DOI: 10.5061/dryad.f1vhhmh7t
title: Data from: Orbitofrontal cortex computes gaze-dependent comparisons between attributes rather than integrated values

description: Economic decisions often require weighing multiple dimensions, or
 attributes. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is thought to be important for
 computing the integrated value of an option from its attributes and
 comparing values to make a choice. Although OFC neurons are known to
 encode integrated values, evidence for value comparison has been limited.
 Here, we used a multi-attribute choice task for monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
 to investigate how OFC neurons integrate and compare multi-attribute
 options. By representing attributes with separate cues and using eye
 tracking to measure attention, we demonstrate that OFC neurons encode the
 value of attended attributes independent of other attributes in the same
 option. Encoding was negatively weighted by the value of the matching
 attribute in the other option, consistent with a comparison between like
 attributes. These results indicate that OFC computes comparisons between
 attributes rather than integrated values, and does so dynamically,
 shifting with the focus of
 attention.     
description: # Data from: Orbitofrontal cortex computes gaze-dependent comparisons
 between attributes rather than integrated values Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.f1vhhmh7t](10.5061/dryad.f1vhhmh7t) ## Description of the
 data and file structure This submission includes data and original code
 for results in Perkins and Rich (*PLoS Biology, 2025*). Please see the
 associated publication for supporting information. ### Files and variables
 #### File: BehaviorData.mat **Description:** A data structure including
 task-related behavioral variables for two NHPs (C and D). Data are
 organized by subject and session. Three-option trials were excluded from
 the publication and appear as NaNs in trial-wise variables. #####
 Variables * OfferedSwt - ordinal values of sweetness options on each trial
 * OfferedProb - ordinal values of probability option on each trial.
 Options are in the same order as OfferedSwt * OfferedSwtAtts - the
 attribute mappings of sweetness options (1 = direct; 2 = indirect) *
 OfferedProbAtts - the attribute mappings of probability options * Opt1Pos
 - x,y position of the center of option 1. Option 1 is the first entry in
 the *Offered* variables * ChosenOpt - option (1 or 2) chosen by the
 subject * Opt2Pos - x,y position of the center of option 2. Option 2 is
 the second entry in the *Offered* variables #### File: NeuronData.mat
 **Description:** A data structure including neuron time stamps and
 trial-wise options onset times for two-option trials. Data are organized
 by subject and session. ##### Variables * Neurons - cell array of neuron
 time stamps, in ms relative to the start of the session. One neuron per
 cell. * OptionOnsetTime - time stamp in ms, relative to the start of the
 session, of the appearance of choice options on each 2-option trial. ####
 File: GazeData_C.mat **Description:** A data structure including
 gaze-related behavioral variables for Subject C, 30 sessions. #####
 Variables * numtrials - the number of trials with 1 - 20 (each column)
 pre-choice fixations. Each row is a session. * optionfirstfixChUch -
 number of trials with one or more pre-choice fixations, in which the
 chosen (first column) or unchosen (second column) was fixated first. Each
 row is a session. * attributefirstfix - number of trials with one or more
 pre-choice fixations, in which a sweetness bar (first column) or
 probability bar (second column) was fixated first. Each row is a session.
 * betterSwtfirstfix - number of trials with one or more pre-choice
 fixations, in which a sweetness bar was fixated first *and* the sweetness
 bar is the better sweetness (first column), the sweetness bars have equal
 value (second column), or it is the worse sweetness (third column). Each
 row is a session. * betterProbfirstfix - number of trials with one or more
 pre-choice fixations, in which a probability bar was fixated first *and*
 the probability bar is the better probability (first column), the
 probability bars have equal value (second column), or it is the worse
 probability (third column). Each row is a session. * transitions - number
 of trials with two or more pre-choice fixations, in which the second
 fixation was to the paired attribute (first column), the like attribute in
 the other option (second column) or to the other attribute of the other
 option (third column). Each row is a session. * twofixestimes - Each cell
 is a session. First and third columns in each cell: time stamps (in ms),
 relative to the start of each trial, of the first two fixations on trials
 with two or more pre-choice fixations. Second and fourth columns:
 durations (in ms) of the same two fixations. * trialwisevars_fix1 - Each
 cell is a session. Regression variables in *Eq. 10* of the manuscript for
 the first fixation of trials with two or more pre-choice fixations. *
 trialwisevars_fix2 - Each cell is a session. Regression variables in *Eq.
 10* of the manuscript for the second fixation of trials with two or more
 pre-choice fixations. * trialwisevars_optionfix1 - Each cell is a session.
 Regression variables in *Eq. 11* of the manuscript for the first fixation
 of trials with two or more pre-choice fixations. *
 trialwisevars_optionfix2 - Each cell is a session. Regression variables in
 *Eq. 11* of the manuscript for the second fixation of trials with two or
 more pre-choice fixations. * trialwisevars_chuch - Each cell is a session.
 Regression variables in *Eq. 5* of the manuscript in the following order:
 [ChosenSwt ChosenProb UnchosenSwt UnchosenProb ChosenSwtAtt ChosenProbAtt
 UnchosenSwtAtt UnchosenProbAtt]. #### File: GazeData_D.mat
 **Description:** Same as Gazedata_C, except for Subject D, 43 Sessions. ##
 Code/software #### File: MultiAtt_BehaviorAnalyses.m **Description:** Code
 for analyses and figures of behavior data in Figs 1c, 1e-g, and S1a-j.
 #### File: MultiAtt_Behavior_ModelRecovery.m **Description:**  Performs
 model recovery of additive vs multiplicative models in Fig S1D using trial
 variables from one session. Called by MultiAtt_BehaviorAnalyses.m ####
 File: MultiAtt_NeuronAnalyses_trialaligned.m **Description:** Code for
 trial-aligned neural analyses and figures in Figs 2b-g, and S2e-i. ####
 File: MultiAtt_NeuronAnalyses_gazealigned.m **Description:** Code for
 analyses and figures of gaze-aligned data in figures Fig 3b-f and S4a-b,
 Fig 4c-e and S4c-g, Fig S3b, Fig 5b and S6b-d, Fig 5c-f and S6e-j, Fig 6b
 and S7. **requires custom code: ‘MyBinomTest.m’ available at:
 [https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/24813-mybinomtest-s-n-p-sided](https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/24813-mybinomtest-s-n-p-sided) #### File: MultiAtt_gazesimulations.m **Description:** Code that simulates neuron responses and performs gaze-aligned analyses on simulated data, separately for each subject, to produce results in Fig S5. #### File: CPD_elr.m **Description:** Helper function that computes the coefficient of partial determination (CPD). Called by MultiAtt_NeuronAnalyses_gazealigned.m ## Access information Reference: Perkins, A.Q. and Rich, E.L. *PLoS Biol*, 2025