RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A neural substrate of sex-dependent modulation of motivation by value
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.07.07.499209
DO 10.1101/2022.07.07.499209
A1 Julia Cox
A1 Adelaide R. Minerva
A1 Weston T. Fleming
A1 Christopher A. Zimmerman
A1 Cameron Hayes
A1 Samuel Zorowitz
A1 Akhil Bandi
A1 Sharon Ornelas
A1 Brenna McMannon
A1 Nathan F. Parker
A1 Ilana B. Witten
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/07/10/2022.07.07.499209.abstract
AB While there is emerging evidence of sex differences in decision-making behavior, the neural substrates that underlie such differences remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that in mice performing a value-based decision-making task, while choices are similar between the sexes, motivation to engage in the task is modulated by action value in females more strongly than in males. Inhibition of activity in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) neurons that project to the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) disrupts this relationship between value and motivation preferentially in females, without affecting choice in either sex. In line with these effects, in females compared to males, ACC-DMS neurons have stronger representations of negative outcomes, and more neurons are active when the value of the chosen option is low. In contrast, the representation of each choice is similar between the sexes. Thus, we identify a neural substrate that contributes to sex-specific modulation of motivation by value.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.