reward, decision-making,and the cortex
to survive, animals must make accurate approach or avoidance decisions. the mesolimbic system system begins the process of responding to rewarding stimuli. areas recieving input from the mesolimbic system,including the cingulate cortex and the perfrontal cortex,provide further evaluation of the circumstances leading to reward. Does the value of reward offset the amount of effort requied to obtain it? the anterior cingulate cortex plays an important role in these types of cost-benefit decisions. rats in a t-maze typically will choose a larger reward over a smaller one,even when they must climb over a barrier to obtain the larger reward but will fail to do so following lesions of the ACC. Is the reward likely to be immediate or delayed? lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex reverse the rats' normal perfoerence for longer,delayed rewards over smaller, immediate reward.