Variability in nucleus accumbens activity mediates age-related suboptimal financial risk taking.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

As human life expectancy continues to rise, financial decisions of aging investors may have an increasing impact on the global economy. In this study, we examined age differences in financial decisions across the adult life span by combining functional neuroimaging with a dynamic financial investment task. During the task, older adults made more suboptimal choices than younger adults when choosing risky assets. This age-related effect was mediated by a neural measure of temporal variability in nucleus accumbens activity. These findings reveal a novel neural mechanism by which aging may disrupt rational financial choice.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Samanez-Larkin, GR; Kuhnen, CM; Yoo, DJ; Knutson, B

Published Date

  • January 2010

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 30 / 4

Start / End Page

  • 1426 - 1434

PubMed ID

  • 20107069

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC2821055

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1529-2401

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0270-6474

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1523/jneurosci.4902-09.2010

Language

  • eng