Will, Anterior Cingulate Cortex, and Addiction

Abstract

What part of the brain modulates our behavior to ensure that we participate in beneficial actions such as receipt of a reward? In her Perspective, [Peoples][1] explains new work ([Shidara and Richmond][2]) that pinpoints certain neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex that encode reward expectancy and modulate behavior to ensure receipt of the reward. Understanding the neural pathways that govern reward expectancy may lead to better treatments for drug addiction. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/296/5573/1623 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/296/5573/1709