Neural basis of corruption in power-holders

Corruption often involves bribery, when a briber suborns power-holder to gain advantages usually at cost of moral transgression. Despite its wide presence in human societies, the neurocomputational basis bribery remains elusive. Here, using model-based fMRI, we investigated neural substrates how decides accept or reject bribe. Power-holders considered two types brought by taking bribes: conniving with fraudulent briber, encoded anterior insula, and harm third party, represented right temporoparietal junction. These costs were integrated into value signal ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The dorsolateral cortex was selectively engaged guide anti-corrupt behaviors party would be harmed. Multivariate connectivity analyses further explored these processes depend on individual differences. findings advance our understanding mechanisms underlying corrupt behaviors.