The Will to Persevere Induced by Electrical Stimulation of the Human Cingulate Cortex

We published a paper today in Neuron: The Will to Persevere Induced by Electrical Stimulation of the Human Cingulate Cortex.

The anterior cingulate is an area of the brain involved in emotion, pain, etc. In this paper, we show that electrical stimulation of this region causes subjects to report a feeling of imminent challenge. Strikingly, both subjects report a strong will to overcome and persevere through the difficulties. They also experienced autonomic changes (increased heart rate) and resting-state fMRI connectivity analysis showed that the site of stimulation in both patients was in a key portion of the brain’s salience network (known to be involved in emotion).

The paper (a summary and the PDF): Neuron

Press: Time, ABC News, National Geographic, The Guardian, LiveScience