Why adventure feels so good
2008-06-25 21:25
Ben Hirschler
London - Scientists have identified
a primitive area of the brain that makes us adventurous - a
finding which may help explain why people routinely fall for
"new" products when shopping.
Using brain scans to measure blood flow, British researchers
discovered that a brain region known as the ventral striatum was
more active when subjects chose unusual objects in controlled
tests.
The ventral striatum is involved in processing rewards in
the brain through the release of neurotransmitters like
dopamine.
Scientists believe the existence of this age-old reward
mechanism indicates there is an evolutionary advantage in
sampling the unknown.
"Seeking new and unfamiliar experiences is a fundamental
behavioural tendency in humans and animals. It makes sense to
try new options as they may prove advantageous in the long run,"
said Bianca Wittmann of the Wellcome Trust Centre for
Neuro-imaging at University College London.
Being daring, however, also carries risks. Some choices
could be dangerous and, in the modern world, selecting the new
may make consumers susceptible to marketing hype.
The positive feedback system in the brain could also
contribute to some common vices.
"In humans, increased novelty-seeking may play a role in
gambling and drug addiction, both of which are mediated by
malfunctions in dopamine release," said Nathaniel Daw, now at
New York University, who also worked on the study.
The findings were published online in the journal Neuron.
- Reuters