{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/114076"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/114076","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The amygdala in value-guided decision making","abstract":"The amygdala is a structure well known for its role in fear and reward learning, but how these mechanisms are used for decision-making is not well understood. Decision-making involves the rapid updating of cue associations as well as the encoding of a value currency, both processes in which the amygdala has been implicated. In this thesis I develop a strategy to study value-guided decision making in rodents using an olfactory binary choice task. Using a logistic regression model, I show that the value of expected rewards is a strong influence on choice, and can bias perceptual decisions. In addition, I show that decisions are influenced by events in the near past, and a specific bias towards correct choices in the near past can be detected using this analysis. Using genetic targeting of a sub-population of amygdala neurons, I show that this population is required for the rapid learning of an olfactory decision making task. Using in-vivo calcium imaging of this population I show that these neurons are active during the inter-trial interval and modulated by choice history, suggesting a mechanism by which choice history can influence current decisions.","abstract_html":"The amygdala is a structure well known for its role in fear and reward learning, but how these mechanisms are used for decision-making is not well understood. Decision-making involves the rapid updating of cue associations as well as the encoding of a value currency, both processes in which the amygdala has been implicated. In this thesis I develop a strategy to study value-guided decision making in rodents using an olfactory binary choice task. Using a logistic regression model, I show that the value of expected rewards is a strong influence on choice, and can bias perceptual decisions. In addition, I show that decisions are influenced by events in the near past, and a specific bias towards correct choices in the near past can be detected using this analysis. Using genetic targeting of a sub-population of amygdala neurons, I show that this population is required for the rapid learning of an olfactory decision making task. Using in-vivo calcium imaging of this population I show that these neurons are active during the inter-trial interval and modulated by choice history, suggesting a mechanism by which choice history can influence current decisions.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jaime-Bustamante, Kean (Kean Willyams)"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Susumu Tonegawa."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017","date_published":"2017","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:54Z","subjects":["Brain and Cognitive Sciences."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["MIT theses are protected by copyright. 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Decision-making involves the rapid updating of cue associations as well as the encoding of a value currency, both processes in which the amygdala has been implicated. In this thesis I develop a strategy to study value-guided decision making in rodents using an olfactory binary choice task. Using a logistic regression model, I show that the value of expected rewards is a strong influence on choice, and can bias perceptual decisions. In addition, I show that decisions are influenced by events in the near past, and a specific bias towards correct choices in the near past can be detected using this analysis. Using genetic targeting of a sub-population of amygdala neurons, I show that this population is required for the rapid learning of an olfactory decision making task. Using in-vivo calcium imaging of this population I show that these neurons are active during the inter-trial interval and modulated by choice history, suggesting a mechanism by which choice history can influence current decisions."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Ph. D. in Neuroscience"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The amygdala in value-guided decision making"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Susumu Tonegawa."],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences."],"dc:contributor.other":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences."],"dc:creator":["Jaime-Bustamante, Kean (Kean Willyams)"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-03-12T19:28:52Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-03-12T19:28:52Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2017"],"dc:description":["Thesis: Ph. 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