Featured Publications
Prefrontal–amygdala circuits in social decision-making
Gangopadhyay P, Chawla M, Dal Monte O, Chang SWC. Prefrontal–amygdala circuits in social decision-making. Nature Neuroscience 2020, 24: 5-18. PMID: 33169032, PMCID: PMC7899743, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00738-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSocial behaviorSystems neuroscience perspectivePrefrontal-amygdala pathwaysPrefrontal-amygdala circuitsPrefrontal cortical regionsSocial cognitionNeuroscience perspectiveNeural basisNeuropeptide oxytocinBrains of primatesNeural mechanismsCortical regionsNon-human primatesSpecific instantiationSocial constructMultiple levelsCognitionNeuronal activityMultiple animal speciesNeurobiologyAmygdalaBehaviorUnderpinningsPrimatesConstructsThe dorsomedial prefrontal cortex computes task-invariant relative subjective value for self and other
Piva M, Velnoskey K, Jia R, Nair A, Levy I, Chang SW. The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex computes task-invariant relative subjective value for self and other. ELife 2019, 8: e44939. PMID: 31192786, PMCID: PMC6565363, DOI: 10.7554/elife.44939.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRelative subjective valueSubjective valuePrefrontal cortexMulti-voxel pattern analysisVentromedial prefrontal cortexDorsomedial prefrontal cortexNeural correlatesPrefrontal nodesFMRI approachRisky choiceSubjective valuationDmPFCNeural computationSocial attitudesUbiquitous behaviorSelfTaskPattern analysisCortexIndependent tasksBehavioral modelingParticipantsCorrelatesAttitudesDissimilar preferencesThe Anterior Cingulate Gyrus and Social Cognition: Tracking the Motivation of Others
Apps MA, Rushworth MF, Chang SW. The Anterior Cingulate Gyrus and Social Cognition: Tracking the Motivation of Others. Neuron 2016, 90: 692-707. PMID: 27196973, PMCID: PMC4885021, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.04.018.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAnterior cingulate cortexSocial cognitionSocio-cognitive abilitiesAnterior cingulate gyrusCognitive processesError processingSocial informationCingulate cortexSocial interactionSocial behaviorCingulate gyrusCognitionTestable predictionsGyrusMotivationACCGFurther evidenceComputational propertiesKey mechanismCortexBehaviorProcessingEvidenceIndividualsAbility
2023
The orbitofrontal cortex: A goal-directed cognitive map framework for social and non-social behaviors
Shi W, Meisner O, Blackmore S, Jadi M, Nandy A, Chang S. The orbitofrontal cortex: A goal-directed cognitive map framework for social and non-social behaviors. Neurobiology Of Learning And Memory 2023, 203: 107793. PMID: 37353191, PMCID: PMC10527225, DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107793.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOrbitofrontal cortexOFC functionCognitive mapsOFC neuronsNon-social domainCore brain areasNon-social behaviorsReward-based behaviorsValues-based behaviorSocial behaviorSocial contextBrain areasBehavioral contextSocial functionComplex representationSingle subjectCortexBehaviorTremendous knowledgeIntegrated viewContextTask spaceMAP frameworkRepresentationWide arrayBeyond Cortex: The Evolution of the Human Brain
Chin R, Chang SWC, Holmes AJ. Beyond Cortex: The Evolution of the Human Brain. Psychological Review 2023, 130: 285-307. PMID: 35420848, DOI: 10.1037/rev0000361.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman brain evolutionBrain evolutionEvolutionary lineagesEvolutionary forcesEvolutionary pressureBody sizeHuman brain developmentHuman evolutionCurrent understandingBrain developmentDiverse setStudy of behaviorComprehensive viewBrain biologyLineagesEvolutionBiologyStriking increaseVast majorityCritical importanceAnimal modelsNonhuman primates
2022
Chapter 22 Amygdala connectivity and implications for social cognition and disorders
Meisner OC, Nair A, Chang SWC. Chapter 22 Amygdala connectivity and implications for social cognition and disorders. Handbook Of Clinical Neurology 2022, 187: 381-403. PMID: 35964984, PMCID: PMC9436700, DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-823493-8.00017-1.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
Toward a holistic view of value and social processing in the amygdala: Insights from primate behavioral neurophysiology
Putnam PT, Chang SWC. Toward a holistic view of value and social processing in the amygdala: Insights from primate behavioral neurophysiology. Behavioural Brain Research 2021, 411: 113356. PMID: 33989727, PMCID: PMC8238892, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113356.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSocial behaviorSocial stimuliValue-related processesNegative emotional processesAspects of cognitionReward-related processesDistinct brain regionsSocial processingEmotional processesAmygdala's roleNeural basisPositive affectHolistic hypothesisPrimate neurophysiologyNeurophysiological mechanismsBehavioral neurophysiologySocial interactionValue processingModern neuroscienceTemporal lobeBrain regionsAmygdalaStimuliNeurophysiologyProcessing
2019
Combinatorial Oxytocin Neuropharmacology in Social Cognition
Fan S, Weinberg-Wolf H, Piva M, Dal Monte O, Chang SWC. Combinatorial Oxytocin Neuropharmacology in Social Cognition. Trends In Cognitive Sciences 2019, 24: 8-12. PMID: 31735541, DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.10.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDifferences in how macaques monitor others: Does serotonin play a central role?
Weinberg‐Wolf H, Chang SWC. Differences in how macaques monitor others: Does serotonin play a central role? Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Cognitive Science 2019, 10: e1494. PMID: 30775852, PMCID: PMC6570566, DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1494.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDecision-making psychologyCognitive BiologySocial attentionSocial competenciesSocial informationSocial monitoringEvolutionary rootsPsychologySocial toleranceNeuroscienceAggressionDominance behaviorRole of serotoninField of primatologySerotonergic functionCognitionConspecificsPrimatesPrimatologyMacaquesCompetenciesDifferencesAttentionCentral roleResource opportunities
2018
An integrated framework for the role of oxytocin in multistage social decision‐making
Piva M, Chang SWC. An integrated framework for the role of oxytocin in multistage social decision‐making. American Journal Of Primatology 2018, 80: e22735. PMID: 29350419, PMCID: PMC6053333, DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22735.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEffects of oxytocinSocial behaviorWithdrawal hypothesisSocial salience hypothesisCertain social situationsRole of oxytocinInfluence of oxytocinNeural evidenceProsocial actionsSocial stimuliProsocial choicesApproach behaviorSalience hypothesisSocial salienceSocial decisionsAntisocial behaviorSocial situationsOxytocin administrationWithdrawal behaviorSensory inputBehavioral outputSensory perceptionOverarching theoryDisparate theoriesProminent hypothesis
2012
Inhaled oxytocin amplifies both vicarious reinforcement and self reinforcement in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Chang SW, Barter JW, Ebitz RB, Watson KK, Platt ML. Inhaled oxytocin amplifies both vicarious reinforcement and self reinforcement in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2012, 109: 959-964. PMID: 22215593, PMCID: PMC3271866, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1114621109.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDelivery of rewardTypical social behaviorsProsocial choicesDecision latenciesObservational learningSpecies-typical social behaviorsNeural mechanismsSelfish choicesVicarious reinforcementSocial behaviorDistinct contextsDonation behaviorHuman behaviorNeural modelRewardSocial awarenessSelf-ReinforcementOxytocinPrairie volesSelfMonogamous onesRhesus macaquesOwn experienceEmpathyAttention