Human orbitofrontal-striatum functional connectivity modulates behavioral persistence

The degree at which individuals maintain behavioral strategies during uncertain conditions varies widely; however, the neural bases of these individual differences remain unclear. This study examines the functional connectivity of the orbitofrontal cortex during a decision-making task using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The strength of the functional connectivity observed between the medial orbitofrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens was determined to be correlated with the number of persistent responses made during the decision-making task. It is proposed that top-down control of the orbitofrontal cortex over the ventral striatum is a critical component underlying individual differences in decision making during uncertain conditions.