VmPFCn

VmPFCn refers to a population of neurons located in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VmPFC) that are implicated in value-based decision making. The term is used in neuroscience literature to denote neurons whose firing or activity patterns correlate with subjective value, reward outcomes, or choice probabilities during decision tasks.

Anatomical context and connectivity

VmPFCn are situated within the ventromedial portion of the prefrontal cortex, a region implicated in emotion regulation and value computation. These neurons receive inputs from sensory and limbic areas, including sensory cortices, the amygdala, and hippocampal regions, and they project to networks involved in reward processing such as the ventral striatum, as well as to other prefrontal and orbitofrontal areas. This connectivity supports integration of affective and sensory information to compute value signals used for guiding behavior.

Function and neural coding

VmPFCn are associated with encoding subjective value and expected utility during decision making. They may integrate multiple attributes of a choice, including reward magnitude, probability, delay, risk, and context, to produce a value signal that biases choices. In nonhuman primates, single-neuron recordings have shown value-correlated firing, while human studies often rely on fMRI signals in the vmPFC that track perceived value. The activity of VmPFCn can be modulated by learning, reinforcement history, and changes in motivational state.

Clinical relevance

Abnormal VmPFCn activity or connectivity has been linked to impaired decision making in conditions such as addiction, mood disorders, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, where value representations and risk assessment may be dysregulated.

See also

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex, value-based decision making, reward processing.