New research from Cedars-Sinai has helped scientists understand how the brain makes value-based decisions by recording individual human neuron activity. By measuring how the neurons in the brain calculated the reward of each option, as opposed to relying only on brain MRI scans, the study was able to show that a brain region called the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) played a primary role in deciding the best course of action based on factors like novelty, familiarity and uncertainty. The pre-SMA sits within the brain’s frontal lobe, a part that has been known to aid in decision-making activities. The research could result in a better understanding of neurological conditions that involve repeating choices repeatedly, such as addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorders.