Posterior ventral temporal cortices (VTC) and to an even greater degree in OFCĪs depicted by multidimensional scaling of patterns evoked by each picture Multivariate patterns demonstrates that valence distance is supported in the (b) Despite regional overlap, a trial-by-trial analysis of Ventromedial prefrontal cortices show substantial overlap (green) of regionalĪctivity coupled to extremity of both positive (yellow) and negative (blue) (a) ConventionalĪnalyses of the magnitude of univariate activity in the orbitofrontal (OFC) and Microstructure of underlying brain response. Regional overlap from traditional univariate approaches can miss the Inferring the existence of a shared, modality-general valence code based on In conjunction with a shared valence code that is independent of its sensory origins, valence representations interleaved within sensory brain areas may support finer grained experiential distinctions between how things look, sound, feel, taste and smell good or bad to us, offering a higher dimensional space of evaluative discriminations. Here we raise the possibility that, in addition to these well established gain control effects, sensory systems might also have a more direct role in representing the pleasantness component of perception, as supported by several strands of recent brain imaging evidence. How do brains create this affective perceptual dimension? The traditional answer is that sensory areas serve only as conduits for external impressions that are then modulated by heteromodal limbic structures in subsequent phases. The pleasant or unpleasant qualities that attach to our perceptions help to determine whether we approach or avoid environmental stimuli, shaping their affordances.

Hedonic valence