Neuroanatomy accounts for age-related changes in risk preferences

Michael A. Grubb; Agnieszka Tymula; Sharon Gilaie-Dotan; Paul W. Glimcher; Ifat Levy

doi:10.1038/ncomms13822

Neuroanatomy accounts for age-related changes in risk preferences

Michael A. Grubb, Agnieszka Tymula, Sharon Gilaie-Dotan, Paul W. Glimcher, Ifat Levy

School of Optometry and Vision Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Many decisions involve uncertainty, or 'risk', regarding potential outcomes, and substantial empirical evidence has demonstrated that human aging is associated with diminished tolerance for risky rewards. Grey matter volume in a region of right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) is predictive of preferences for risky rewards in young adults, with less grey matter volume indicating decreased tolerance for risk. That grey matter loss in parietal regions is a part of healthy aging suggests that diminished rPPC grey matter volume may have a role in modulating risk preferences in older adults. Here we report evidence for this hypothesis and show that age-related declines in rPPC grey matter volume better account for age-related changes in risk preferences than does age per se. These results provide a basis for understanding the neural mechanisms that mediate risky choice and a glimpse into the neurodevelopmental dynamics that impact decision-making in an aging population.

Original language	English
Article number	13822
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13822
State	Published - 13 Dec 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 The Author(s).

Funding

Research supported by NIH grants R01 5R01AG033406 to P.W.G. and I.L, and R21AG049293 to I.L.

Funders	Funder number
National Institutes of Health	R21AG049293
National Institute on Aging	R01AG033406

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/ncomms13822

Cite this

@article{4f4caa29a1c84ff1a4b410d0aa6ec1d5,

title = "Neuroanatomy accounts for age-related changes in risk preferences",

abstract = "Many decisions involve uncertainty, or 'risk', regarding potential outcomes, and substantial empirical evidence has demonstrated that human aging is associated with diminished tolerance for risky rewards. Grey matter volume in a region of right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) is predictive of preferences for risky rewards in young adults, with less grey matter volume indicating decreased tolerance for risk. That grey matter loss in parietal regions is a part of healthy aging suggests that diminished rPPC grey matter volume may have a role in modulating risk preferences in older adults. Here we report evidence for this hypothesis and show that age-related declines in rPPC grey matter volume better account for age-related changes in risk preferences than does age per se. These results provide a basis for understanding the neural mechanisms that mediate risky choice and a glimpse into the neurodevelopmental dynamics that impact decision-making in an aging population.",

author = "Grubb, {Michael A.} and Agnieszka Tymula and Sharon Gilaie-Dotan and Glimcher, {Paul W.} and Ifat Levy",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 The Author(s).",

year = "2016",

month = dec,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1038/ncomms13822",

language = "אנגלית",

volume = "7",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Neuroanatomy accounts for age-related changes in risk preferences

AU - Grubb, Michael A.

AU - Tymula, Agnieszka

AU - Gilaie-Dotan, Sharon

AU - Glimcher, Paul W.

AU - Levy, Ifat

PY - 2016/12/13

Y1 - 2016/12/13

N2 - Many decisions involve uncertainty, or 'risk', regarding potential outcomes, and substantial empirical evidence has demonstrated that human aging is associated with diminished tolerance for risky rewards. Grey matter volume in a region of right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) is predictive of preferences for risky rewards in young adults, with less grey matter volume indicating decreased tolerance for risk. That grey matter loss in parietal regions is a part of healthy aging suggests that diminished rPPC grey matter volume may have a role in modulating risk preferences in older adults. Here we report evidence for this hypothesis and show that age-related declines in rPPC grey matter volume better account for age-related changes in risk preferences than does age per se. These results provide a basis for understanding the neural mechanisms that mediate risky choice and a glimpse into the neurodevelopmental dynamics that impact decision-making in an aging population.

AB - Many decisions involve uncertainty, or 'risk', regarding potential outcomes, and substantial empirical evidence has demonstrated that human aging is associated with diminished tolerance for risky rewards. Grey matter volume in a region of right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) is predictive of preferences for risky rewards in young adults, with less grey matter volume indicating decreased tolerance for risk. That grey matter loss in parietal regions is a part of healthy aging suggests that diminished rPPC grey matter volume may have a role in modulating risk preferences in older adults. Here we report evidence for this hypothesis and show that age-related declines in rPPC grey matter volume better account for age-related changes in risk preferences than does age per se. These results provide a basis for understanding the neural mechanisms that mediate risky choice and a glimpse into the neurodevelopmental dynamics that impact decision-making in an aging population.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85005950003&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms13822

DO - 10.1038/ncomms13822

M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???

C2 - 27959326

AN - SCOPUS:85005950003

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 13822

ER -

Neuroanatomy accounts for age-related changes in risk preferences

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this