The Neural Correlates of Desire
Author Information
Author(s): Kawabata Hideaki, Zeki Semir
Primary Institution: Wellcome Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
Hypothesis
Desire would activate at least some segment of the reward system of the brain, especially areas that are involved with both expectation and satisfaction.
Conclusion
Categorizing any stimulus according to its desirability activates three different brain areas: the superior orbito-frontal, the mid-cingulate, and the anterior cingulate cortices.
Supporting Evidence
- Activity in the superior orbito-frontal cortex correlates with the declared level of desirability.
- The mid-cingulate cortex showed greater activity for desirable and undesirable stimuli than for indifferent ones.
- Conjunction analysis revealed no significant effects for contrasts testing indifferent > desirable or undesirable > indifferent.
Takeaway
When people look at things they want, different parts of their brain light up, showing how their brain reacts to what they find desirable.
Methodology
Eighteen healthy, right-handed subjects viewed pictures categorized as desirable, indifferent, or undesirable while undergoing fMRI scans to measure brain activity.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the subjective nature of desirability ratings and cultural influences on desire.
Limitations
The study's sample was limited to healthy, right-handed Japanese subjects, which may not represent broader populations.
Participant Demographics
Eighteen healthy, right-handed Japanese subjects (nine females) aged 20 to 48.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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