Striatal Value Signals Track Progress Toward a Goal During Planning

When making decisions, we often weigh immediate gains against long-term goals, and the value of the same choices can change over time. We used a novel task in which participants repeatedly chose between two cards, each with an immediate point value and an uncertain prospective value, with the latter reflecting the collection of card sets. Computational modeling showed that the prospective value captured how close participants were to completing a set. This goal gradient could be explained by both a simple progress-weighted heuristic and a forward-simulating planner. Using fMRI, we found that striatal and precuneus activity increased with the prospective value of the chosen card but not with its immediate point value. Activity in the dorsomedial and insular cortices instead increased with the value of the card given up and was highest when participants chose against the model-based value of the options. Activity in all regions of interest provides stronger support for the goal gradient rather than a full forward-planning model. These results refine the role of the valuation and cognitive control networks in goal-based decision-making.