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Triadic model of the neurobiology of motivated behavior in adolescence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 September 2005

MONIQUE ERNST
Affiliation:
Section of Developmental and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
DANIEL S. PINE
Affiliation:
Section of Developmental and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
MICHAEL HARDIN
Affiliation:
Section of Developmental and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

Abstract

Background. Risk-taking behavior is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in adolescence. In the context of decision theory and motivated (goal-directed) behavior, risk-taking reflects a pattern of decision-making that favors the selection of courses of action with uncertain and possibly harmful consequences. We present a triadic, neuroscience systems-based model of adolescent decision-making.

Method. We review the functional role and neurodevelopmental findings of three key structures in the control of motivated behavior, i.e. amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and medial/ventral prefrontal cortex. We adopt a cognitive neuroscience approach to motivated behavior that uses a temporal fragmentation of a generic motivated action. Predictions about the relative contributions of the triadic nodes to the three stages of a motivated action during adolescence are proposed.

Results. The propensity during adolescence for reward/novelty seeking in the face of uncertainty or potential harm might be explained by a strong reward system (nucleus accumbens), a weak harm-avoidant system (amygdala), and/or an inefficient supervisory system (medial/ventral prefrontal cortex). Perturbations in these systems may contribute to the expression of psychopathology, illustrated here with depression and anxiety.

Conclusions. A triadic model, integrated in a temporally organized map of motivated behavior, can provide a helpful framework that suggests specific hypotheses of neural bases of typical and atypical adolescent behavior.

Type
Invited Review
Copyright
2005 Cambridge University Press

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