The brain has been theorized to employ inferential processes to overcome the problem of uncertainty. Inference is thought to underlie neural processes, including in disparate domains such as value-based decision-making and perception. Value-based decision-making commonly involves deliberation, a time-consuming process that requires conscious consideration of decision variables. Perception, by contrast, is thought to be automatic and effortless. Both processes may call on a general neural system to resolve for uncertainty however. We addressed this question by directly comparing uncertainty signals in visual perception and an economic task using fMRI. We presented the same individuals with different versions of a bi-stable figure (Necker's cube) and with a gambling task during fMRI acquisition. We experimentally varied uncertainty, either on perceptual state or financial outcome. We found that inferential errors indexed by a formal account of surprise in the gambling task yielded BOLD responses in the anterior insula, in line with earlier findings. Moreover, we found perceptual uncertainty and surprise in the Necker Cube task yielded similar responses in the anterior insula. These results suggest that uncertainty, irrespective of domain, correlates to a common brain region, the anterior insula. These findings provide empirical evidence that the brain interacts with its environment through inferential processes.

中文翻译：

---

前岛叶反映基于价值的决策和感知的惊喜

大脑已被理论化为使用推理过程来克服不确定性问题。推理被认为是神经过程的基础，包括基于价值的决策和感知等不同领域。基于价值的决策通常涉及深思熟虑，这是一个耗时的过程，需要有意识地考虑决策变量。相比之下，感知被认为是自动且毫不费力的。然而，这两个过程都可能需要一个通用的神经系统来解决不确定性。我们通过使用 fMRI 直接比较视觉感知中的不确定性信号和经济任务来解决这个问题。我们在 fMRI 采集过程中向同一个人展示了不同版本的双稳态图形（内克立方体）和赌博任务。我们通过实验改变不确定性，无论是感知状态还是财务结果。我们发现，由赌博任务中意外惊喜的正式描述索引的推理错误在前脑岛产生了大胆的反应，这与早期的发现一致。此外，我们发现 Necker Cube 任务中的感知不确定性和惊喜在前脑岛产生了类似的反应。这些结果表明，无论域如何，不确定性都与一个共同的大脑区域，即前脑岛相关。这些发现提供了大脑通过推理过程与其环境相互作用的经验证据。我们发现 Necker Cube 任务中的感知不确定性和惊喜在前脑岛产生了类似的反应。这些结果表明，无论域如何，不确定性都与一个共同的大脑区域，即前脑岛相关。这些发现提供了大脑通过推理过程与其环境相互作用的经验证据。我们发现 Necker Cube 任务中的感知不确定性和惊喜在前脑岛产生了类似的反应。这些结果表明，无论域如何，不确定性都与一个共同的大脑区域，即前脑岛相关。这些发现提供了大脑通过推理过程与其环境相互作用的经验证据。