Studies of neural processes underlying delay of gratification usually focus on prefrontal networks related to curbing affective impulses. Here, we provide evidence for an alternative mechanism that facilitates delaying gratification by mental orientation towards the future. Combining continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) with functional neuroimaging, we tested how the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) facilitates processing of future events and thereby promotes delay of gratification. Participants performed an intertemporal decision task and a mental time-travel task in the MRI scanner before and after receiving cTBS over the rTPJ or the vertex (control site). rTPJ cTBS led to both stronger temporal discounting for longer delays and reduced processing of future relative to past events in the mental time-travel task. This finding suggests that the rTPJ contributes to the ability to delay gratification by facilitating mental representation of outcomes in the future. On the neural level, rTPJ cTBS led to a reduction in the extent to which connectivity of rTPJ with striatum reflected the value of delayed rewards, indicating a role of rTPJ–striatum connectivity in constructing neural representations of future rewards. Together, our findings provide evidence that the rTPJ is an integral part of a brain network that promotes delay of gratification by facilitating mental orientation to future rewards.

关于满足延迟的神经过程的研究通常集中在与抑制情感冲动有关的前额网络。在这里，我们提供了一种替代机制的证据，该机制可以通过对未来的心理定向来促进延迟满足。结合持续的theta-burst刺激（cTBS）与功能性神经影像学，我们测试了正确的颞颞交界处（rTPJ）如何促进未来事件的处理，从而促进满足感的延迟。在通过rTPJ或顶点（控制点）接收cTBS之前和之后，参与者在MRI扫描仪中执行了跨期决策任务和心理时间旅行任务。rTPJ cTBS导致更强的时间折扣（用于更长的延迟）以及相对于心理时间旅行任务中过去事件的未来处理减少。这一发现表明，rTPJ通过促进未来心理结果的表达而有助于延迟满足的能力。在神经水平上，rTPJ cTBS导致rTPJ与纹状体的连通性反映了延迟奖励的价值的程度降低，表明rTPJ-纹状体的连通性在构建未来奖励的神经表示中的作用。在一起，我们的发现提供了证据，即rTPJ是大脑网络的组成部分，它通过促进对未来奖励的精神取向来促进满足的延迟。rTPJ cTBS导致rTPJ与纹状体的连接反映延迟奖励价值的程度降低，表明rTPJ-纹状体连接在构建未来奖励的神经表示中的作用。在一起，我们的发现提供了证据，即rTPJ是大脑网络的组成部分，它通过促进对未来奖励的精神取向来促进满足的延迟。rTPJ cTBS导致rTPJ与纹状体的连接反映延迟奖励价值的程度降低，表明rTPJ-纹状体连接在构建未来奖励的神经表示中的作用。在一起，我们的发现提供了证据，即rTPJ是大脑网络的组成部分，它通过促进对未来奖励的思维取向而促进了满足的延迟。