2018-08-17
No matter whether it is in sports or academics, we need to overcome hurdles to reach our goals. In this context, we often ask ourselves why some people get along more successfully than others and where the differences are between those who stumble and those who do not. Individual differences in the ability to initiate self- and emotional-control mechanisms have been related to personal and professional success repeatedly. These differences have been explicitly described in Kuhl’s action-control theory. Although interindividual differences in action control make a significant contribution to our everyday life, their neural foundation remains unknown. To gain deeper insight into the neuronal basics of action control, biopsychologists from Bochum measured action control in a sample of 264 healthy adults and related interindividual differences in action control to variations in brain structure and resting-state connectivity. Their results demonstrate a significant negative correlation between decision-related action orientation (AOD) and amygdala volume. Thus, individuals with larger amygdala volume were less successful to use self- and emotional control mechanisms to achieve a particular goal and in turn, more prone to procrastination and hesitation. Further, the functional resting-state connectivity between the amygdala and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) was significantly associated with AOD. Here less functional connectivity was associated with lower AOD scores. Altered resting-state connectivity between these two brain areas might affect the top-down regulation between the dACC and the amygdala, that is crucial for successful action control. These findings are the first to show that interindividual differences in action control, namely AOD, are based on the anatomical architecture and functional network of the amygdala.
No matter whether it is in sports or academics, we need to overcome hurdles to reach our goals. In this context, we often ask ourselves why some people get along more successfully than others and where the differences are between those who stumble and those who do not. Individual differences in the ability to initiate self- and emotional-control mechanisms have been related to personal and professional success repeatedly. These differences have been explicitly described in Kuhl’s action-control theory. Although interindividual differences in action control make a significant contribution to our everyday life, their neural foundation remains unknown. To gain deeper insight into the neuronal basics of action control, biopsychologists from Bochum measured action control in a sample of 264 healthy adults and related interindividual differences in action control to variations in brain structure and resting-state connectivity. Their results demonstrate a significant negative correlation between decision-related action orientation (AOD) and amygdala volume. Thus, individuals with larger amygdala volume were less successful to use self- and emotional control mechanisms to achieve a particular goal and in turn, more prone to procrastination and hesitation. Further, the functional resting-state connectivity between the amygdala and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) was significantly associated with AOD. Here less functional connectivity was associated with lower AOD scores. Altered resting-state connectivity between these two brain areas might affect the top-down regulation between the dACC and the amygdala, that is crucial for successful action control. These findings are the first to show that interindividual differences in action control, namely AOD, are based on the anatomical architecture and functional network of the amygdala.
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Last update: Sep 22, 2023
