How The Brain Decides To Make An Effort

Press release from Emory University:

Neuroscientists have provided clear visual evidence that a region of the human brain known as the ventral striatum kicks in during decision-making to weigh the costs versus the benefits of making a physical effort.

Nature Human Behavior published the research by scientists at Emory University. It gives the first detailed view of ventral striatum activity during three phases of effort-based decision-making — the anticipation of initiating an effort, the actual execution of the effort and the reward, or outcome, of the effort.

“It’s important to understand the neural mechanisms underlying motivation,” says Shosuke Suzuki, first author of the study and an Emory graduate student of psychology. “Our work has wide implications for treatment of disorders related to reduced motivation, such as depression, schizophrenia and PTSD. It may also help enhance motivational programs for everything from education to athletics and public health.”

The brain's striatum (shown in red) is a critical component of movement and reward systems. (Wikipedia Commons)

The brain's striatum (shown in red) is a critical component of movement and reward systems. (Wikipedia Commons)

“The willingness to expend effort is something crucial to our survival and something that we use every day,” adds Michael Treadway, senior author of the study and Winship Distinguished Research Professor in Emory’s Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. “We’ve identified two closely overlapping, but nevertheless distinct, areas of the ventral striatum involved with different phases of effort-based decision-making. And with the sub-regions we've identified, we’ve provided a concrete neuroimaging tool to measure the sensitivity of signals associated with these phases that others can apply to their own data.”

For example, Treadways says, the new method could provide a window into how a drug is affecting the brains of patients suffering from motivational deficits, compared to controls.

The Treadway lab focuses on understanding the molecular and circuit-level mechanisms of psychiatric symptoms related to mood disorders, anxiety and decision-making.

This press release was produced by Emory University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.