A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making

Abstract Optimal decision-making requires consideration of internal and external contexts. Biased decision-making is a transdiagnostic symptom of neuropsychiatric disorders. We created a computational model demonstrating how the striosome compartment of the striatum constructs a context-dependent ma...

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Main Authors: Dirk W. Beck, Cory N. Heaton, Luis D. Davila, Lara I. Rakocevic, Sabrina M. Drammis, Danil Tyulmankov, Atanu Giri, Shreeya Umashankar Beck, Qingyang Zhang, Michael Pokojovy, Kenichiro Negishi, Alexis A. Salcido, Neftali F. Reyes, Andrea Y. Macias, Serina A. Batson, Paulina Vara, Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá, Safa B. Hossain, Graham L. Waller, Laura E. O’Dell, Travis M. Moschak, Ki A. Goosens, Alexander Friedman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61466-x
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author Dirk W. Beck
Cory N. Heaton
Luis D. Davila
Lara I. Rakocevic
Sabrina M. Drammis
Danil Tyulmankov
Atanu Giri
Shreeya Umashankar Beck
Qingyang Zhang
Michael Pokojovy
Kenichiro Negishi
Alexis A. Salcido
Neftali F. Reyes
Andrea Y. Macias
Serina A. Batson
Paulina Vara
Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá
Safa B. Hossain
Graham L. Waller
Laura E. O’Dell
Travis M. Moschak
Ki A. Goosens
Alexander Friedman
author_facet Dirk W. Beck
Cory N. Heaton
Luis D. Davila
Lara I. Rakocevic
Sabrina M. Drammis
Danil Tyulmankov
Atanu Giri
Shreeya Umashankar Beck
Qingyang Zhang
Michael Pokojovy
Kenichiro Negishi
Alexis A. Salcido
Neftali F. Reyes
Andrea Y. Macias
Serina A. Batson
Paulina Vara
Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá
Safa B. Hossain
Graham L. Waller
Laura E. O’Dell
Travis M. Moschak
Ki A. Goosens
Alexander Friedman
author_sort Dirk W. Beck
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Optimal decision-making requires consideration of internal and external contexts. Biased decision-making is a transdiagnostic symptom of neuropsychiatric disorders. We created a computational model demonstrating how the striosome compartment of the striatum constructs a context-dependent mathematical space for decision-making computations, and how the matrix compartment uses this space to define action value. The model explains multiple experimental results and unifies other theories like reward prediction error, roles of the direct versus indirect pathways, and roles of the striosome versus matrix, under one framework. We also found, through new analyses, that striosome and matrix neurons increase their synchrony during difficult tasks, caused by a necessary increase in dimensionality of the space. The model makes testable predictions about individual differences in disorder susceptibility, decision-making symptoms shared among neuropsychiatric disorders, and differences in neuropsychiatric disorder symptom presentation. The model provides evidence for the central role that striosomes play in neuroeconomic and disorder-affected decision-making.
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spelling doaj-art-33fbf2b28c3743b9bf12865d24eeefae2025-08-20T03:05:05ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116113010.1038/s41467-025-61466-xA decision-space model explains context-specific decision-makingDirk W. Beck0Cory N. Heaton1Luis D. Davila2Lara I. Rakocevic3Sabrina M. Drammis4Danil Tyulmankov5Atanu Giri6Shreeya Umashankar Beck7Qingyang Zhang8Michael Pokojovy9Kenichiro Negishi10Alexis A. Salcido11Neftali F. Reyes12Andrea Y. Macias13Serina A. Batson14Paulina Vara15Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá16Safa B. Hossain17Graham L. Waller18Laura E. O’Dell19Travis M. Moschak20Ki A. Goosens21Alexander Friedman22Computational Science Program, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoComputational Science Program, University of Texas at El PasoComputational Science Program, University of Texas at El PasoArtificial Intelligence Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMing Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern CaliforniaComputational Science Program, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical SchoolDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, Old Dominion UniversityNational Institute on Drug AbuseDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Psychology, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiComputational Science Program, University of Texas at El PasoAbstract Optimal decision-making requires consideration of internal and external contexts. Biased decision-making is a transdiagnostic symptom of neuropsychiatric disorders. We created a computational model demonstrating how the striosome compartment of the striatum constructs a context-dependent mathematical space for decision-making computations, and how the matrix compartment uses this space to define action value. The model explains multiple experimental results and unifies other theories like reward prediction error, roles of the direct versus indirect pathways, and roles of the striosome versus matrix, under one framework. We also found, through new analyses, that striosome and matrix neurons increase their synchrony during difficult tasks, caused by a necessary increase in dimensionality of the space. The model makes testable predictions about individual differences in disorder susceptibility, decision-making symptoms shared among neuropsychiatric disorders, and differences in neuropsychiatric disorder symptom presentation. The model provides evidence for the central role that striosomes play in neuroeconomic and disorder-affected decision-making.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61466-x
spellingShingle Dirk W. Beck
Cory N. Heaton
Luis D. Davila
Lara I. Rakocevic
Sabrina M. Drammis
Danil Tyulmankov
Atanu Giri
Shreeya Umashankar Beck
Qingyang Zhang
Michael Pokojovy
Kenichiro Negishi
Alexis A. Salcido
Neftali F. Reyes
Andrea Y. Macias
Serina A. Batson
Paulina Vara
Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá
Safa B. Hossain
Graham L. Waller
Laura E. O’Dell
Travis M. Moschak
Ki A. Goosens
Alexander Friedman
A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making
Nature Communications
title A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making
title_full A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making
title_fullStr A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making
title_full_unstemmed A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making
title_short A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making
title_sort decision space model explains context specific decision making
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61466-x
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