Can't get motivated? This brain circuit might explain why–it can be turned off
4 months ago
- #motivation
- #neuroscience
- #psychiatry
- Scientists have identified a neural circuit in the brain that acts as a 'motivation brake', making it difficult to start tasks.
- Suppressing this circuit in macaque monkeys increased their willingness to begin tasks, even when faced with potential punishment.
- The circuit involves the ventral striatum and ventral pallidum, areas linked to motivation and reward processing.
- This discovery could help in developing treatments for motivation deficits in conditions like depression and schizophrenia.
- The study highlights the difference between motivation deficits and avoidance behaviors driven by anxiety.