How the Brain Connects Events: Scientists Answer
The brain can establish connections between several stimuli even when they themselves are not connected to each other. We tell you which structures are responsible for this process.
Scientists from the Research Institute of the Hospital del Mar have shed light on how the brain forms indirect associations between external stimuli. They focused on studying the mechanisms involved in how the brain makes decisions based on indirect connections between different stimuli, writes Medical Xpress.
The authors of the experiment investigated the mechanism of formation of an indirect connection between environmental signals in laboratory mice. The animals were first trained to associate the aroma of banana with a sweet taste, and the smell of almonds with a salty taste. Then the experimenters created a negative association with the aroma of banana. After this, the rodents began to avoid the previously pleasant sweet taste, since it was now perceived negatively by them due to the new attitude towards the smell of banana.
The discovery confirms the scientists’ hypothesis about the role of the amygdala, a brain region that plays a key role in emotional reactions such as fear and anxiety. Using modern techniques, the specialists found that this structure is activated when the body creates intersensory associations, combining different types of signals coming from the outside.
In addition, the involvement of other brain areas that actively interact with the amygdala was revealed. Thus, the team discovered a complex network of neural pathways that control the formation of indirect associative connections in mice. Importantly, similar mechanisms operate in humans, which creates the preconditions for the development of new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of behavioral disorders and emotional disorders caused by dysfunctions of the corresponding parts of the brain. For example, problems with the creation of such indirect associations underlie a number of diseases, including post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis.
Thus, the results of the work open up the possibility of studying ways to correct pathological changes by influencing specific areas of the brain, stimulating their activity or modulating their activity. This line of research may lead to the creation of new effective strategies for treating mental illnesses.