Economic choice proceeds from evaluation, in which we contemplate options, to selection, in which we weigh options and choose one. These stages must be differentiated so that decision makers do not proceed to selection before evaluation is complete. We examined responses of neurons in two core reward regions, orbitofrontal (OFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), during two-option choice with asynchronous offer presentation. Our data suggest that neurons selective during the first (presumed evaluation) and second (presumed comparison and selection) offer epochs come from a single pool. Stage transition is accompanied by a shift toward orthogonality in the low-dimensional population response manifold. Nonetheless, the relative position of each option in driving responses in the population subspace is preserved. The orthogonalization we observe supports the hypothesis that the transition from evaluation to selection leads to reorganization of response subspace and suggests a mechanism by which value-related signals are prevented from prematurely driving choice.

中文翻译：

---

从评估到选择的转变涉及核心奖励区域的神经子空间重组。

经济选择从评估（我们考虑各种选择）到选择（我们权衡各种选择并做出选择）。这些阶段必须有所区别，以便决策者在评估完成之前不会进行选择。我们检查了两个核心奖励区域（OFC）和腹内侧前额皮质（vmPFC）中的神经元在异步提议呈现的两个选项选择过程中的反应。我们的数据表明，在第一个（假定的评估）和第二个（假定的比较和选择）提供时期中选择性的神经元来自单个池。阶段转变伴随着低维总体响应流形向正交性的转变。尽管如此，每个选项在人口子空间中驱动响应的相对位置仍然保留。我们观察到的正交化支持这样的假设：从评估到选择的转变导致响应子空间的重组，并提出了一种防止价值相关信号过早驱动选择的机制。