Reward expectation yields distinct effects on sensory processing and decision making in the human brain
Fig 6
Space-specific, but not choice-specific, reward expectation engages a conserved attentional resource.
A. (Top and Middle rows) Average sensitivity dynamics (n = 24 participants) during reward-contingency switch from “VR > FX” to “VR < FX” (top) and vice versa (middle), measured in sliding windows (width: 9 trials, shift: 2 trials), on the FX (filled circles) and VR (open circles) sides in the space-specific reward expectation session. x-axis: trial count relative to the “switch” trial (SI Methods). Lines: cubic polynomial fits for FX (solid) and VR (dashed) sides. Error bars: s.e.m. (Bottom row) d′ on the VR side (x-axis) plotted against d′ on the FX side (y-axis) in individual windows. Light filled circles and dark filled squares: “VR > FX” to “VR < FX” switch, or vice versa, respectively. Dashed line: x + y = 0. (B–D). Same as in panel A but showing normalized post-stimulus alpha power suppression (αpost), microsaccade rates (MSC) and reaction times (RT) dynamics (see text for details), respectively, in the space-specific reward expectation session. Other conventions are the same as in panel A. E. Regression coefficient estimates for a model in which reward-induced sensitivity modulation (Δd′ = d′VR > FX – d′VR < FX) was fit with a linear combination of (left) neural markers – N2pc amplitude, P300 amplitude, pre-stimulus alpha power (αpre), and post-stimulus alpha power (αpost) modulations – and (right) motoric markers – microsaccade rates and reaction time – in the space-specific reward expectation sessions (n = 24 participants). Error bars: jackknife s.e.m. Asterisks: statistical significance levels assessed with a permutation test (***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05, n.s.: not significant). F. Observed reward-induced modulation of sensitivity (Δd′) (x-axis) plotted against its predicted value (y-axis) with neural (left) or motoric (right) predictors. Filled and open symbols: Δd′ − s on the FX and VR sides, respectively. r-values: robust correlations. G. Same as in panel A, but showing criterion dynamics in the choice-specific reward expectation sessions. (H–L). Same as in panels B–F but during the choice-specific reward expectation sessions. Other conventions are the same as in corresponding panels (A–F). Data are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.25966015 [34].