Effective connectivity predicts distributed neural coding of perceptual decision confidence, uncertainty, and speed

Abstract

Decision making is often accompanied by a level of confidence regarding the accuracy of one’s decision. Previous studies have indicated neural activity associated with perceptual decision confidence during sensory stimulus presentation. Choice-based reaction time (RT) has been suggested as an indirect but more objective measure of decision confidence—generally faster RT for higher confidence. However, it is unclear whether choice confidence and RT are mediated by distinct neural pathways, and whether their neural correlates are encoded nonlinearly. Within a perceptual decision-making task, we applied functional magnetic resonance imaging-informed electroencephalography-based effective connectivity analysis via dynamic causal modelling (DCM) on event-related potentials and found the frontoparietal network for fast-vs-slow RT condition to be different from that of high-vs-low confidence rating condition. Furthermore, trial-by-trial DCM analysis predicted cortical layer-based, distributed, and nonlinear coding of RT, confidence or uncertainty. Collectively, our study suggests that decision confidence and speed are instantiated by different dynamical networks distributed across cortical layers.