lobe lesions find decision-making more problematic in IGT. The goal of this study is to replicate previous findings on IGT performance in patients with dorsolateral lesions compared to controls. Methods We obtained data from patients with right frontal lobe tumors (n = 12), localized in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and healthy controls (n = 21) who undertook the IGT, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), and D-KEFS Color-Word Interference Test. Results The performance in the IGT, WCST, and EI tests is impaired in the clinical group. At the subgroup level, we found patients had lower EI scores regarding the ability to use "emotions for thinking facilitation". However, we found an interaction between the EI scores regarding the ability "the perception and identification of emotions" and the performance on WCST only in the patient group. Conclusion This study raises the possibility of identifying components of EI which could be helpful in understanding the impairment of patients with right dorsolateral lesions.
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the impact of executive functions and emotional intelligence on iowa gambling task performance focus on right frontal lobe damage
2016Co-Authors: Oksana Zinchenko, Elena V EnikolopovaAbstract:Decision-making under uncertainty in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) has been intensively studied over the last twenty years regarding both “hot” and “cold” components. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is a key region involved in processing Somatic Marker information, though recent findings suggest that dorsolateral regions are also important. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is also known as a substrate of executive functions—the cold component of decision-making. However, there is contradictory evidence about the role of executive functions, as well as the hot component of decision-making—emotional intelligence. This study seeks to address this inconsistency. Previous findings suggest that patients with right frontal lobe lesions should find decision-making more problematic in IGT. This article investigates the importance of emotional intelligence as the hot and executive functions as the cold components of decision-making in IGT. We obtained data from patients with right frontal lobe tumours and healthy controls who undertook IGT, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and D-KEFS Colour-Word Interference Test. The current findings imply that performance in IGT is highly correlated with several parameters of set-shifting in the WCST: correct answers, conceptual level responses and non-perseverative errors. However, no correlation is found with cognitive inhibition parameters in the Colour-Word Interference Test, while an interaction between the emotional intelligence parameters and the performance on IGT is low
Bruce G Charlton - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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theory of mind and the Somatic Marker mechanism smm
Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2001Co-Authors: Bruce G CharltonAbstract:The "Somatic Marker mechanism" (SMM; Damasio 1994) is proposed as the cognitive and neural basis of the theory of mind mechanism. The SMM evolved for evaluating the intentions, dispositions, and relationships of conspecifics; hence, it is adaptive in the social domain. It is predicted that chimpanzees will indeed have theory of mind (ToM) ability, but that this will be socially domain-specific. Domain-general ToM will be found only in primates with abstract, symbolic language (adult humans). Putative ToM tests require revision in the light of these distinctions.
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“Theory of mind”, persecutory delusions and the Somatic Marker mechanism
Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 2000Co-Authors: Florence Walston, Richard Blennerhassett, Bruce G CharltonAbstract:Introduction. Pure cases of persecutory delusions can be interpreted as “theory of mind delusions”; using a model that equates the theory of mind mechanism with the “Somatic Marker mechanism” as described by Damasio and colleagues. Three predictions were tested in a case study design: that pure cases of persecutory delusions could be found, that such cases would retain normal theory of mind reasoning abilities, and that delusions would be encapsulated to a specific group of persecutors with hostile intentions. Method. The caseload of 17 psychiatrists and 4 community psychiatric nurses was surveyed for “pure cases” of persecutory delusions. Cases were excluded when there was evidence of other psychopathology, intellectual impairment, abnormal reasoning, “psychotic” features, or diagnostic syndromes. Selected cases were evaluated for the scope of their delusional beliefs and the nature of their social relationships using a detailed semistructured interview that was transcribed verbatim, and putative “theory...
Ian Tomlinson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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genetic bioMarkers of barrett s esophagus susceptibility and progression to dysplasia and cancer a systematic review and meta analysis
Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 2016Co-Authors: John M Findlay, Mark R Middleton, Ian TomlinsonAbstract:Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a common and important precursor lesion of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). A third of patients with BE are asymptomatic, and our ability to predict the risk of progression of metaplasia to dysplasia and EAC (and therefore guide management) is limited. There is an urgent need for clinically useful bioMarkers of susceptibility to both BE and risk of subsequent progression. This study aims to systematically identify, review, and meta-analyze genetic bioMarkers reported to predict both. A systematic review of the PubMed and EMBASE databases was performed in May 2014. Study and evidence quality were appraised using the revised American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines, and modified Recommendations for Tumor Marker Scores. Meta-analysis was performed for all Markers assessed by more than one study. A total of 251 full-text articles were reviewed; 52 were included. A total of 33 germline Markers of susceptibility were identified (level of evidence II-III); 17 were included. Five Somatic Markers of progression were identified; meta-analysis demonstrated significant associations for chromosomal instability (level of evidence II). One Somatic Marker of progression/relapse following photodynamic therapy was identified. However, a number of failings of methodology and reporting were identified. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate genetic bioMarkers of BE susceptibility and risk of progression. While a number of limitations of study quality temper the utility of those Markers identified, some-in particular, those identified by genome-wide association studies, and chromosomal instability for progression-appear plausible, although robust validation is required.
