![]() ![]() The research is part of a larger project designed to search for objective measures for depression and other psychological disorders where motivation is reduced. “At this point, we don’t have any data proving that this 20-minute snippet of behavior corresponds to an individual’s long-term achievement,” said Zald, “but if it does measure a trait variable such as an individual’s willingness to expend effort to obtain long-term goals, it will be extremely valuable.” High levels of dopamine activity, shown in orange and yellow, were found in the striatum (center) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (right) in the brains of "go getters." (Courtesy of Zald Lab) Schematic of the button-pushing task used in the experiment. Individual tasks lasted for about 30 seconds and participants were asked to perform them repeatedly for about 20 minutes. Once they made their selection, they were told they had a high, medium or low probability of getting the reward. ![]() Easy tasks earned $1 while the reward for hard tasks ranged up to $4. First, they were asked to select either an easy or a hard button-pushing task. To determine their willingness to work for a monetary reward, the participants were asked to perform a button-pushing task. The study was conducted with 25 healthy volunteers (52 percent female) ranging in age from 18 to 29. The fact that dopamine can have opposing effects in different parts of the brain complicates the picture regarding the use of psychotropic medications that affect dopamine levels for the treatment of attention-deficit disorder, depression and schizophrenia because it calls into question the general assumption that these dopaminergic drugs have the same effect throughout the brain. The finding was unexpected because it suggests that more dopamine in the insula is associated with a reduced desire to work, even when it means earning less money. The role of dopamine in the anterior insula came as a complete surprise to the researchers. “Past studies in rats have shown that dopamine is crucial for reward motivation,” said Treadway, “but this study provides new information about how dopamine determines individual differences in the behavior of human reward-seekers.” High levels of dopamine activity, shown in blue and green, were found in the bilateral insula in the brains of "slackers." (Courtesy of Zald Lab) Dopamine levels were undoubtedly running high as researchers Michael Treadway, left, and David Zald mock-arm-wrestled. On the other hand, “slackers” who are less willing to work hard for a reward had high dopamine levels in another brain area that plays a role in emotion and risk perception, the anterior insula. Using a brain mapping technique called positron emission tomography (PET scan), the researchers found that “go-getters” who are willing to work hard for rewards had higher release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in areas of the brain known to play an important role in reward and motivation, the striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. ![]() The study was published May 2 in the Journal of Neuroscience and was performed by a team of Vanderbilt scientists including postdoctoral student Michael Treadway and Professor of Psychology David Zald. In addition to shedding new light on how the brain works, the research could have important implications for the treatment of attention-deficit disorder, depression, schizophrenia and other forms of mental illness characterized by decreased motivation. Now the veil has been pushed back by a new brain imaging study that has found an individual’s willingness to work hard to earn money is strongly influenced by the chemistry in three specific areas of the brain. 382.Everyone knows that people vary substantially in how hard they are willing to work, but the origin of these individual differences in the brain remains a mystery. In drawing up this plan, the students put into practice what they had learned in the course. ![]() The course modules covered the various challenges that young girls who desired to dedicate themselves to the administration and directing of businesses would encounter: “Time Management,” “Goal Setting,” “Problem Solving,” “Decision Making” and “Teamwork.”Įach of the students was involved in a planning project to meet a specific need in their immediate community: in school, in their family, or in the area where they lived. The director of the course was Gladys Ogallo, one of the recipients of the “Top Forty Under Forty” prize, a prestigious award that recognizes the achievements of Kenyan women in positions of leadership. The course, entitled “Go Getters Leadership Course,” ended on July 3rd with a graduation ceremony in which 38 girls from various schools in Nairobi received diplomas. During the past month of January the Faida Girl’s Club started a program designed to help young girls develop their leadership potential. ![]()
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