Introduction

1. Brain Activity Related to Emotional Agency Correlates Disparately with Different Advantageous Selection Trials of the Iowa Gambling Task Matthew Jerram, Alexandra Hernandez-Vallant, David Gansler Brain Image Analysis Laboratory, Suffolk University, Boston, MA Introduction Emotions can be conceptualized as the conjunction of three dimensions (agency, valence and arousal). Emotional agency is the extent to which a person feels capable of acting in an emotion-generating situation; high agency representing the feeling of being highly capable whereas low agency representing feeling little to no capability. Of the three dimensions, agency is most reliant on cognitive appraisal processes. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is a task designed to measure the integration of affective processing upon decision-making. Decks A and B represent disadvantageous combinations of reward/punishment ratios while Decks C and D represent advantageous combinations. More specifically, Deck C is characterized by increased frequencyof reward over time while Deck D is characterized by increased magnitude of reward over time. Research into the IGT has suggested that positive (high valence) mood states increase selection of reward responses (Decks C & D), while multiple studies have indicated that agency is positively correlated with valence. It is reasonable to conclude that agency may be a significant predictor of IGT performance, given agency’s cognitive appraisal element. Further, given that agency and valence are correlated, previous findings that high valence increased selection of reward decks may reflect the influence of agency on deck selection – increased selection of Decks C & D reflect a relatively increased sense of agency. Therefore, it was hypothesized that a relationship between agency and IGT performance would be observed in brain activity. Specifically, it was hypothesized that increased selection of reward decks during an out-of-scanner IGT would correlate with regional brain activity related to viewing high agency stimuli in scanner. Deck C correlation Cerebellum, Post. Lobe Deck D correlation Posterior Cingulate Discussion Analysis revealed significant positive correlation between brain activity and Deck C & Deck D selections. No areas of negative correlation were observed. For Deck C, a significant cluster was observed in the posterior lobe of the cerebellum (peak voxel: -36, -58, -32). For Deck D, a significant cluster was observed in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) (peak voxel: 2, -32, 32). The results indicate that emotional agency is related to decision making at a neural level. Increased activation to high agency images indicate brain regions that respond to stimuli that leave the individual with an increased sense of control and the relationship of these regions to IGT results suggest differential roles of specific regions in emotional decision making related to agency. Deck C is considered advantageous because of increased frequency of reward. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that posterior cerebellum is related to simple presence or absence of reward, consistent with previous research demonstrating involvement in the evaluation of perceptual information. Deck D is considered advantageous because of increased magnitude of reward. Research has indicated the posterior cingulate is involved with self-awareness and episodic memory, which would be employed to assess the importance of reward magnitude relative to the self and is consistent with previous VBM research in IGT performance. Research indicates that selection of Decks C & D is related to mood state. While that research focused on valence, valence and agency are highly correlated. These results indicate that exposure to high agency stimuli is related to increased selection of advantageous decks. This suggests that emotional agency may be the more salient component involved in the integration of emotion in decision making. Methods Eighteen right-handed healthy male participants were sampled (age range = 20 – 35). FMRI scans were acquired in a 3T scanner at Tufts Medical Center. Each participant underwent three 5-minute runs during which IAPS images chosen based on previously published agency ratings (high or low) were presented. Images selected were matched on average valence levels to ensure that activations observed were related to changes in agency. Images were presented in a block A-B-A-B design of high and low agency images. Each block lasted for 30 seconds, during which 6 images were presented for 1-5 seconds each. Prior to MRI scanning, each participant completed a computerized version of the IGT implemented in PEBL (Muller, 2009). This task is identical in structure to Bechara’s original IGT. For each participant, the number of selections in Deck C and Deck D were utilized for this study. Analysis was conducted via SPM8. Data went through standard preprocessing procedure (realigned, normalized and smoothed). Contrast for high>low agency agency was created. Contrast images were then used as the criterion variable in two regression analyses in which Deck C and Deck D selections were used as predictor variables. Resulting images were analyzed to localize regions of high>low agency activation significantly associated with IGT performance. Voxelwisethreshold was set at p<.001, uncorrected for multiple comparisons, and reported clusters were statistically significant at the p<.05 level with afamilywise error rate correction.