Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Key Publications
Müller, T., Klein-Flügge, M. C., Manohar, S. G., Husain, M., & Apps, M. A. (2021). Neural and computational mechanisms of momentary fatigue and persistence in effort-based choice. Nature Communications, 12(1), 1-14. Web
Le Heron, C., Kolling, N., Plant, O., Kienast, A., Janska, R., Fallon, S., Husain, M., & Apps, M.A.J. (2020) Dopamine drives dynamic decisions during human reward foraging. Journal of Neuroscience. Web
Lockwood, P.L., Hamonet, M., Zhang, S., Salmony, F., Ratnavel, A., Husain, M., & Apps, M.A.J. (2017). Prosocial apathy when helping others is too much effort. Nature Human Behaviour. PDF
Chong, T-J. T.,* Apps, M.A.J.,* Sillence, A., Giehl, K., Grima, L., & Husain, M. (2017). Neurocomputational mechanisms of subjective motivation of effort costs. PLoS Biology. *equal contributors. DATA. PDF.
Apps, M.A.J., Rushworth, M.F.S., Chang, S.W.C. (2016). The anterior cingulate gyrus and social cognition: tracking the motivation of others. Neuron. PDF
Preprints
Cutler, J., Contreras-Huerta, L.S., Todorova, B., ... Apps, M.A.J., & Lockwood, P. (2024). Psychological interventions increase motivation to exert effort to mitigate climate change. PsyArXiv
Morelli, M., Dudzikowska, K., Deelchand, D.K., Quinn, A.J., Mullins, P.G., Apps, M.A.J., & Wilson, M. (2024). Functional Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Prolonged Motor Activation using Conventional and Spectral GLM Analyses. bioRxiv
Pisauro, A., Pollicino, D., Fisher, L., & Apps, M.A.J. (2024). Neural and computational mechanisms of effort under the pressure of a deadline. bioRxiv
Su, Z., Garvert, M., Zhang, L., Manohar, S. G., Vogel, T. A., Thomas, L., Balsters, J., Husain, M., Apps, M. A. J., & Lockwood, P. L. (2024). Older adults are more susceptible to impulsive social influence. PsyArXiv
Cutler, J., Apps, M. A., & Lockwood, P. (2022). Reward processing and reinforcement learning: from adolescence to aging. PsyArXiv
Contreras-Huerta, L. S., Pisauro, A., Kuechenhoff, S., Gekiere, A., Le Heron, C., Lockwood, P., & Apps, M. A. (2022). A reward self-bias leads to more optimal foraging for ourselves than others. PsyArXiv
2024
Hoy, C.W., de Hemptinne, C., Wang, S.S., Harmer, C.J., Apps, M.A.J., Husain, M., Starr, P.A., & Little, S. (2024). Beta and theta oscillations track effort and previous reward in human basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex during decision making. Link
Lockwood, P.L., Cutler, J., Drew, D., Abdurahman, A., Jeyaretna, D.S., Apps, M.A.J., Husain, M., & Manohar, S.G. (2024). Human ventromedial prefrontal cortex is necessary for prosocial motivation. Nature Human Behaviour. Link
Gabay, A. S., Pisauro, A., O'Nell, K., & Apps, M. A. (2024). Social environment-based opportunity costs dictate when people leave social interactions. Communications Psychology, 2(42). Link
Vlasceanu, M., Doell, K. C., Bak Coleman, J. B., Todorova, B., Berkebile-Weinberg, M. M., Grayson, S. J., Patel, Y., Goldwert, D., Pei, Y., Chakroff, A., … Apps, M.A.J., … & Van Bavel, J. J. (2024). Addressing climate change with behavioural science: A global intervention tournament in 63 countries. Science Advances, 10(6). Link
Forbes, P., Aydogan, G., Braunstein, J., Todorova, B., Wagner, I., Lockwood, P., Apps, M. A., Ruff, C., & Lamm, C. (2024). Acute stress reduces effortful prosocial behaviour. eLife, 12, RP87271. Link
Gaule, A., Martin, P., Lockwood, P.L., Cutler, J., Apps, M., Roberts, R., Phillips, H., Brown, K., McCrory, E.J., & Viding, E. (2024). Reduced prosocial motivation and effort in adolescents with conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Link
2023
Azevedo, F., Pavlović, T., ..., Apps, M.A., ... & Sampaio, W.M. (2023). Social and moral psychology of COVID-19 across 69 countries. Scientific Data. Link
Ricciardi, L., Apps, M.A., & Little, S. (2023). Uncovering the neurophysiology of mood, motivation and behavioral symptoms in Parkinson’s disease through intracranial recordings. npj Parkinson's Disease. Link
Matthews, J., Pisauro, M. A., Jurgelis, M., Mueller, T., Vassena, E., Chong, T., & Apps, M. A. J. (2023). Computational mechanisms underlying the dynamics of physical and cognitive fatigue. Cognition, 105603. Link
Contreras-Huerta, L. S., Coll, M. P., Bird, G., Yu, H., Prosser, A., Lockwood, P. L., ... & Apps, M. A. (2023). Neural representations of vicarious rewards are linked to interoception and prosocial behaviour. NeuroImage, 119881. Link
2022
Pisauro, M. A., Fouragnan, E. F., Arabadzhiyska, D. H., Apps, M. A. J.*, & Philiastides, M. G.* (2022). Neural implementation of computational mechanisms underlying the continuous trade-off between cooperation and competition. Nature Communications, 13(1), 1-18. * equal contributors. Link
Müller, T., Husain, M., & Apps, M. A. (2022). Preferences for seeking effort or reward information bias the willingness to work. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 19486. Link
Van Bavel, J. J., Cichocka, A., Capraro, V., Sjåstad, H., Nezlek, J. B., Pavlović, T., ... Apps, M. A, ... & Jørgensen, F. J. (2022). National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic. Nature communications, 13(1), 1-14. Web
Pavlović, T., Azevedo, F., De, K., Riaño-Moreno, J. C., Maglić, M., Gkinopoulos, T., ... Apps, M. A, ... & Keudel, O. (2022). Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning. PNAS Nexus. Link
Yu, H., Contreras-Huerta, L. S., Prosser, A. M., Apps, M. A., Hofmann, W., Sinnott-Armstrong, W., & Crockett, M. J. (2022). Neural and cognitive signatures of guilt predict hypocritical blame. Psychological Science, 09567976221122765. Link
Lockwood, P. L., Wittmann, M. K., Nili, H., Matsumoto-Ryan, M., Abdurahman, A., Cutler, J., ... & Apps, M. A. (2022). Distinct neural representations for prosocial and self-benefiting effort. Current Biology. Link
Scholey, E., & Apps, M. A. (2022). Fatigue: Tough days at work change your prefrontal metabolites. Current Biology, 32(16), R876-R879. Link
2021
Müller, T., Klein-Flügge, M. C., Manohar, S. G., Husain, M., & Apps, M. A. (2021). Neural and computational mechanisms of momentary fatigue and persistence in effort-based choice. Nature Communications, 12(1), 1-14. Web
Lockwood, P.L., Abdurahman, A., Tamm, M., Gabay, A., Husain, M., & Apps, M.A.J., (2021). Ageing increases prosocial motivation for effort. Psychological Science. Link
Nitschke, J. P., Forbes, P. A., Ali, N., Cutler, J., Apps, M. A., Lockwood, P. L., & Lamm, C. (2021). Resilience during uncertainty? Greater social connectedness during COVID‐19 lockdown is associated with reduced distress and fatigue. British Journal of Health Psychology, 26(2), 553-569. Web
2020
Contreras-Huerta, L. S., Pisauro, A., & Apps, M. A. (2020). Effort shapes social cognition and behaviour: A neuro-cognitive framework. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. Link
Lockwood, P.L., Apps, M.A.J.* & Chang, S.W.C.* (2020). Is there a social brain? Implementations and Algorithms. Trends in Cognitive Sciences * equal contributors. Link
Lockwood P.L., O’Nell K.C., Apps M.A.J (2020) Anterior cingulate cortex: A brain system necessary for learning to reward others? PLoS Biol 18(6): e3000735. Link
Gabay, A. S., & Apps, M. A. (2021). Foraging optimally in social neuroscience: computations and methodological considerations. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 16(8), 782-794. Link
Le Heron, C., Kolling, N., Plant, O., Kienast, A., Janska, R., Fallon, S., Husain, M., & Apps, M.A.J., (2020) Dopamine drives dynamic decisions during human reward foraging. Journal of Neuroscience. Link
Contreras-Huerta, L., Bird, G., Lockwood, P., Apps, M.,* & Crockett, M.* (2020) Prosocial behaviour is associated with transdiagnostic markers of affective sensitivity in multiple domains. Emotion. * equal contributors https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-54566-001.html
2019
Müller, T., & Apps, M. A. (2019). Motivational fatigue: A neurocognitive framework for the impact of effortful exertion on subsequent motivation. Neuropsychologia, 123, 141-151. PDF
2018
Lockwood PL, Wittmann MK, Apps MAJ, Klein-Flügge MC, Crockett MJ, Humphreys GW, Rushworth MFS (2018): Neural mechanisms for learning self and other ownership. Nature Communications. PDF
Apps, M.A. (2018) Stimulating Cingulate: Distinct behaviours arise from discrete zones. Brain. PDF
Chong, T., Apps, M.A., Giehl, K., Hall, S., Clifton, C., Husain, M. (2018) Computational modelling reveals distinct patterns of cognitive and physical motivation in elite athletes. Scientific Reports . PDF
Weiss, A.R., Gillies, M.J., Philiastides, M.G., Apps, M.A., Whittington, M.A., FitzGerald, J.J., Boccard, S.G., Aziz, T.Z., & Green, A.L. (2018) Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortices Differentially Lateralize Prediction Errors and Outcome Valence in a Decision-Making Task. Front. Hum. Neurosci. Link
Lakens et al (2018). Justify Your Alpha: A Response to “Redefine Statistical Significance”. Nature Human Behaviour. PDF
Apps, M. A., McKay, R., Azevedo, R. T., Whitehouse, H., & Tsakiris, M. (2018). Not on my team: Medial prefrontal cortex responses to ingroup fusion and unfair monetary divisions. Brain and behavior. PDF
2017
Draper, A., Koch, R., Van der Meer., Apps, M.A.J., Pickkers, P., Husain, M., & Van der Schaaf. (2017). Effort but not reward sensitivity is altered by acute sickness induced by experimental endotoxemia in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology. Link
Lockwood, P.L., Hamonet, M., Zhang, S., Salmony, F., Ratnavel, A., Husain, M., & Apps, M.A.J.,* (2017). Prosocial apathy when helping others is too much effort. Nature Human Behaviour. PDF
Chong, T-J. T.,* Apps, M.A.J.,* Sillence, A., Giehl, K., Grima, L., & Husain, M. (2017). Neurocomputational mechanisms of subjective motivation of effort costs. PLoS Biology. *equal contributors. DATA. PDF.
Le Heron, C., Apps, M.A.J., & Husain, M. (2017). The anatomy of apathy: a neurocognitive framework for amotivated behaviour. Neuropsychologia. PDF
Balsters, J.H., Apps, M.A.J., Bolis, D., Lehner, R., Gallagher, l., & Wenderoth, N. (2017). Disrupted prediction errors index social deficits in autism spectrum disorder. Brain. PDF
Apps, M.A.J., & Sallet, J. (2017). Social learning in the medial prefrontal cortex. Trends in Cognitive Science. PDF
2016
Apps, M.A.J., Rushworth, M.F.S., Chang, S.W.C. (2016). The anterior cingulate gyrus and social cognition: tracking the motivation of others. Neuron. PDF
Ainley, V. Apps, M.A.J., Fotopolou, A., & Tsakiris, M. (2016). Bodily Precision: A Predictive Coding Account of Individual Differences in Interoceptive Accuracy. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. PDF
Farmer, H., Apps, M.A.J., & Tsakiris, M. (2016). Reputation in an Economic Game Modulates Premotor Cortex Activity during Action Observation. European Journal of Neuroscience. PDF
Lockwood, P.L., Apps, M.A.J., Valton, V., Viding, E., & Roiser, J.P (2016). Neurocomputational mechanisms of prosocial learning and links to empathy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. PDF
Balsters, J.H., Mantini, D., Apps, M.A., Eickhoff, S., Wenderoth, N. (2016). Connectivity-based parcellation increases network detection sensitivity in resting state fMRI: An investigation into the cingulate cortex in autism. Neuroimage: Clinical. PDF
2015
Apps M.A.J. Grima, L., Manohar, S. & Husain, M. (2015). The role of cognitive effort in subjective reward devaluation and risky decision-making. Scientific Reports. PDF
Apps, M.A.J., Tajadura-Jimenez, A., Sereno, M., Blanke, O., & Tsakiris, M. (2015). Plasticity in unimodal and multimodal brain areas reflects multisensory changes in self-face identification. Cerebral Cortex. Link
Apps, M.A.J., Lesage, E., & Ramnani, N. (2015). Vicarious reinforcement learning signals when instructing others. Journal of Neuroscience. PDF
Ang, Y-S., Manohar, S., & Apps M.A.J. (2015). Commentary: Noradrenaline and Dopamine Neurons in the Reward/Effort Trade-off: A Direct Electrophysiological Comparison in Behaving Monkeys. Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience. PDF
Lockwood, P.L., Apps M.A.J., Roiser, J.P., & Viding, E. (2015). Encoding of Vicarious Reward Prediction in Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Relationship with Trait Empathy. Journal of Neuroscience. PDF
Manohar, S., Chong, T., Apps M.A.J. ... & Husain, M. (2015). Reward Pays the Cost of Noise Reduction in Motor and Cognitive Control. Current Biology. PDF
2014 and earlier
Apps, M.A.J., & Tsakiris, M. (2014). The free-energy self: A predictive coding account of self-recognition. Neuroscience and Biobehavioural Reviews. PDF
Apps, M.A.J., & Ramnani, N. (2014). The anterior cingulate gyrus signals the net-value of others rewards. Journal of Neuroscience. PDF
Apps, M. A., Tajadura-Jiménez, A., Sereno, M., Blanke, O., & Tsakiris, M. (2015). Plasticity in unimodal and multimodal brain areas reflects multisensory changes in self-face identification. Cerebral Cortex. PDF
Apps, M. A. J., Lockwood, P. L., & Balsters, J. (2013). The role of the midcingulate cortex in monitoring others decisions. Frontiers in Neuroscience. PDF
Apps, M. A. J., & Tsakiris, M.(2013). Predictive codes of familiarity and context during the perceptual learning of facial identities. Nature Communications. PDF
Apps, M. A. J., Green, R., & Ramnani, N. (2013). Reinforcement learning signals in the anterior cingulate cortex code for others’ false beliefs. Neuroimage. PDF
Apps, M. A. J., Tajadura-Jimenez, A., Turley, G,. & Tsakiris, M. (2012). The different faces of ones self: an fMRI study into the recognition of current and past self-facial appearances. Neuroimage. PDF
Apps, M. A. J., Balsters, J. H., & Ramnani, N. (2012). The Anterior Cingulate Cortex: Monitoring the outcomes of others decisions. Social Neuroscience. PDF
Lesage, E., Apps, M. A. J., Hayter, A. L., Beckmann, C. F., Barnes, D., Langdon, D. W., & Ramnani, N. (2010). Cerebellar Information Processing In Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). Behavioural Neurology. PDF