ACTIVATION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN BY MONETARY REWARD

WITH the purpose of studying neural activation associated with reward processing in humans, we measured regional cerebral blood flow in 10 r ight-handed healthy subjects performing a delayed go-no go task in two different reinforcement conditions. Correct responses were either rew arded by money or a simple 'ok' reinforcer. Behaviour rewarded by mone y, as compared with the 'ok' reinforcement, was most significantly ass ociated with activation of dorsolateral and orbital frontal cortex and also involved the midbrain and thalamus. These results may reflect th e processing of reward information, although arousal effects cannot be completely excluded. It is suggested that the observed foci are impli cated in the assessment of consequences in goal-directed behaviour whi ch agrees with research in non-human primates.