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Published Online April 12, 2007
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1140459

Reports

Submitted on January 26, 2007
Accepted on March 30, 2007

How the Brain Translates Money into Force: A Neuroimaging Study of Subliminal Motivation

Mathias Pessiglione 1*, Liane Schmidt 2, Bogdan Draganski 3, Raffael Kalisch 3, Hakwan Lau 3, Ray Dolan 3, Chris Frith 3

1 Wellcome Trust Centre for NeuroImaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square London WC1N 3BG, UK; Laboratoire INSERM Unité 610, IFR de Neurosciences, Groupe Pitié-Salpêtrière, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 47 Bd de l'Hôpital 75013 Paris, France.
2 Laboratoire INSERM Unité 610, IFR de Neurosciences, Groupe Pitié-Salpêtrière, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 47 Bd de l'Hôpital 75013 Paris, France.
3 Wellcome Trust Centre for NeuroImaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square London WC1N 3BG, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Mathias Pessiglione , E-mail: pessigli{at}ccr.jussieu.fr

Unconscious motivation in humans is often inferred but rarely demonstrated empirically. Here we imaged motivational processes, implemented in a paradigm that varies the amount and reportability of monetary rewards for which subjects exerted physical effort. We show that, even when subjects cannot report how much money is at stake, they nevertheless deploy more force for higher amounts. Such a motivational effect is underpinned by engagement of a specific basal forebrain region. Our findings thus reveal this region as a key node in brain circuitry that enables expected rewards to energise our behavior, whether we are aware or not.


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)