Brain network links cognition, motivation

Whether it’s sports, poker or the high-stakes world of business, there are those who always find a way to win when there’s money on the table.

Now, for the first time, psychology researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are unraveling the workings of a novel brain network that may explain how these “money players” manage to keep their heads in the game.

Findings suggest that a specific brain area helps people use the prospect of success to better prepare their thoughts and actions, thus increasing odds that a reward will be won.

The study, published Aug. 4 in the Journal of Neuroscience, identified a brain region about two inches above the left eyebrow that sprang into action whenever study participants were shown a dollar sign, a predetermined cue that a correct answer on the task at hand would result in a financial reward.

Using what researchers believe are short bursts of dopamine — the brain’s chemical reward system — the brain region then began coordinating interactions between the brain’s cognitive control and motivation networks, apparently priming the brain for a looming “show me the money” situation.

“The surprising thing we see is that motivation acts in a preparatory manner,” says Adam C. Savine, lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate in psychology at Washington University. “This region gears up when the money cue is on.”

via Brain network links cognition, motivation | Newsroom | Washington University in St. Louis.