High Self-Control Reduces Risk Preference: The Role of Connectivity Between Right Orbitofrontal Cortex and Right Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Risk preference, the preference for risky choices over safe alternatives, has a great impact on many fields, such as physical health, sexual safety and financial decision. Ample behavioral research has attested that inadequate self-control can give rise to high risk preference. However, little is known about the neural substrates underlying the effect of self-control on risk preference. To address this issue, we combined voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis to explore the neural basis underlying the effect of self-control on risk preference across two independent samples. In sample 1(99 participants; 47 males; 20.37±1.63 years), the behavioral results indicated that the scores of self-control were significantly and negatively correlated with risk preference (indexed by gambling rate). The VBM analysis demonstrated that the higher risk preference was correlated with smaller gray matter volumes (GMV) in right orbitofrontal cortex (rOFC) and right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC). In the independent sample 2 (80 participants; 33 males; 20.33±1.83 years), the RSFC analysis ascertained that the functional connectivity of rOFC and right anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) was positively associated with risk preference. Furthermore, the mediation analysis identified that self-control mediated the impact of functional connectivity of rOFC-rACC on risk preference. These findings suggest the functional coupling between the rOFC and rACC might be the neural substrates responsible for the effect of self-control on risk preference. The present study extends our understanding on the relationship between self-control and risk preference, and reveals possible neural underpinnings underlying this association.