A causal role for the right frontal eye fields in value comparison

Recent studies have suggested close functional links between overt visual attention and decision making. This suggests that the corresponding mechanisms may interface in brain regions known to be crucial for guiding visual attention - such as the frontal eye field (FEF). Here, we combined brain stimulation, eye tracking, and computational approaches to explore this possibility. We show that inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the right FEF has a causal impact on decision making, reducing the effect of gaze dwell time on choice while also increasing reaction times. We computationally characterize this putative mechanism by using the attentional drift diffusion model (aDDM), which reveals that FEF inhibition reduces the relative discounting of the non-fixated option in the comparison process. Our findings establish an important causal role of the right FEF in choice, elucidate the underlying mechanism, and provide support for one of the key causal hypotheses associated with the aDDM.

Automated summary

Recent studies have indicated a close functional relationship between visual attention and decision making. In this study, inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the right frontal eye field (FEF) was found to causally impact decision making by reducing the influence of gaze dwell time on choice and increasing reaction times. Computational modeling using the attentional drift diffusion model (aDDM) further revealed that FEF inhibition decreases the relative discounting of the non-fixated option in the comparison process.