Failure to respond autonomically to anticipated future outcomes following damage to prefrontal cortex.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Small observational case-control physiological study comparing lesion patients to healthy controls
PubMed 8670652 · doi:10.1093/cercor/6.2.215
What was done
Skin conductance responses (SCRs) were measured in 7 patients with prefrontal cortex damage and 12 normal controls during a novel card task that simulates real-life decision making involving uncertainty, rewards, and penalties. SCRs were evaluated after card selection (in response to penalties or rewards) and prior to card selection (anticipatory responses while pondering deck choice).
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, percentages, or statistical metrics. Both patients and controls generated SCRs following card selection with penalties or rewards. Normal controls began generating anticipatory SCRs prior to card selection after a number of trials, whereas no patients with prefrontal cortex damage showed anticipatory SCRs.
Why it matters
This study provides physiological evidence for the somatic marker hypothesis, demonstrating that prefrontal damage impairs the generation of anticipatory bodily signals that guide decision making under uncertainty.
Limits
The sample size is very small (n=19 total: 7 patients, 12 controls). The abstract does not provide quantitative data, confidence intervals, or specific anatomical localization beyond general prefrontal sectors, and real-world behavior is inferred from a simulated laboratory card task.
Cited by
- supports Patients with massive frontal lobe lesions who lack emotional responsiveness to stimuli suffer severe impairments in making complex life decisions.