In a study published in the journal PLoS Biology , Marhias Pessiglione and her colleagues from the Pierre and Marie Curie University / CNRS assure that the results of an activity depend on the effort we invest, which in turn depends on motivation. Athletes train more intensely if the results bring them social prestige or financial rewards. The same happens to students who prepare an exam, or professionals who prepare a presentation to intervene in a conference. Through a series of MRI experiments, French scientists have shown that to decide how much effort we invest in cognitive and motor tasks there is a "universal motivation center" located in an area of the brain known as the ventral striatum . And that is more activated the greater the motivation of an individual, for example because a higher reward is offered if he is successful.
In which part of the brain is the motivation to play sports or study located?
French neuroscientists have discovered what is the part of the brain involved in motivation that we need both to carry out actions that involve physical effort and in the performance of those that suppose a "mental challenge".
Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the neuron explorer
He coined the neural theory in which the nervous system was a succession of cells that communicated with each other, but were physically separated from each other.
Is there a drug of truth?
There are drugs that have been used (mostly under cover of illegal and secret government programs) in order to extract information against the will of suspects. They are called truth drugs. Do they really work?
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This is how the brain creates memories
A team of scientists has discovered how the human brain separates, stores and retrieves memories.
How are new technologies affecting our brain?
Is something happening to the memory? Is the brain getting more lazy? Are we getting too used to immediate rewards?