Neuroscientists Decipher Procrastination: A Brain Mechanism Explains Why People Leave Certain Tasks for Later

City: Kyoto: Neuroscientists have made a big discovery about procrastination. They found a brain circuit that explains why we avoid certain tasks. This happens even if those tasks could bring us rewards.

A study led by Ken-ichi Amemori at Kyoto University looked closely at how our brain works when we think of doing something hard or boring. They did tests with monkeys to learn more about how we make decisions.

In the first part of the study, the monkeys could choose between two levers to get drinks. One lever gave a small amount of water, while the other gave a bigger drink. This showed researchers how much rewards matter when making choices.

Later, the monkeys faced a tougher choice. They could drink a moderate amount of water easily or a larger amount but would get air blown in their faces. Even though the second choice had a bigger reward, the monkeys didn’t want to do it if it meant an unpleasant feeling.

When the researchers added discomfort, the monkeys became much less motivated to drink. They discovered a brain circuit that makes us less willing to act when we expect something negative. This circuit involves two parts of the brain called the ventral striatum and the ventral pallidum, which help control our rewards and motivations.

The researchers found that when the brain thinks something bad will happen, the ventral striatum sends a signal to the ventral pallidum to slow down our motivation. Essentially, this means we are less likely to act when a task seems unpleasant.

The study also showed that when scientists temporarily changed how these brain parts communicated, the monkeys became more motivated to do tasks, even with discomfort. However, this didn’t happen with tasks that had rewards but no punishments. This means that this brain connection is specifically for dealing with discomfort.

Understanding this can help explain why we sometimes resist doing chores. It may also assist in understanding conditions like depression, where people feel less drive to act. But Amemori warns that this brain function is important for protecting us from exhaustion. He says that any attempts to change this mechanism in our brain need to proceed with caution since it helps prevent burnout.