How neurons help you decide what to choose: A new study about how our brain works

Have you even wondered what makes you choose one thing from many?

A new study shows that different neurons in your brain play a huge role in that process.

Let's find out more.

Tiny neurons making big choices

New research conducted by scientists at Cedars-Sinai sheds light on how the brain makes decisions related to personal preferences and values.

The study, published in the journal named Nature Human Behaviour, focused on different value-based choices and their implications for neurological disorders like addiction and OCD.

The research involved testing the brain activity of 20 people with epilepsy who played a special slot-machine game.

By recording individual neuron activity, specialists found that a brain region called "the pre-supplementary motor area" played a crucial role in calculating the potential rewards of different options.

This discovery challenges previous beliefs that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) was primarily responsible for weighing these factors.

It will help people in the future

The study shows the importance of single-neuron recordings in understanding the mechanisms behind different decision-making processes and holds promise for developing treatments for neurological disorders.
 

• Related news:
• research
• brain
• neurons
• 9 July 2023

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