Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40346825›Full record

ArticleCerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)2025

Subcortical nuclei of the human ascending arousal system encode anticipated reward but do not predict subsequent memory.

Beth Lloyd, Steven Miletić, Pierre-Louis Bazin, Scott Isherwood, Desmond H Y Tse, Asta K Håberg, Birte Forstmann, Sander Nieuwenhuis

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Joint models reveal human subcortical underpinnings of choice and learning behavior.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Beth LloydInstitute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-4034-8119
Steven MiletićInstitute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Pierre-Louis BazinFull Brain Picture Analytics, Lage Morsweg 73, 2332XB Leiden, The Netherlands.
Scott IsherwoodIntegrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129B, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Desmond H Y TseFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres gate 9, 7030, Trondheim, Norway.
Asta K HåbergFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres gate 9, 7030, Trondheim, Norway.
Birte ForstmannIntegrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129B, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Sander NieuwenhuisInstitute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Funding

Dutch Research Council VI.C.181.032
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Subcortical nuclei of the ascending arousal system (AAS) play an important role in regulating brain and cognition. However, functional MRI (fMRI) of these nuclei in humans involves unique challenges due to their size and location deep within the brain. Here, we used ultra-high-field MRI and other methodological advances to investigate the activity of 6 subcortical nuclei during reward anticipation and memory encoding: the locus coeruleus (LC), basal forebrain, median and dorsal raphe nuclei, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area. Participants performed a monetary incentive delay task, which successfully induced a state of reward anticipation, and a 24-h delayed surprise memory test. Region-of-interest analyses revealed that activity in all subcortical nuclei increased in anticipation of potential rewards as opposed to neutral outcomes. In contrast, activity in none of the nuclei predicted memory performance 24 h later. These findings provide new insights into the cognitive functions that are supported by the human AAS.

Indexed as

Anticipation, PsychologicalArousalBrainMemoryRewardAdultBrain MappingFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleVentral Tegmental AreaYoung Adultascending arousal systemmemoryreward anticipationultra-high field MRI

Identifiers

PMID40346825
PMCPMC12064850

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.