The child brain computes and utilizes internalized maternal choices

Seung-Lark Lim, J. Bradley C. Cherry, Ann M. Davis, S. N. Balakrishnan, Oh-Ryeong Ha, Jared M. Bruce and Amanda S. Bruce ()
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Seung-Lark Lim: University of Missouri-Kansas City
J. Bradley C. Cherry: University of Kansas Medical Center
Ann M. Davis: University of Kansas Medical Center
S. N. Balakrishnan: Missouri University of Science and Technology
Oh-Ryeong Ha: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Jared M. Bruce: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Amanda S. Bruce: University of Kansas Medical Center

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract As children grow, they gradually learn how to make decisions independently. However, decisions like choosing healthy but less-tasty foods can be challenging for children whose self-regulation and executive cognitive functions are still maturing. We propose a computational decision-making process in which children estimate their mother’s choices for them as well as their individual food preferences. By employing functional magnetic resonance imaging during real food choices, we find that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) encodes children’s own preferences and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) encodes the projected mom’s choices for them at the time of children’s choice. Also, the left dlPFC region shows an inhibitory functional connectivity with the vmPFC at the time of children’s own choice. Our study suggests that in part, children utilize their perceived caregiver’s choices when making choices for themselves, which may serve as an external regulator of decision-making, leading to optimal healthy decisions.

Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11700

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11700

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