Neuroscience & Psychology

Breaking Habits Before They Start

▪️Turning off cells in a habit-associated brain region prevents rats from learning to run a maze on autopilot.

The researchers first demonstrated that activity in two distinct brain regions is necessary in order for habits to crystallize, IL cortex as well as the striatum. Then, they were able to block habits from forming by interfering with activity in one of the brain regions — the infralimbic (IL) cortex, which is located in the prefrontal cortex. It is believed that the motor patterns needed to execute a habitual behavior are stored in the striatum and its circuits.

The researchers’ ability to optogenetically block the formation of new habits suggests that the IL cortex not only exerts real-time control over habits and compulsions, but is also needed for habits to form in the first place.

🆔@neurocognitionandlearning

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329 viewsedited  Sep 9 at 22:15

Breaking Habits Before They Start

▪️Turning off cells in a habit-associated brain region prevents rats from learning to run a maze on autopilot.

The researchers first demonstrated that activity in two distinct brain regions is necessary in order for habits to crystallize, IL cortex as well as the striatum. Then, they were able to block habits from forming by interfering with activity in one of the brain regions — the infralimbic (IL) cortex, which is located in the prefrontal cortex. It is believed that the motor patterns needed to execute a habitual behavior are stored in the striatum and its circuits.

The researchers’ ability to optogenetically block the formation of new habits suggests that the IL cortex not only exerts real-time control over habits and compulsions, but is also needed for habits to form in the first place.

🆔@neurocognitionandlearning

BY Neuroscience & Psychology