The study by Kable and Glimcher investigates the neural correlates of subjective value during intertemporal choice using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). They found that neural activity in the ventral striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex tracks the subjective value of delayed monetary rewards. This suggests that the brain explicitly represents subjective value, rather than just objective measures. The research shows that these brain regions encode individual preference functions, which reflect how the subjective value of a reward decreases with increasing delay. The findings support economic theories that assume decision-makers behave as if different options have different subjective values. The study also demonstrates that neural activity in these regions is closely related to the subjective value of rewards, rather than just objective characteristics like the amount or delay. This provides evidence that the brain processes subjective value in a way similar to revealed preference theories in economics. The results indicate that these brain regions are involved in the valuation of outcomes during decision-making, rather than just in movement control. The study also shows that the neural discount rate in these regions matches the behavioral discount rate, suggesting that the brain processes subjective value in a way that is consistent with economic models of decision-making. The findings have implications for both neuroscience and economics, as they suggest that the physical mechanisms underlying intertemporal choice are similar to the most general class of revealed preference models. The study also highlights the importance of considering individual differences in preference functions when studying decision-making. The results suggest that the brain encodes subjective value in a way that is consistent with economic theories of decision-making, and that this encoding is reflected in the activity of specific brain regions. The study provides evidence that these brain regions are involved in the valuation of outcomes during decision-making, and that their activity is closely related to the subjective value of rewards. The findings have implications for understanding the neural basis of decision-making and for developing more accurate models of economic behavior.The study by Kable and Glimcher investigates the neural correlates of subjective value during intertemporal choice using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). They found that neural activity in the ventral striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex tracks the subjective value of delayed monetary rewards. This suggests that the brain explicitly represents subjective value, rather than just objective measures. The research shows that these brain regions encode individual preference functions, which reflect how the subjective value of a reward decreases with increasing delay. The findings support economic theories that assume decision-makers behave as if different options have different subjective values. The study also demonstrates that neural activity in these regions is closely related to the subjective value of rewards, rather than just objective characteristics like the amount or delay. This provides evidence that the brain processes subjective value in a way similar to revealed preference theories in economics. The results indicate that these brain regions are involved in the valuation of outcomes during decision-making, rather than just in movement control. The study also shows that the neural discount rate in these regions matches the behavioral discount rate, suggesting that the brain processes subjective value in a way that is consistent with economic models of decision-making. The findings have implications for both neuroscience and economics, as they suggest that the physical mechanisms underlying intertemporal choice are similar to the most general class of revealed preference models. The study also highlights the importance of considering individual differences in preference functions when studying decision-making. The results suggest that the brain encodes subjective value in a way that is consistent with economic theories of decision-making, and that this encoding is reflected in the activity of specific brain regions. The study provides evidence that these brain regions are involved in the valuation of outcomes during decision-making, and that their activity is closely related to the subjective value of rewards. The findings have implications for understanding the neural basis of decision-making and for developing more accurate models of economic behavior.