How does apathy impact exploration-exploitation decision-making in older patients with neurocognitive disorders?

ABSTRACT: Apathy is a pervasive clinical syndrome in neurocognitive disorders, characterized by a quantitative reduction in goal-directed behaviors. The brain structures involved in the physiopathology of apathy have also been connected to the brain structures involved in probabilistic reward learning in the exploration-exploitation dilemma. This dilemma in question involves the challenge of selecting between a familiar option with a more predictable outcome, and another option whose outcome is uncertain and may yield potentially greater rewards compared to the known option. The aim of this study was to combine experimental procedures and computational modeling to examine whether, in older adults with mild neurocognitive disorders, apathy affects performance in the exploration-exploitation dilemma.

SUBMITTER: Daumas L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10616174 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature