Incentives tend to drive improvements in performance. But when incentives get too high, we can “choke under pressure” and underperform right when it matters most. What neural processes might lead to choking under pressure? We studied rhesus monkeys performing a challenging reaching task in which they underperformed when an unusually large “jackpot” reward was at stake, and we sought a neural mechanism that might result in that underperformance. We found that increases in reward drive neural activity during movement preparation into, and then past, a zone of optimal performance. We conclude that neural signals of reward and motor preparation interact in the motor cortex (MC) in a manner that can explain why we choke under pressure.

中文翻译：

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压力下窒息的神经基础


激励措施往往会推动绩效的提高。但是，当激励措施变得太高时，我们可能会 “在压力下窒息”，并在最重要的时候表现不佳。哪些神经过程可能导致压力下窒息？我们研究了恒河猴执行一项具有挑战性的到达任务，当异常大的 “头奖” 奖励处于危险之中时，它们的表现不佳，我们寻求一种可能导致表现不佳的神经机制。我们发现，奖励的增加会驱动运动准备期间的神经活动进入，然后越过最佳表现区域。我们得出结论，奖励和运动准备的神经信号在运动皮层 （MC） 中相互作用，可以解释为什么我们在压力下窒息。