Gain and Loss in Optimistic Versus Pessimistic Brains

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Aug. 9, 2010) — Our belief as to whether we will likely succeed or fail at a given task -- and the consequences of winning or losing -- directly affects the levels of neural effort put forth in movement-planning circuits in the human cortex, according to a new brain-imaging study by neuroscientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).


A paper about the research -- led by Richard A. Andersen, the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience at Caltech -- appears in the August issue of PLoS Biology.

Research in Andersen's laboratory includes work to understand the neural mechanisms of action planning and decision-making. The lab is working toward the development of implanted neural prosthetic devices that would serve as an interface between severely paralyzed individuals' brain signals and artificial limbs -- allowing their planned actions to control the limbs' movements.

In particular, Andersen's group focuses on a high-level area of the brain called the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), where sensory stimuli are transformed into movement plans.

more

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100804151500.htm

Subjects who reported they were "good" at the task (optimists) showed highest brain activity when they expected large gains; subjects who thought they performed "poorly" (pessimists) showed highest brain activity when they tried to avoid large losses. Yellow regions show brain areas with highest motor planning activity; green and red regions depict areas that exhibited the strongest modulation in activity relative to the subjective absolute value. (Credit: Igor Kagan/Caltech)