Medial orbitofrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens mediation in risk assessment behaviors in adolescents and adults.

ABSTRACT: Risk assessment behaviors are necessary for gathering risk information and guiding decision-making. Risky decision-making heightens during adolescence, possibly as a result of low risk awareness and an increase in sensitivity to reward-associated cues and experiences. Higher adolescent engagement in high-risk behaviors may be, in part, due to developing circuits that contribute to risk assessment behaviors. Nucleus accumbens (NAc) activity is linked to risky decision-making and receives inputs carrying sensory and emotional information. Namely, the medial orbitofrontal cortex (MO) contributes to behavior guided by reward probability and sends direct projections to the NAc (MO→NAc), which may permit risk assessment in a mature circuit. Here, we evaluated risk assessment behaviors in adult a

SUBMITTER: Loh MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9372086 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature