Podcasts about anterior cingulate cortex

Spero vi piaccia!!! Sono in ansia lol★ SOCIAL ★Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/4iexis/ Letterboxd: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/4lexis/ Email: chahaotic@gmail.comSe vuoi offrirmi un caffè e supportare il canale: https://ko-fi.com/4lexis Il canale lo trovi anche qui: https://www.youtube.com/@ChahaoticFONTI - La bibliografia purtroppo non entra tutta quindi se volete un articolo in particolare, scrivetemi e ve lo mando :)- Baym, N.K. (2015) ‘Social Media and the Struggle for Society', Social Media + Society, 1(1).- Boyle, S. (2024) ‘Is doom scrolling really rotting our brains? The evidence is getting harder to ignore', The Guardian.- Brown, A. (2009) ‘Google isn't making us dumb – or smart. That's the problem', The Guardian.- Cain, M.S. and Mitroff, S.R. (2011) ‘Distractor filtering in media multitaskers', Perception, 40(10), pp. 1183–1192.- Carr, N. (2008) ‘Is Google Making Us Stupid?', The Atlantic.- Cascio, J. (2009) ‘Get Smarter', The Atlantic- Cbkwgl (2022) ‘Bottomless Bowl Experiment and Attention Economy', Project Management and User Experience.- Chayka, K. (2024) ‘The Trump Assassination Attempt Meets the Internet's Brain-Rot Era', The New Yorker.- Clark, A. and Chalmers, D. (1998) ‘The Extended Mind', Analysis, 58(1), pp. 7–19.- Estes, A.C. (2011) ‘Google Is Making Us Stupid and Smart at the Same Time?', The Atlantic.- Firth, J. et al. (2019) ‘The “online brain”: how the Internet may be changing our cognition', World Psychiatry, 18(2), p. 119. - Fleming, A. (2025) ‘All in the mind? The surprising truth about brain rot', The Guardian, 29 January. - Francis, G. (2017) ‘Irresistible: Why We Can't Stop Checking, Scrolling, Clicking and Watching – review', The Guardian.- Greenfield, A. (2017) ‘Rise of the machines: who is the “internet of things” good for?', The Guardian.- Gurwinder (2024) The Intellectual Obesity Crisis. - Heaton, B. (2024) ‘Brain rot' named Oxford Word of the Year 2024, Oxford University Press. - Heller, N. (2024) ‘The Battle for Attention', The New Yorker.- Immerwahr, D. (2025) ‘What if the Attention Crisis Is All a Distraction?', The New Yorker.- ‘Intervista a Maryanne Wolf' (2019) DPU | Diritto Penale e Uomo. - Isaacson, W. (2013) ‘Brain Gain', The New York Times.- Kuss, D.J. and Griffiths, M.D. (2017) ‘Social Networking Sites and Addiction: Ten Lessons Learned', - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3), p. 311.- Loh, K.K. and Kanai, R. (2014) ‘Higher Media Multi-Tasking Activity Is Associated with Smaller Gray-- Matter Density in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex', PLOS ONE, 9(9), p. e106698. - Media, C. (2010) ‘Our “Deep Reading” Brain: Its Digital Evolution Poses Questions', Nieman Reports.- Moshel, M.L. et al. (2024) ‘Neuropsychological Deficits in Disordered Screen Use Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis', Neuropsychology Review, 34(3), pp. 791–822. - Ophir, E., Nass, C. and Wagner, A.D. (2009) ‘Cognitive control in media multitaskers', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), pp. 15583–15587. - Orben, A. (2019) ‘We're told that too much screen time hurts our kids. Where's the evidence?', The Observer.- Paul, A.M. (2013) ‘Reading Literature Makes Us Smarter and Nicer', Time.- Pinker, S. (2010) ‘Opinion | Mind Over Mass Media', The New York Times.- Prior, K.S. (2013) ‘How Reading Makes Us More Human', The Atlantic.- Rajaram, S. and Marsh, E.J. (2019) ‘Cognition in the Internet age: What are the important questions?', Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 8(1), pp. 46–49. - Sparrow, B., Liu, J. and Wegner, D.M. (2011) ‘Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips', Science, 333(6043), pp. 776–778.

In this episode, we explore three regions associated with social awareness- the medial Prefrontal Cortex, the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, and the Insula. We review the functions of each, the interactions between each region, and the inputs and bi-directional connections to some crucial areas of the brain. In large part, we will review adaptive responses and cover some scientific literature on these regions and the implications to Autism.https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-024-00593-6https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9354837/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6766703/#:~:text=Schematic%20structure%20of%20different%20regions,and%20infralimbic%20cortex%20(IL).https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(12)01108-7?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0896627312011087%3Fshowall%3Dtruehttps://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-06016-9https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763409000815?via%3Dihub#aep-section-id15https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17470919.2023.2242095https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006322308011578(0:00) Intro; mPFC, ACC, and Insula(3:26) mPFC, Excitation / Inhibition; CNTNAP2, SHANK3, Neuroligin, and PTEN(7:42) Functions of mPFC and a primary dive into Adaptive Responses; Neuromodulators(13:52) ACC(15:23) the mPFC and ACC lead the way(19:29) Scientific Studies on Theory of Mind Task and Sensory Processing(21:52) Insula(26:49) Scientific Study: Eye Gaze, Social Attention, Social Cognition, Observational Learning(30:11) Social and Nonsocial Studies- different areas for Autistics versus Non-Autistic(32:38) A study using 6-week-old Infants, attentional biases and sensorimotor and different brain areas(35:05) Wrap Upemail: info.fromthespectrum@gmail.com

Imagine unlocking a superpower hidden within your mind. Imagine feeling in control of how you engage with the world, how you heal and grow, and how you manage stress. If you're a TBMer, you already know how powerful hypnosis can be, but today we're giving you a fascinating conversation with Dr. David Spiegel, a leading expert in the field of hypnosis and neuroscience. Dive into the incredible world of the mind, where the brain's power to alter perception unfolds before your eyes. Dr. Spiegel shares captivating insights from his groundbreaking research, revealing how hypnosis can create cognitive flexibility, enhance focus, and even facilitate rapid healing. Discover the awe-inspiring potential of your mind to transform your life through practical, science-backed techniques. From personal anecdotes to revolutionary studies, this episode promises to ignite your curiosity and inspire you to harness the full power of your mind. Join us for an extraordinary journey into the wonders of hypnosis and its impact on the mind-body connection. **Trigger Warning: discussion about traumatic event (00:22:10 through 00:22:58)** Find the Complete Show Notes Here -> https://tobemagnetic.com/expanded-podcast In This Episode We Talk About:The role of hypnosis in altering perception and managing painDr. Spiegel's background and family history in psychiatryNeuroimaging studies on the effects of hypnosis on the brainThe significance of the default mode network in hypnosisDissociation and its impact on focus and attentionCognitive flexibility and its benefits in hypnosisHypnosis for managing chronic pain and reducing opioid dependencyFunctional connectivity in the brain during hypnosisThe role of the anterior cingulate cortex in hypnosisHypnosis for stress management and enhancing sleep qualityHypnotic induction techniques and their applicationsThe connection between hypnosis and neuroplasticityPractical applications of hypnosis in daily lifeThe Reveri app and its functionalitiesDr. Spiegel's personal experiences with hypnosis  THEMES / TIME STAMPS:Neuroimaging and brain activity during hypnosis (00:13:30)**Trigger Warning: discussion about traumatic event (00:22:10 through 00:22:58)**How hypnosis can be used to manage chronic pain, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and support personal growth, with real-life examples and clinical trial results. (00:38:45)Unpacking perceived helplessness, and cognitive flexibility (00:55:40)Resources: TBM SUMMER SALE ☀️LIVE NOW Get the lowest prices of the season and up to $96 off 2024 TBM Summer Challenge - Get Out of Your Own WayLIVE NOW - Join anytime Share your challenge manifestations stories for a chance to be featured on The Expanded Podcast Bon Charge - 15% off with code MAGNETICRed Light Face MaskRed Light Neck and Chest Mask BITE - 20% off your first order with code MAGNETICFresh mint toothpaste bits  Learn about effectivity of hypnosis on pain management hereLearn about effectivity of hypnosis on quitting smoking hereLearn about our Challenge more in this episodeFind the Safety DI and all workshops mentioned inside our Pathway Membership! (Including all of our Unblocked DIs) Connect with Dr. SpiegelConnect with Dr. Spiegel + Reveri on IGGo to https://www.reveri.com/ to sign up for the app, and be sure to use the exclusive code EXPANDED for 20% off. Where To Find Us!@tobemagnetic (IG)@Lacyannephillips@Jessicaashleygill@tobemagnetic (youtube)@expandedpodcast Other ResourcesSubmit to Be a Process GuestText Us: +1-213-423-5226 - (texting is only for US, Canada, & Puerto Rico)Alexis Smart x TBM EXPANDED Flower RemedyDid you Finish the Manifestation Challenge? Share your experience with us! Free Offerings to Get You StartedLearn the Process! Expanded Podcast - How to Manifest Anything You Desire Get Expanded! The Motivation - Testimonial LibraryNeed Help Identifying Your Block? Access our FREE Find Your Biggest Block Exercise

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.07.12.548701v1?rss=1 Authors: Lindsay, A. J., Gallello, I., Caracheo, B. F., Seamans, J. K. Abstract: Behaviours and their execution depend on the context and emotional state in which they are performed. The contextual modulation of behavior likely relies on regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that multiplex information about emotional/autonomic states and behaviours. The objective of the present study was to understand how the representations of behaviors by ACC neurons become modified when performed in different emotional states. A pipeline of machine learning techniques was developed to categorize and classify complex, spontaneous behaviors from video. This pipeline, termed HUB-DT, discovered a range of statistically separable behaviors during a task in which motivationally significant outcomes were delivered in blocks of trials that created 3 unique "emotional contexts". HUB-DT was capable of detecting behaviors specific to each emotional context and was able to identify and segregate the portions of a neural signal related to a behaviour and to emotional context. Overall, ~10x as many neurons responded to behaviors in a contextually dependent versus a fixed manner, highlighting the extreme impact of emotional state on representations of behaviors that were precisely defined based on detailed analyses of limb kinematics. This type of modulation may be a key mechanism that allows the ACC to modify behavioral output based on emotional states and contextual demands. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.07.13.547220v1?rss=1 Authors: Arias-Hervert, E. R., Birdsong, W. T. Abstract: Activation of opioid receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) mediates aspects of analgesia induced by both exogenous and endogenous opioids. We have previously shown that opioids signaling disrupts both afferent excitatory and indirect inhibitory synaptic transmission from the medial thalamus (MThal) to the ACC, but the effects of endogenous opioids within this circuit remain poorly understood. The goal of the current study was to understand how the endogenous opioid, [Met]5-enkephalin (ME), modulates thalamic-driven excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission onto layer V pyramidal neurons in the ACC. We used pharmacology, brain slice electrophysiology and optogenetic stimulation to study opioid-mediated modulation of optically evoked glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission. The results revealed that ME inhibited both AMPA-mediated excitatory and GABA-mediated inhibitory synaptic transmission in the ACC. However, inhibitory transmission was more potently inhibited than excitatory transmission by ME. This preferential reduction in GABAA-mediated synaptic transmission was primarily due to the activation of delta opioid receptors by ME and resulted in a net disinhibition of MThal-ACC excitatory pathway. These results suggest that moderate concentrations of ME can lead to net excitation of ACC circuitry and that analgesia may be associated with disinhibition rather than inhibition of ACC subcircuits. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.04.19.537406v1?rss=1 Authors: Hallock, H. L., Adiraju, S., Miranda-Barrientos, J., McInerney, J. M., Oh, S., DeBrosse, A. C., Li, Y., Carr, G., Martinowich, K. Abstract: Sustained attention, the ability to focus on an activity or stimulus over time, is significantly impaired in many psychiatric disorders, and there remains a major unmet need in treating impaired attention. Continuous performance tests (CPTs) were developed to measure sustained attention in humans, non-human primates, rats, and mice, and similar neural circuits are engaged across species during CPT performance, supporting their use in translational studies to identify novel therapeutics. Here, we identified electrophysiological correlates of attentional performance in a touchscreen-based rodent CPT (rCPT) in the locus coeruleus (LC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), two inter-connected regions that are implicated in attentional processes. We used viral labeling and molecular techniques to demonstrate that neural activity is recruited in LC-ACC projections during the rCPT, and that this recruitment increases with cognitive demand. We implanted male mice with depth electrodes within the LC and ACC for local field potential (LFP) recordings during rCPT training, and identified an increase in ACC delta and theta power, and an increase in LC delta power during correct responses in the rCPT. We also found that the LC leads the ACC in theta frequencies during correct responses while the ACC leads the LC in gamma frequencies during incorrect responses. These findings may represent translational biomarkers that can be used to screen novel therapeutics for drug discovery in attention. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.04.05.535750v1?rss=1 Authors: Hur, S. W., Safaryan, K., Yang, L., Blair, H. T., Masmanidis, S. C., Mathews, P. J., Aharoni, D., Golshani, P. Abstract: The cerebellum has been implicated in the regulation of social behavior. Its influence is thought to arise from communication, via the thalamus, to forebrain regions integral in the expression of social interactions, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, the signals encoded or the nature of the communication between the cerebellum and these brain regions remains poorly understood. Here, we describe an approach that overcomes technical challenges in exploring the coordination of distant brain regions at high temporal and spatial resolution during social behavior. We developed the E-Scope, an electrophysiology-integrated miniature microscope, to synchronously measure extracellular electrical activity in the cerebellum along with calcium imaging of the ACC. This single coaxial cable device combined these data streams to provide a powerful tool to monitor the activity of distant brain regions in freely behaving animals. During social behavior, we recorded the spike timing of multiple single units in cerebellar right Crus I (RCrus I) Purkinje cells (PCs) or dentate nucleus (DN) neurons while synchronously imaging calcium transients in contralateral ACC neurons. We find that during social interactions, a significant subpopulation of cerebellar PCs were robustly inhibited, while most modulated neurons in the DN were activated. As expected, we find that there are higher correlations in the activity of cerebellar and ACC neurons that are similarly excited or inhibited by social interaction than in the activity of those modulated in an opposing manner. Surprisingly, these distinctions in correlations largely disappear when only non-social bouts were analyzed, suggesting that cerebellar-cortical interactions were social behavior specific. Our work provides new insights into the complexity of cerebellar activation and co-modulation of the ACC during social behavior, and a valuable open-source tool for simultaneous, multimodal recordings in freely behaving mice. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.04.03.534475v1?rss=1 Authors: Weinrich, J. A., Liu, C. D., Jewell, M. E., Andolina, C. R., Bernstein, M. X., Benitez, J., Rodriguez-Rosado, S., Braz, J. M., Maze, M., Nemenov, M. I., Basbaum, A. I. Abstract: The general consensus is that increases in neuronal activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) contribute to pains negative affect. Here, using in vivo imaging of neuronal calcium dynamics in mice, we report that nitrous oxide, a general anesthetic that reduces pain affect, paradoxically, increases ACC spontaneous activity. As expected, a noxious stimulus also increased ACC activity. However, as nitrous oxide increases baseline activity, the relative change in activity from pre-stimulus baseline was significantly less than the change in the absence of the general anesthetic. We suggest that this relative change in activity represents a neural signature of the affective pain experience. Furthermore, this signature of pain persists under general anesthesia induced by isoflurane, at concentrations in which the mouse is unresponsive. We suggest that this signature underlies the phenomenon of connected consciousness, in which use of the isolated forelimb technique revealed that pain percepts can persist in anesthetized patients. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.03.23.533767v1?rss=1 Authors: de la Torre-Martinez, R., Chia, Z., Tokarska, A., Frost-Nylen, J., Augustine, G. J., Silberberg, G. Abstract: The claustrum (CLA) is a brain nucleus located between the insula and lateral striatum, implicated in a wide range of behaviors. Underpinning the different behavioral phenotypes is the connectivity between the claustrum and various cortical regions, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). CLA projection neurons are glutamatergic neurons, however, the impact of CLA on its cortical targets has been shown in some studies to be inhibitory. Such inhibition is likely to arise from claustral activation of cortical interneurons, however, the intricate synaptic connectivity between different CLA and cortical cell types is not known. Here, we combine in vivo and ex vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics to reveal the functional organization of the CLA-ACC pathway according to the identity of its pre- and postsynaptic populations. Optogenetic stimulation of CLA neurons in awake mice resulted in multiphasic excitatory and inhibitory responses in ACC cells, which depended on the layer, cell type, and stimulated CLA population. Using ex vivo paired recordings in ACC, monosynaptic responses were recorded in pyramidal cells and different types of interneurons following photostimulation of CLA-ACC synaptic terminals. CLA axons formed monosynaptic connections in all ACC cortical layers, but the probability and strength of synaptic responses depended on the type of CLA projection, target layer in ACC, and the type of postsynaptic neuron. This intricate organization of the CLA-ACC pathway may explain the complex impact of CLA on ACC and other cortical regions, thus resolving some of the discrepancies in the field and shedding light on the functional role CLA plays in cortical function. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.01.08.523156v1?rss=1 Authors: Akter, M., Hasan, M., Ramkrishnan, A. S., Zheng, X., Iqbal, Z., Fu, Z., Lei, Z., Karim, A., Li, Y. Abstract: Astrocyte-derived L-lactate was shown to confer beneficial effects on synaptic plasticity and cognitive functions. However, how astrocytic Gi signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) modulates L-lactate levels and schema memory is not clear. Here, using chemogenetic approach and well-established behavioral paradigm, we demonstrate that astrocytic Gi pathway activation in ACC causes significant impairment in flavor-place paired associates (PA) learning, schema formation, and PA memory retrieval in rats. It also impairs new PA learning even if a prior associative schema exists. These impairments were mediated by decreased L-lactate in ACC due to astrocytic Gi activation. Concurrent exogenous L-lactate administration bilaterally into the ACC rescues these impairments. Furthermore, we show that the impaired schema memory formation was associated with a decreased neuronal mitochondrial biogenesis caused by decreased L-lactate level in ACC upon Gi activation. Our study also reveals that L-lactate mediated mitochondrial biogenesis is dependent on monocarboxylate transporter 2 and NMDA receptor activity - discovering a previously unrecognized signaling role of L-lactate. These findings expand our understanding of the role of astrocytes and L-lactate in brain functions. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2022.12.10.519901v1?rss=1 Authors: Chien, J., Wallis, J. D., Rich, E. L. Abstract: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is believed to be involved in many cognitive processes, including linking goals to actions and tracking decision-relevant contextual information. ACC neurons robustly encode expected outcomes, but how this relates to putative functions of ACC remains unknown. Here, we approach this question from the perspective of population codes by analyzing neural spiking data in the ventral and dorsal banks of the ACC in monkeys trained to perform a stimulus-motor mapping task. We found that neural populations favor a representational geometry that emphasizes contextual information, while facilitating the independent, abstract representation of multiple task-relevant variables. In addition, trial outcomes were primarily encoded relative to task context, suggesting that the population structures we observe could be a mechanism allowing feedback to be interpreted in a context-dependent manner. Together, our results point to a prominent role for ACC in context-setting and relative interpretation of outcomes, facilitated by abstract, or untangled, representations of task variables. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2022.12.04.519053v1?rss=1 Authors: Corona, A., Choe, J., Munoz-Castaneda, R., Osten, P., Shea, S. D. Abstract: Social sensitivity to other individuals in distress is crucial for survival. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a structure involved in making behavioral choices and is influenced by observed pain or distress. Nevertheless, our understanding of the neural circuitry underlying this sensitivity is incomplete. Here, we reveal unexpected sex-dependent activation of ACC when parental mice respond to distressed pups by returning them to the nest ('pup retrieval'). We observe sex differences in the interactions between excitatory and inhibitory ACC neurons during parental care, and inactivation of ACC excitatory neurons increased pup neglect. Locus coeruleus (LC) releases noradrenaline in ACC during pup retrieval, and inactivation of the LC-ACC pathway disrupts parental care. We conclude that ACC maintains sex-dependent sensitivity to pup distress under LC modulation. We propose that ACC's involvement in parenting presents an opportunity to identify neural circuits that support sensitivity to the emotional distress of others. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2022.10.28.514260v1?rss=1 Authors: Tang, W., Guaje, J., Fadnavis, S., Garyfallidis, E. Abstract: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is functionally closely related with the insula and the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC). Extensive work on their functional relationships has led to the salience network theory and advanced understanding of value-based learning and decision making. However, the anatomical connections between the ACC and the two regions remain unknown in the human brain. Despite the anatomical ground truth established by nonhuman primate (NHP) tract-tracing, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) has not seen success identifying homologous pathways in humans. In this study we show that the negative finding does not reflect a cross-species discrepancy but rather a technical issue. We used NHP dMRI as a bridge to compare the ground-truth pathways in NHPs and dMRI-derived pathways in humans. The insight from NHP data helped pinpoint a bias in fiber orientation distribution functions (fODFs) caused by the disproportion of anterior-posterior vs. medial-lateral fibers in the human brain. Guided by this information, we successfully recovered the ACC-insula and ACC-vlPFC pathways that followed the same trajectories as in the NHP dMRI and tract-tracing data. Our findings provide an anatomical basis for the functional interactions among the ACC, the insula and the vlPFC. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

https://psychiatry.dev/wp-content/uploads/speaker/post-9473.mp3?cb=1662568964.mp3 Playback speed: 0.8x 1x 1.3x 1.6x 2x Download: Lower Availability of Mitochondrial Complex I in Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Autism: A Positron Emission Tomography Study – PubMed Yasuhiko Kato etFull EntryLower Availability of Mitochondrial Complex I in Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Autism: A Positron Emission Tomography Study – PubMed

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.10.21.348649v1?rss=1 Authors: Gilbertson, H., Fang, L., Andrzejewski, J., Carlson, J. M. Abstract: The error-related negativity (ERN) is a response-locked event-related potential, occurring approximately 50 ms following an erroneous response at frontocentral electrode sites. Source localization and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research indicate that the ERN is likely generated by activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). The dACC is thought to be a part of a broader network of brain regions that collectively comprise an error-monitoring network. However, little is known about how intrinsic connectivity within the dACC-based error-monitoring network contributes to variability in ERN amplitude. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between dACC functional connectivity and ERN amplitude. In a sample of 53 highly trait-anxious individuals, the ERN was elicited in a flanker task and functional connectivity was assessed in a 10-minute resting-state fMRI scan. Results suggest that the strength of dACC seeded functional connectivity with the supplementary motor area is correlated with the dERN (i.e., incorrect - correct responses) amplitude such that greater dERN amplitude was accompanied by greater functional coupling between these regions. In addition to the dACC, exploratory analyses found that functional connectivity in the caudate, cerebellum, and a number of regions in the error-monitoring network were linked to variability in dERN amplitude. In sum, ERN amplitude appears to be related to the strength of functional connectivity between error-monitoring and motor control regions of the brain. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.10.07.328765v1?rss=1 Authors: van Heukelum, S., Tulva, K., Geers, F., van Dulm, S., Ruisch, H., Mill, J., Viana, J. F., Beckmann, C. F., Buitelaar, J. K., Poelmans, G., Glennon, J. C., Vogt, B. A., Havenith, M. N., Franca, A. S. C. Abstract: Controlling aggression is a crucial skill in social species like rodents and humans, and has been associated with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Here, we demonstrate a causal link between ACC hypofunction and failed aggression control in BALB/cJ mice. We first show that ACC in BALB/cJ mice is structurally degraded: Neuron density is decreased, with pervasive neuron death and neuro-toxic astroglia. Gene-set enrichment analysis suggested that this process is driven by neuronal degeneration, which then causes toxic astrogliosis. cFos expression across ACC indicated functional consequences: During aggressive encounters, ACC was engaged in control mice, but not BALB/cJ mice. Chemogenetically activating ACC during aggressive encounters drastically suppressed anti-social aggression but left adaptive aggression intact. The network effects of our chemogenetic perturbation suggest that this behavioural rescue is mediated by suppression of amygdala and hypothalamus and activation of mediodorsal thalamus. Together, these findings highlight the causal role of ACC in curbing anti-social aggression. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.10.01.322008v1?rss=1 Authors: Weis, J., Persson, J., Frick, A., Ahs, F., Versluis, M., Alamidi, D. Abstract: {gamma}-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain. It has been shown that altered GABA concentration plays an important role in a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. The main purpose of this study was to propose a combination of PRESS and MEGA-PRESS acquisitions for absolute GABA quantification and to compare GABA estimations obtained using total choline (tCho), total creatine (tCr), and total N-acetyl aspartate (tNAA) as the internal concentration references with water referenced quantification. The second aim was to demonstrate the fitting approach of MEGA-PRESS spectra with QuasarX algorithm using a basis set of GABA, glutamate, glutamine, and NAA in vitro spectra. Thirteen volunteers were scanned with the MEGA-PRESS sequence at 3T. Interleaved water referencing was used for quantification, B 0 drift correction and to update the carrier frequency of RF pulses in real time. Reference metabolite concentrations were acquired using a PRESS sequence with short TE (30 ms) and long TR (5000 ms). Absolute concentration were corrected for cerebrospinal fluid, gray and white matter water fractions and relaxation effects. Water referenced GABA estimations were significantly higher compared to the values obtained by metabolite references. We conclude that QuasarX algorithm together with the basis set of in vitro spectra improves reliability of GABA+ fitting. The proposed GABA quantification method with PRESS and MEGA-PRESS acquisitions enables the utilization of tCho, tCr, and tNAA as internal concentration references. The use of different concentration references have a good potential to improve the reliability of GABA estimation. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.09.26.314831v1?rss=1 Authors: Joshi, S., Gold, J. I. Abstract: Ascending neuromodulatory projections from the locus coeruleus (LC) affect cortical neural networks via the release of norepinephrine (NE). However, the exact nature of these neuromodulatory effects on neural activity patterns in vivo is not well understood. Here we show that in awake monkeys, LC activation is associated with changes in coordinated activity patterns in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). These relationships, which are largely independent of changes in firing rates of individual ACC neurons, depend on the type of LC activation: ACC pairwise correlations tend to be reduced when tonic (baseline) LC activity increases but are enhanced when external events drive phasic LC responses. Both relationships covary with pupil changes that reflect LC activation and arousal. These results suggest that modulations of information processing that reflect changes in coordinated activity patterns in cortical networks can result partly from ongoing, context-dependent, arousal-related changes in activation of the LC-NE system. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.09.21.307280v1?rss=1 Authors: Li, L.-F., Zhang, L.-Z., He, Z.-X., Yuan, W., Ma, H., Xun, Y.-F., Hou, W.-J., Li, Y.-T., Lv, Z.-J., Jia, R., Tai, F. Abstract: Consolation is a common empathetic response in humans and some social animals, but the neural mechanisms underlying this behavior are not well characterized. Here, by using socially monogamous mandarin voles, we found that optogenetic or chemogenetic inhibition of 5-HTergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nuclei (DR) or optogenetic inhibition of 5-HT terminals in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) significantly decreased the allogrooming time in the consolation test and reduced sociability in the three-chamber test. Fiber photometry results showed that the release of 5-HT within the ACC and the activity of DR neurons were significantly increased when allogrooming and social approaching occurred. Finally, we found that the activation of 5-HT1A receptors in the ACC was sufficient to reverse consolation and sociability deficits induced by the chemogenetic inhibition of 5-HTergic neurons in the DR. Our study provided first direct evidence that DR[->]ACC 5-HTergic neural circuit is implicated in consolation-like behaviors and sociability in mandarin voles. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.09.20.305482v1?rss=1 Authors: Yee, D. M., Crawford, J. L., Braver, T. S. Abstract: Humans can seamlessly combine value signals from diverse motivational incentives, yet it is not well-understood how these signals are 'bundled' in the brain to modulate cognitive control. The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is theorized to integrate motivational value dimensions in the service of goal-directed action, though this hypothesis has yet to receive rigorous confirmation. Here, we examine the role of dACC in motivational integration using an experimental paradigm that quantifies combined effects of liquid (e.g., juice, neutral, saltwater) and monetary incentives on cognitive task performance. These incentives modulated dACC activity in both a trial-by-trial and block-wise fashion. Incentive-related dACC modulation predicted fluctuations in cognitive performance and self-report motivation ratings. Statistical mediation analyses indicate that dACC encodes incentives in terms of subjective motivational value, and that this value signal is associated with task performance. These results suggest dACC integrates motivational signals to compute the expected value of goal-directed cognitive control. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.09.16.297606v1?rss=1 Authors: Lu, H., Gallinaro, J. V., Normann, C., Rotter, S., Yalcin, I. Abstract: Synapse formation and network rewiring is key to build neural circuits during development and has been widely observed in adult brains. Maintaining neural activity with the help of synaptic plasticity is essential to enable normal brain function. The model of homeostatic structural plasticity (HSP) was proposed to reflect the homeostatic regulation of neural activity and explain structural changes seen after perturbations. However, the specific temporal profile of such plastic responses has not yet been elucidated in experiments. To address this issue, we combined computational modeling and mouse optogenetic stimulation experiments. Our model predicted that within 48h post-stimulation, neural activity returns to baseline, while the connectivity among stimulated neurons follows a very specific transient increase and decrease. To capture such dynamics experimentally in vivo, we activated the pyramidal neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex of mice and harvested their brains at 1.5h, 24h, and 48h post-stimulation. Cortical hyperactivity as demonstrated by robust c-Fos expression persisted up to 1.5h and decayed to baseline after 24h. However, spine density and spine head volume were increased at 24h and decreased at 48h. Synaptic proteins VGLUT1 and PSD-95 were also upregulated and downregulated at 24h and 48h, respectively, while the calmodulin-binding protein neurogranin was translocated from the soma to the dendrite. Additionally, lasting astrocyte reactivation and microglia proliferation were observed, suggesting a role of neuron-glia interaction. All this corroborates the interpretation of our experimental results in terms of homeostatic structural plasticity. Our results bring important insights of how external stimulation modulates synaptic plasticity and behaviors. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.09.08.283671v1?rss=1 Authors: Bush, K. A., James, G. A., Privratsky, A. A., Fialkowski, K. P., Kilts, C. D. Abstract: In this study, we merged methods from engineering control theory, machine learning, and human neuroimaging to critically test the putative role of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) in performance monitoring during an emotion regulation task. Healthy adult participants (n=75) underwent cued-recall of affective image stimuli with concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging and psychophysiological response recording. During cued-recall, participants engaged in explicit self-regulation of their affective state toward defined affective goals. Established decoding methods measured affect processing from fMRI BOLD signals across the orthogonal affective dimensions of valence and arousal. We independently validated participants' affective state representations via stimulus-dependent facial electromyography (valence) and electrodermal activity (arousal) responses. We then used the decoded affective signatures to test and compare four computational models of performance monitoring (i.e., error, predicted response outcome, action-value, and conflict) by their relative abilities to explain task-related dACC activation. We found that the dACC most plausibly encodes action-value for both valence and arousal processing. We confirmed that the dACC directly encodes affective arousal and also likely encodes recruitment of attention and regulation resources. Beyond its contribution to parsing the roles of the dACC in emotion regulation, this study introduced a novel analytical framework through which affect processing and regulation may be functionally dissociated, thereby permitting mechanistic analysis of real-world emotion regulation strategies, e.g., distraction and reappraisal, which are widely employed in cognitive behavioral therapy to address clinical deficits in emotion regulation. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.08.31.275750v1?rss=1 Authors: Misquitta, K. A., Miles, A., Prevot, T. D., Knoch, J. K., Fee, C., Newton, D. F., Ellegood, J., Lerch, J. P., Sibille, E., Nikolova, Y., Banasr, M. Abstract: Clinical and preclinical studies report that chronic stress induces behavioral deficits as well as volumetric changes and synaptic alterations in corticolimbic brain regions including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala (AMY), nucleus accumbens (NAc) and hippocampus (HPC). In this study, we aimed to investigate the structural changes associated with chronic restraint stress (CRS) exposure and determine the relation between these volumetric changes with behavioral and synaptic alterations. Mice exposed to 2 and 5 weeks of CRS exhibited a significant increase in behavioral emotionality. Macrostructural changes assessed via MRI identified a negative CRS effect on total brain volume, proportional to behavioral emotionality. Region-specific changes within corticolimbic brain structures identified that only the ACC showed significant decrease in volume following CRS exposure (p

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.07.24.220319v1?rss=1 Authors: Banaie Boroujeni, K., Tiesinga, P., Womelsdorf, T. Abstract: Interneurons are believed to realize critical gating functions in cortical circuits, but it has been difficult to ascertain the underlying type of interneuron and the content of gated information in primate cortex. Here, we address these questions by characterizing subclasses of interneurons in primate prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex while monkeys engaged in attention demanding reversal learning. We find that subclasses of narrow spiking neurons exert a net suppressive influence on the local circuits indicating they are inhibitory. These putative interneurons encoded area-specific information showing in prefrontal cortex stronger encoding of choice probabilities, and in anterior cingulate cortex stronger encoding of reward prediction errors. These functional correlations were evident not in all putative interneurons but in one of three sub-classes of narrow spiking neuron. This same putative interneuron subclass also gamma - synchronized (35-45 Hz) while encoding choice probabilities in prefrontal cortex, and reward prediction errors in anterior cingulate cortex. These results suggest that a particular interneuron subtype forms networks in LPFC and in ACC that synchronize similarly but nevertheless realize a different area specific computation. In the reversal learning task, these interneuron-specific computations were (i) the gating of values into choice probabilities in LPFC and (ii) the gating of chosen values and reward into a prediction error in ACC. This finding implies that the same type of interneuron plays an important role for controlling local area transformations during learning in different brain areas of the nonhuman primate cortex. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

What if 20 more minutes of sleep could boost your work performance 2-3x?Would you get it?Everywhere I go people tell me they’re not getting enough sleep. As an executive coach it’s key that I help my clients perform at their peak—sleep deprived or not. Recently I met with Dr. Jessica Payne, Cognitive Neuroscientist & Assistant Professor at Notre Dame. Payne specializes in sleep and how it affects stamina and our ability to perform. Here’s what I learned.The amount of sleep you need is highly personal, and ranges between 4 and 12 hours per night, although the average is 8. Most of us fall asleep within about 20 minutes. During the first part of the nightly sleep cycle is where, we get most of our Slow Wave Sleep, which is deep, physically rejuvenating, and hard to wake up from.We need both SWS and REM for the proverbial “good night’s sleep.” Yet our REM state gets short-changed when we have to wake up too soon—and what I call REM Rip Off occurs. And this, my friends, is where the trouble begins.What Happens When Your REM is Ripped Off?Here are the signs of REM Rip Off: irritability, excessive focus on the negative/inability to see the positive/glass half empty/general crabbiness and less ability to enjoy life.Why? Because your Hippocampus and Anterior Cingulate Cortex (part of the Prefrontal Cortex where creativity, planning, problem solving, innovation reside) are more active during REM. These essential parts of your brain put the brakes on, and regulate, emotions. So in REM Rip Off, these parts of the brain can’t do their job very well. The result is your Amygdala becomes overactive (since the emotional brakes aren’t on) and you’re more grumpy, unhappy and prone to only remembering the negative.A full night’s sleep improves your ability to regulate emotions. Period.The Solution = Stamina BoostersHere are three strategies:1-Get 20 More Minutes SleepPayne suggests that adding a mere 20 minutes more sleep per night can boost performance at work 2-3 times. Wow. How can you get 20 more minutes? Go to bed earlier, sleep later, take a 20 minute power nap, or perhaps even use what she calls a “sleep proxy” (mindfulness practice/meditation, reflective walking or another offline period during restful wakefulness). A 10-20 minute nap is tremendously effective too--just be sure to stop at 20 minutes to avoid sliding into Slow Wave Sleep (where you’re in deep sleep and will feel groggy upon waking).2-Moderate StressChronic stress results in your body cranking out cortisol, which is toxic to brain cells. Excessive stress may also shrink your Hippocampus and make your Amygdala hyperactive (grrrrrr). In escalated stress we focus on negative memories too. One solution is to activate your parasympathetic system with a 5 minute visualization (check out the link in the show notes to see one our favorites) or relaxation exercise, short walk, burst of exercise, or breathing exercises. All are likely to build neural tissue.3-Boost Positive EmotionsMore positive emotions will boost your stamina too. Watching funny movies, frequent laughter, doing nice things for others, all help. Here’s a quick way to forge a positive neural pathway around gratitude through our Gratitude Process. Close your eyes. Focus on a blessing in your life… something you are thankful for. See an image of this blessing in your mind’s eye. Offer a silent “thank you” to the person or object of your blessing. Relax into the feeling of gratitude. Take a deep breath. Feel more gratitude.Brain research (from UCLA) shows that six doses of feeling 30 seconds of gratitude daily (a whopping 3 minutes!) will enable your neurons to fire together and wire together around gratitude within a mere 2 weeks. This means you’ll more easily and frequently access the feeling of gratitude.I did this process for 2 weeks and found I was internally saying “thank you” as I awoke each morning. So if you must be sleep deprived, use one of Payne’s strategies above, and bask in the benefits.Resources Mentioned:Vision+ Gratitude Process combined video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BPjPLWNfHkGot Inner Peace? https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecomaford/2012/04/04/got-inner-peace-5-ways-to-get-it-nowBeyond Your Brain Infographic: https://smarttribesinstitute.com/beyond-your-brain-infographic/Get Horizontal Infographic: https://smarttribesinstitute.com/get-horizontal/Dr. Jessica Payne: https://psychology.nd.edu/faculty/jessica-payne/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.05.25.115576v1?rss=1 Authors: Porter, B. S., Li, K., Hillman, K. L. Abstract: As animals carry out behaviors, particularly costly ones, they must constantly assess whether or not to persist in the behavior or quit. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been shown to assess the value of behaviors and to be especially sensitive to physical effort costs. Complimentary to these functions, the insula is thought to represent the internal state of the animal including factors such as hunger, thirst, and fatigue. Utilizing a novel weight lifting task for rats, we characterized the local field potential (LFP) activity of the ACC and anterior insula (AI) during effort expenditure. In the task male rats are challenged to work for sucrose reward, which costs progressively more effort over time to obtain. Rats are able to quit the task at any point. We found modest shifts in LFP theta (7-9 Hz) activity as the task got progressively more difficult in terms of absolute effort expenditure. However, when the LFP data were analyzed based on the rat's relative progress towards quitting the task, or performance state, substantial shifts in LFP power in the theta and gamma (55-100 Hz) frequency bands were observed in ACC and AI. Both ACC and AI theta power decreased as the rats got closer to quitting, while ACC and AI gamma power increased. Furthermore, coherency between ACC and AI in the delta (2-4 Hz) range shifted alongside the rat's performance state. Overall we show that ACC and AI LFP activity changes are reflective of the rats' relative performance state in an effort-based task. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.05.25.115139v1?rss=1 Authors: Wang, M., Hayden, B. Abstract: Disparity between current and desired information, known as information gap, is an important driver of information-seeking and curiosity. To gain insight into its neural basis, we recorded responses of single neurons in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) while rhesus macaques performed a task that induces and quantifies demand for information. We find that enhanced firing rates in dACC before the start of a trial predict a stronger bias towards information-seeking choices. Following choices of uninformative options, firing rates are tonically enhanced until information is delivered. The level of enhancement observed is correlated on a trial-by-trial basis with the value assigned to the prospective information. Finally, variation in this tone is positively correlated with receptiveness to new information, as inferred by preference changes on subsequent trials. These patterns are not observed in a complementary dataset collected in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), suggesting these effects reflect at least somewhat anatomically localized processing. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.05.23.098822v1?rss=1 Authors: Tervo, D. G. R., P, E. K., Manakov, M., Proskurin, M., Karlsson, M., Lustig, A., Behnam, R., Karpova, A. Abstract: The ability to adjust one's behavioral strategy in complex environments is at the core of cognition. Doing so efficiently requires monitoring the reliability of the ongoing strategy and switching away from it to evaluate alternatives when appropriate. Studies in humans and non-human primates have uncovered signals in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that track the pressure to switch away from the ongoing strategy, and others that relate to the pursuit of alternatives. However, whether these signals underlie computations that actually underpin strategy switching, or merely reflect tracking of related variables remains unclear. Here we provide causal evidence that rodent ACC actively arbitrates between persisting with ongoing behavioral choice and switching away temporarily to re-evaluate alternatives. Furthermore, by individually perturbing distinct output pathways, we establish that the two associated computations-whether to switch away from the current choice, and the pursuit of alternatives-are segregated within ACC micro-circuitry. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.05.09.086454v1?rss=1 Authors: Lancon, K., Navratilova, E., Porreca, F., Seguela, P. Abstract: Pyramidal neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a prefrontal region involved in processing the affective components of pain, display hyperexcitability in chronic neuropathic conditions and their silencing abolishes hyperalgesia in rodents. We show here that dopamine, through D1-like receptor signaling, inhibits layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons of mouse ACC. Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels control the firing activity of these pyramidal neurons. Through Gs-coupled D1-like receptors, dopamine induces the opening of HCN channels at physiological membrane potentials, driving a significant decrease in input resistance and excitability. Systemic L-DOPA rescues HCN channel activity, pyramidal excitability in ACC as well as sensory phenotype in neuropathic mice while microinjection of a selective D1-like agonist in ACC induces relief of ongoing pain in neuropathic animals. We conclude that decreased dopaminergic inhibition in ACC plays a critical role in an abnormal top-down modulation leading to neuropathic pain. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Stressed?Grumpy?Need to lighten up?Our brains need passion, play, and release at work. They’re essential to keeping us emotionally connected and engaged, to feel part of the tribe, to blow off steam, to create shared experiences. As a leadership and culture coach, I repeatedly find that our clients who implement the four tips I’m about to share have more productive and profitable workplaces… oh, and people have more fun and are more loyal too.Here are four ways to have more fun at work, with the brain in mind:1-Create games or contests for your company values. One of my clients had a mini-golf tournament, right in the office. Employees navigated treacherous obstacles like the copy machine, the reception area, the lunchroom, and more. Each hole was a plastic cup with a company value on it. Once an employee hit the ball into the hole they had to pause and tell others nearby a short story about what the value meant to them and how they had seen others at the firm model it. Focusing on your company values and how everyone connects to the greater good will release oxytocin (the bonding hormone). In addition, dopamine (a key neurotransmitter behind reward-motivated behaviors) will be released due to the competitive nature of the game.2-Share community service experiences. Think back on the most powerful memories you have. They’re powerful because they are emotional—whether inspiring and uplifting or challenging with some struggle/trauma. Giving money to charities is cool, but donating time is far more emotional. You get your hands in there. Your brain is firing visual, auditory, and kinesthetic cues as you’re seeing, hearing, and feeling things in your environment as you volunteer. Seeing and hearing positive things (smiles, words of appreciation) make us feel good, releasing both serotonin and oxytocin into our systems. Also, we’re doing something meaningful together, which is fostering safety, belonging and mattering.3-Take a 20-minute nap. Seriously, a short nap of this length (or shorter—not longer!) will give your brain some time in SWS (Slow Wave Sleep) which is deep and physically rejuvenating. The reason you want to stop at 20 minutes is that it’s the ultimate amount to benefit you immediately —a longer time will cause your brain to go too deeply into SWS and you’ll have a hard time waking up, and will likely feel groggy. And you will miss the immediate benefit too. Most of us aren’t getting enough sleep. The evidence is the amount of irritability, excessive focus on the negative/inability to see the positive/glass half empty/general crabbiness and less ability to enjoy life. Don’t rip off your Hippocampus and Anterior Cingulate Cortex (part of the Prefrontal Cortex where creativity, planning, problem-solving, innovation reside)—these key parts of your brain regulate your emotions. Then your Amygdala becomes overactive (since the emotional brakes aren’t on) and you’re more grumpy, unhappy and prone to only remember the negative.4-Clear the air if the emotional smog has gotten too thick. To paraphrase Wayne Dyer “when we change the things we look at, the things we look at change”. When we’re focused on the pain or problem, it’s hard to get to the solution. We get stuck. As leaders, it’s our job to help people shift out of challenging, ineffective or painful emotional states in the workplace. We do it respectfully, and we do it together. One tool our clients love, especially right now amidst the government shutdown, is Maneuvers of Consciousness. The Net-NetWe can help people feel good at work easily by understanding some basics about the brainWe need passion, play, and release at workGuiding people out of painful/ineffective/challenging emotional states if part of a leader’s jobHow’s your brain doing at work?Resources mentioned:Maneuvers Of Consciousness infographic: https://smarttribesinstitute.com/maneuvers-of-consciousness/Get Horizontal infographic: https://smarttribesinstitute.com/get-horizontal/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Trailer: Curiosity, an overview. Is curiosity an emotion? What are emotions anyway? Main Episode: Curiosity and Intrinsic Motivation. The feeling of curiosity may be similar to intrinsic motivation - an internal drive to explore, learn, practice and improve skills. We may have more intrinsic motivation or curiosity about something when we have two things: competence - the challenge is reasonably matched to our current skill level - it would be achievable with some effort, and autonomy - freedom to try without severe risks linked to any potential mistakes. Extrinsic motivation is an external force encouraging or coercing action - a school grade or job bonus is linked to the effort. Being allowed to be curious may help children and adults to achieve better success with grades, decisions, and even long term mental health. Bonus Episode: Curiosity Types and UX Design. UX Design focuses on improving user experience by planning user expectations and habits into software or product design. Curiosity types may help with design focused on what type of curiosity is motivating the consumer to seek out the product or website. Image Quote: "You love challenge." - a fortune from a Fortune Cookie Email - jen@peace-is-happy.org Twitter - @denutrients Webpage - peace-is-happy.org/how are you feeling Transcript/Reference list How Are You Feeling? episode: Perseverance and Self Control - the dACC. The dACC part of the brain, the dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex, may be a center for processing input from other areas of the brain that have to do with current physical sensations, thoughts, and emotional feelings.

Bonus: UX Design focuses on improving user experience by planning user expectations and habits into software or product design. Curiosity types may help with design focused on what type of curiosity is motivating the consumer to seek out the product or website. Main: Curiosity and Intrinsic Motivation. The feeling of curiosity may be similar to intrinsic motivation - an internal drive to explore, learn, practice and improve skills. We may have more intrinsic motivation or curiosity about something when we have two things: competence - the challenge is reasonably matched to our current skill level - it would be achievable with some effort, and autonomy - freedom to try without severe risks linked to any potential mistakes. Extrinsic motivation is an external force encouraging or coercing action - a school grade or job bonus is linked to the effort. Being allowed to be curious may help children and adults to achieve better success with grades, decisions, and even long term mental health. Trailer: Curiosity, an overview. Image Quote: "Climb mountains not so the world can see you, but so you can see the world." - David McCullough Jr. Email - jen@peace-is-happy.org Twitter - @denutrients Webpage - peace-is-happy.org/how are you feeling Transcript/Reference list How Are You Feeling? episode: Perseverance and Self Control - the dACC. The dACC part of the brain, the dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex, may be a center for processing input from other areas of the brain that have to do with current physical sensations, thoughts, and emotional feelings. Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use. It is not intended to provide individual guidance. Please seek a health care provider for individualized health care guidance.

The feeling of curiosity may be similar to intrinsic motivation - an internal drive to explore, learn, practice and improve skills. We may have more intrinsic motivation or curiosity about something when we have two things: competence - the challenge is reasonably matched to our current skill level - it would be achievable with some effort, and autonomy - freedom to try without severe risks linked to any potential mistakes. Extrinsic motivation is an external force encouraging or coercing action - a school grade or job bonus is linked to the effort. Being allowed to be curious may help children and adults to achieve better success with grades, decisions, and even long term mental health. Image Quote: "A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." - Lao Tzu Email - jen@peace-is-happy.org Twitter - @denutrients Webpage - peace-is-happy.org/how are you feeling Transcript/Reference list How Are You Feeling? episode: Perseverance and Self Control - the dACC. The dACC part of the brain, the dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex, may be a center for processing input from other areas of the brain that have to do with current physical sensations, thoughts, and emotional feelings. Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use. It is not intended to provide individual guidance. Please seek a health care provider for individualized health care guidance.

Emotions may have to do with motivation, and learning self control and perseverance along with the value of rewards and changing strategy as needed or correcting errors to increase reward. The dACC part of the brain, the dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex, may be a center for processing input from other areas of the brain that have to do with current physical sensations, thoughts, and emotional feelings. Happiness and positive emotions may be motivating us to do more healthy behaviors that might help reduce stress and infection. Email - jen@peace-is-happy.org Twitter - @denutrients Webpage - peace-is-happy.org/how are you feeling Transcript/Reference list Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use. It is not intended to provide individual guidance. Please seek a health care provider for individualized health care guidance.

Encourage We've all had to deal with them. Perhaps you still are dealing with them? Difficult People. They come in all shapes and sizes. All races, all genders, and all backgrounds. They only share two things in common, but I'll come back to that in a little while. As a professional executive coach I occasionally get asked by organisation leaders if I can help them "fix" one of their more "difficult" or "problematic" team members. They see potential in this person but there's a problem in their style or approach that needs developing. Some of them are like Debbie Downer from Saturday Night Live: Always ready with a depressing take on everything being discussed. Some people only seem to be happy when they're unhappy and bringing everyone else down with them to the pit of despair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfE93xON8jk Other jerks seem to get a kick out of creating problems for everyone else and pushing people's buttons. Needling away on their pet topic and with a keen eye for any signs of weakness in others. Then we have the bullies. Instead of pushing people's metaphorical buttons, they seem to get off on literally pushing people around, shouting the loudest, forcing others to do things they don't want to and worse. At least with the downers, the jerks and the bullies everyone knows who they are. But some of the most difficult people to lead are the timid and frightened. They can be so fearful of confrontation and conflict that they hide and disappear just when you need them. Or perhaps you have someone on your team who is so disorganised and yet desperate to succeed and never seems to make any headway? And then we have the cynics and scoffers who undermine everything with their often sarcastic wit and pointed barbs. Or perhaps your most difficult person is the gossip who spread rumours, half-truths and juicy tid-bits in hushed tones over "team lunches" turning everyone against you whilst to your face, oh they're as sweet as honey and in front of the boss... well you have to admire their front and acting skills. Yes, they come in all shapes and sizes, races, genders and from all backgrounds and they share two things in common: The first important thing they all have in common is that they are all "people". We are dealing here with human beings. And we know from neuroscience that human beings share very much more in common in what drives them and causes these behaviours. The second thing they have in common is you. If you're reading or listening to this, then you have one or more people in your life whom you find difficult, and you want to know how to lead them or simply deal with them. It's OK, you are in the right place. Before we head into the "how", we need a few moments to understand what is happening with these people. And for that we'll be turning to a little neuroscience. Develop I recently read a terrific book by Christine Comaford: ""Power Your Tribe". She also writes for Forbes and has built on Abram Maslow's hierarchy of needs showing the neurological drivers all humans share. And it's primal. Your brain knows two states that matter: Dead and not-dead. Your brain's primary job is to keep you in the "not dead" state. And you really don't care about leading difficult people when you are "dead". To keep you in the "not dead" state, your brain guides your body to satisfy your physiological needs first and foremost. You have to eat, drink, find shelter, and stay warm (or cool). If any of that is threatened by anyone or anything, your brain will guide you to protect it before "not dead" becomes "dead". Now that you are in the "not dead" state we have three more primal drivers of our behaviours: Safety, Belonging and Mattering. Only when these three are also satisfied to our brain's content do we consider "self-actualization" and doing things beyond the norm for ourselves. And we crave these three things: Safety, Belonging and Mattering. Some people may crave more of one than the others, but we all crave all three to a certain extent. Do I feel safe? Can I take risks, is it OK for me to try certain things? Will I be fired if I make a mistake (thus threatening my physiological needs)? If I try something new, is that OK? If I speak up, will I be cut down? Am I free from fear, worry and anxiety? Do I belong? Are these people my people? Are we all going in the same direction? Are we equal (or at least equitable)? Do these people care for me? Will they look out for me and watch my back? Do I care for them? Will I go the extra mile for anyone of them? Do we love each other? Do we work across boundaries freely and equitably? Do silos exist? Do some people hold information or power as a means of control? Am I part of a tribe? Do I matter? Does what I do matter in the team? In the world? In life? Do I know that I matter? Do people tell me that I matter, or what I do matters? Does my contribution count and does it count as much as others contributions? Am I recognised for what I do? Have I mastered what i need to master to achieve what I am supposed to achieve? Am I able to do this? Am I respected for my achievements? https://view.genial.ly/5d3fef15adf1b53511a81bc4 And all of these needs and questions begin unconsciously. That is, any threats to them are perceived by your brain (often through your Anterior Cingulate Cortex which is always on the lookout for anything unknown or new). Once a threat is perceived, a particular mix of electro-chemical signals are fired off and your body responds. Christine Comaford calls this your "Critter State". There was a trigger and you have responded to that trigger. You might not even know that you have responded to a trigger. Other people will know it, but you may be completely oblivious to it. https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecomaford/2012/10/21/hijack-how-your-brain-blocks-performance/#7feae1102b7b One senior leader I was asked to coach would criticise team members publically and regularly. The slightest delay or mistake with a task would result in her berating the individual loudly and with unflattering language. Her team were terrified of making a mistake or failing to deliver on time - and even when they did everything right, they received a barrage of sarcastic comments. The team, unsurprisingly, was not performing well and her boss asked me in to "fix the problem". As it turned out, this leader considered herself to be a perfectionist and hated "sloppy work" and sure it was something evolved from her family background but more important, she felt "unrespected" and was "deeply concerned that she would not achieve her KPIs because the team was sloppy". Her self-esteem was taking a hit and she believed that if she was nicer to the team, more respectful and more supportive that they would take advantage of her and she didn't matter enough to the senior leaders to keep and support. She essentially believed that she didn't matter enough and her critter state response was to lash out at anyone and everyone who happened to raise their head above the parapet. There are times when I lose my temper. I know, shocking revelation, but there it is, I too am flawed. My voice raises towards a shout, I get agitated and I may say things that I really regret later. Most often it's when I am interrupted when I am in a flow state. For example, I could be writing this, in a flow, the words just tumbling out and my thoughts racing ahead, and my wife interrupts me to asks me for help with something. At first I ignore her request, rushing to close the sentence or thought or make enough notes so that I don't lose track of where I was heading. Knowing full well, that any second now, I will be interrupted again with the same request. Only this time it's more urgent. Though it's not urgent in real terms and what I am doing is much, much more important and can't it wait. I snap back. One more request and I snap again. My hackles rise, my blood pressure heads upward, my heart beat too. I shove my stool backwards and stomp through to the other room. Sometimes, I catch myself and breathe a moment and choose to calm my critter and deliberately welcome the interruption and lovingly address my beloved and willingly, pleasantly tender my assistance. Other times, I fail to catch myself and my beloved gets my critter glare and my critter comments. My Safety and Mattering were momentarily compromised. Of course, you are a far better human being than I am and never ever show your critter state. Your need to feel safe, to belong and to matter differ from mine. My triggers and yours are probably different, though many things we will share because we do already have some tribal connection. We all want safety, belonging and mattering. And those "difficult" people. They're just showing you something of their "critter" state. Their behaviour is the result of the hijack of their emotions caused by a trigger that they perceived and they are responding in the only way they know how to protect what is important for them: their safety, their belonging and/ or their mattering. And that threat to them is perceived which makes it real for them. Although it is almost certainly unconscious. That is, they are not consciously aware that they are responding to a trigger. One very common trigger that causes many (otherwise sweet, kind and gentle people) people to respond less than maturely (aka like a total mad angry thing) is whilst driving and someone cuts you in a traffic jam, or suddenly turns without indicating. You perceived that your safety was compromised and somehow, leaning on the horn, accelerating, and many far worse responses were deemed appropriate by your inner critter. Remember that our brains are continuously on the lookout for any perceived threats. Once perceived, the electrochemical response has been fired. Will this response hijack the brain's resources and all but shut-down the executive conscious brain? Or will you have enough resources available to pause the near automatic response and choose a better alternate response? Now that we understand that we all need our balance of Safety, Belonging and Mattering as fundamental, how do you deal with those "difficult" people? Especially when one of them is your boss! Guide If you have several "difficult people" you probably have a systemic, leadership or organisation-wide cultural issue that needs to be addressed. This is where you create a genuinely safe environment in the workplace, you'll draw everyone together with an engaging mission and command intent, have cultural rituals that demonstrate your values and have absolute transparency and accountability structures. For now, we'll focus here with the key one or two "difficult" individuals. Before you address the "difficult" person, you'll find it helpful to wear the right power attitude. Because, the truth is, there are no "difficult people", only people whom you have some difficulty dealing with their behaviour(s). I'd recommend that you wear the attitude: "People are not their behaviours" as if it were true. Take some time to listen and observe what is happening and consider which one is triggering the unwanted behaviour: Talk about "us versus them" suggests a lack of belonging. If complaining that they are not recognised, appreciated or act like victims (blaming others) - they likely crave mattering. Perhaps there is an undertone of fear when in supervisor-staff interactions - they need to feel safe. Your task then is to address the person, help them feel safe, reassure them that they belong and they matter and alter the behaviour. Empower When you want to deal with the "difficult behaviour" you'll first need to help them feel safe enough to shift from their critter state. As a coach, when I'm asked to deal with people in this situation I find it immensely helpful to find a safe environment to meet (a separate office or secure, private video-conference) and then begin with breathing. Like you, I don't actually like dealing with someone who is exhibiting unwanted behaviour. I get anxious and I want to reduce the cortisol flowing through my veins. To do that, breathe in deeply through the nose into the belly, and out through the mouth. Do this three times and cortisol levels drop. You're tricking your brain that everything is safe. Do this in front of someone, and most people will, unconsciously, mirror you. Now you can use one of these influencing phrases: "What if... " This immediately takes ego out and reduces emotions. You are curious, not forcing a position (which raises defences) and encouraging the brainstorm of ideas and thoughts to flow more easily. "I would appreciate your help." This switches roles because the dominant person uses it inviting the subordinate person to rise up to the challenge. Especially useful for team members who are capable of taking on more responsibility but their current behaviour is self-sabotaging. "Would it help if..." When they appear to be stuck in critter state and unable to move forwards, this opens to offering a solution or possible course of action that may lead to a positive outcome. See how each of these phrases reinforce safety, belonging, mattering? Everyone, especially those "difficult people", craves to feel safe to belong and to matter. Even your boss! When you identify what matters most to them and help them achieve it, they will be happier, more engaged and more successful. And remember, those "difficult people" were simply drawing your attention to something they believed was lacking for them. All your other team members need to feel safe, to belong and to matter as well. Take care of them too. And your kids, your wife, your friends, the bus driver, the street cleaner, the toilet attendant... even your boss craves to feel safe, to belong and to matter.

Speaker or Performer: Bob & Julie Petersen Scripture Passage(s): Philippians 3:13 Date of Delivery: December 30, 2018 Redeeming RegretWhat is Regret?Regret is a negative cognitive/emotional state that involves blaming ourselves for a bad outcome, feeling a sense of loss or sorrow at what might have been or wishing we could undo a previous choice that we made.Do People Living in the U.S. Experience Regret More Than in Other Cultures?Regret is higher in cultures such as the U.S., where individuals have more choice over their life's course, versus in cultures with arranged marriages, where family have much more control over life choices.Dictionary:Regretfeeling sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done, especially a loss or missed opportunity).sorrow aroused by circumstances beyond one's control or power to repairJulie: “I felt the regret of not having a girl”Studies show that regret is the second-most common emotion people mention in daily life, And it’s the most common negative emotion.-Psychology Today► Regret is actually a God given tool in our learning process.► It is actually healthy for us when we use it as a learning process and not live in it.Sometimes a past mistake is useful as a growth-op and sometimes it isn’t. The wisdom is in knowing the difference. -Bruce Grierson, a social-science writerJulie:We can learn to deal with what causes regret so we don’t have to suffer loss in heavenPeople are afraid to evaluate a situation. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.Joel 2:25-27“Then I will make up to you for the yearsThat the swarming locust has eaten,The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust,My great army which I sent among you.You will have plenty to eat and be satisfiedAnd praise the name of the Lord your God,Who has dealt wondrously with you;Then My people will never be put to shame.Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future. - Early 20th Century journalist Fulton OurslerJulie:Different personalities - perfectionistDon't live your life regretting yesterday. Live your life so tomorrow you won't regret today. -Author Catherine PulsiferWe must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regretor disappointment. - American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn► Regret is an emotion that needs to be managed properly.⇔ Studies using (MRI) to scan the brain in real time while participants performed computer tasks that asked them to choose between different options for investing money.When participants were shown how they could have done better with alternative strategies (to incite regret), there was decreased activity in the area associated with processing rewards.There was also increased activity in the part of the brain that generates immediate emotional response to threat. Dangers of regret:Stops you from trying things.Can lead to depression.Can cause physical problems such as ulcers.Keeps you from properly evaluating error in situations.The less opportunity one has to change the situation, the more likely it is that regret can turn into rumination and chronic stress that damages mind and body.- Melanie Greenberg, Ph.D. (Clinical Psychologist)Keys to handling regret:Can you do something about it now?Don’t emotionally take on others regret. You can offer suggestions but don’t internalize it.Retrain your mind to force it away from the thoughts of regret that you can’t do anything about now.Believe that God can redeem anything!Julie: People make statements like “I’ll never get over it” or I’ll never be the same”Sometimes there is a process in the redeeming process.We have to recognize actions or words that caused regret♦Philippians 3:13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead♦Is There Any Value in Regret?Study 1Researchers scanned the brains of three groups of subjects using fMRI technology: Young people with average age 25, healthy older people with average age 66, and depressed older people, also 66 on average. All participants worked on a computer game during the brain scan in which they had to decide whether to keep opening boxes or rest. Each box could contain an amount of money or could contain a devil emblem that meant they lost all their money and ended that round of the game.To incite regret, researchers showed people after each round how far they could have gone to earn more money.There were substantial differences in brain functioning between the healthy elderly and the other groups. On both appearance of the devil and being shown lost opportunities, the young and depressed elderly showed decreased neural activity in the ventral stri-a-dem, the area associated with reward processing. The healthy elderly did not, however, show this regretful pattern when they were shown how far they could have gone; only when they actually lost all their money. Instead, when faced with their missed alternatives, this group actually showed increased neural firing in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, an area involved in emotional regulation and control.This suggests that their brains were actively working to successfully regulate the pain of regret.Study 2Researchers at Northwestern University, a leader in the field of regret research, found that younger people have shown that regret was rated more favorably than unfavorably, primarily because of its informational value in motivating corrective action.​​​Interestingly, regret was rated highest of a list of negative emotions in fulfilling five functions:(1) making sense of the world(2) avoiding future negative behaviors(3) gaining insight(4) achieving social harmony(5) improving ability to approach desired opportunities

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strange) Ch-ch-changes Don't want to be a richer man Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strange) Ch-ch-changes Just gonna have to be a different man Time may change me But I can't trace time David Bowie What do you do when you want to change? Whether you want to change yourself or bring about change in others or your organisation. Change is difficult and sustaining change more so. To do so, we want to leverage the awesome power that is in every one of us, and that is the power of habit. Nobody likes to change Asking someone to change is fraught with difficulties. Oftentimes, we forget that as leaders and influencers we are encouraging people to change. If everything was meant to remain in the status quo, there would be no need for leadership or influence! And our brains prefer the status quo. It is known and your brain has done a fantastic job of keeping everything in this environment in the right balance to keep you alive and thriving. Change disrupts that status quo, however small that change may appear to you, to someone else it will be uncomfortable and may even be frightening. Turn and face the strange Change is uncomfortable and strange. Even the smallest change in the status quo is uncomfortable. We've gotten used to a certain way of doing things. A couple of weeks ago I was enjoying the delights of Positano, Italy. It is a truly beautiful town clinging onto the mountainside that plunges into the azure Mediterranean Sea. Positano from the Path of the Gods view Our apartment was perched high above the town and the view was truly spectacular. We had a simple choice in the morning to get into Positano town. The narrow road into town wound around the mountain with hairpin twists and turns for several miles or we could walk down the steps and be on the Grande Spagio within 700 metres. We went fully aware and ready for the steps. We had even been certain to get in "step" shape by forgoing elevators and escalators in Singapore. Even finding our very few hills and crazily to onlookers, climbing straight up and down. When we reached the beach area, thigh muscles began a little protest as we supped a welcome macchiato. At least they know how to make good coffee in this country! It hadn't been especially difficult to climb down those steps. Probably a little more effortful than the 87 floors as measured by my watch but it was uncomfortable. The 700m "walk" down to the Grand Spagio My body simply is not used to climbing up or down so many steps. Not when you live in an almost hill less island. Could I get used to it? Sure. But it would take time. How long before it becomes comfortable? Well, after a week of much walking and many more steps I was finding it to feel "normal". Had I not persevered, it would have taken much longer. And the same is true for any change in anything that we do. From a simple thing like crossing your arms in the opposite way to usual to re-organising your company: the change causes discomfort. Until it becomes the new way of doing things around here. That's the way we do things around here The biggest issue in making change happen inside organisations is: "That's not the way we do things around her." The entrenched Mr or Ms Jobsworth who feel threatened by change either because it might undermine their position, or show them up in some way. For a lot of "obstacles" whom I have had the pleasure of working with, the underlying concern about change was that they would get found out (for being less than capable in their current role, let alone any new role!) Many more people than you can imagine harbour a secret and limiting belief that they are not good enough. For a very few, it may be true, but for most, it's just humility taken too far (and usually initiated by bad parenting or poor teachers in the past.) Whatever the cause of the fear to change, if you want to sustain a change, accept that most people are not just uncomfortable with change, they genuinely fear it. And yet, a lot of people do crave the change because it promises to be so much more exciting than the status quo. The comfort zone and amazing things happening I remember attending a Coverdale training, many years ago, and the facilitator drew a large circle on the flip chart and labelled it "Your comfort Zone". Then beyond this big circle, drew another small circle with an arrow pointing to it and the words: "Where all the excitement happens!" But what appears to be exciting for one person, could be way beyond for another. I've known Steve since we were in boarding school together. Last week, he was in Queenstown, New Zealand and jumped off the highest bungee jump in the world with a huge smile and without hesitation. To him, that is exciting. To me, that is utter madness and utterly, completely terrifying. You will never, ever, and I mean never, get me to do a bungee jump. Heck with my heart, I doubt they would let me now. But there are many things that I have done, that perhaps you would find terrifying. What I'm saying is just because you don't think that this change you want is much to worry about', that in fact, it is exciting, does not mean that everyone else will see it your way. And, for the belligerent amongst you, they are no more wrong in their assessment than you are. Change is frightening Change is uncomfortable and it is frightening. Anything that alters or threatens the status quo is noticed by your Anterior Cingulate Cortex in your brain. Like a trigger-happy security guard, the ACC scans the environment (and your internal systems) for any difference to expectation. The instant any threat is anticipated by the ACC, it calls for the stress hormone, cortisol to be produced to increase your attention. You, that is conscious you, then get a sense of alertness that you may, or may not be consciously aware of what the threat is yet. It's OK, you'll catch up soon, but you, the conscious you that is, are much slower to respond than unconscious you. Anxiety This sense of alertness is generally a good thing. But when it is a continuous state, your stress hormones build up in the blood and become toxic producing anxiety and even panic. Chronic stress is seriously detrimental to health and can be brought on by the uncertainty of the future. The problem with even seemingly minor changes to the environment can be deemed as uncertainty by any individual. Without clarification or assurance, such uncertainty beds down and becomes anxiety about the future. And an anxious person is not a productive person. Energy is diverted to allow worry to fester inside the executive part of the brain. Other cognitive functions are closed down whilst the continuous turning over of the deadly duo: "What if?" as you worry about the future, and "if only" as you regret decisions of the past. Instead of allowing anxiety to fester, you could always fight it or run away. Freeze, flight, fight Then norepinephrine is produced in your body, you'll more likely know this as adrenaline. This is the freeze, flight or fight hormone. Your three de-facto responses to a threat - Freeze: to make yourself as small as possible and therefore not noticed by the big creature about to eat you. Recall how your child reacts you catch them being naughty? Flight: You are ready to run for the door and the hills at great speed away from your predator, or Fight: Time to ball those fists and stand your ground. OK, maybe just refuse to accept this new point of view and maintain a fixed viewpoint in spite of being completely wrong. Adrenaline in your blood prepares you and diverts energy from your thinking brain to your arms, legs and lungs and heart. It also diverts energy from the digestive tract leaving "butterflies" in your stomach. Once fear kicks in, your brain is less capable of rational thinking, such that any logical supporting arguments in favour of change are ignored and literally fall on deaf ears. Acknowledge and address the concern or fear Dick looked genuinely sorrowful as he explained the perfectly logical reasons for reorganising the team. The fact that the business situation had changed and I was no longer required did not prevent the lurching feeling in my gut. The undercurrent that I had been rejected from the team whilst others, less capable but longer serving than I, held onto their jobs. My ex-team mates were trying to be kind in telling me "not to worry", that "all will work out fine". Of course, it did in the end, but what I desperately needed was a shoulder to cry on and someone to punch and listen to my concerns. When leading someone to change, we need to accept that emotions and fears are involved. Logic does not cause the fear to go away, but showing genuine concern and support, empathy and, dare I say this in a leadership context, love for your fellow human being goes a long way to help that person handle the change. How do you sustain change? Change thrust upon you is one thing. When the status quo is no longer an option, you cannot revert to it. What happens when there remains a choice. That is, you are changing to B, but option A is still possible. All the logic shows that B is a better route, but since we've done A for so long, why not go back to A. You're more familiar with the old way, the job got done. Perhaps not the best way, but the job did get done. It's tough enough to get others to change and to sustain that change, but there's something that's even more challenging: Changing and sustain change yourself! To do that, we need to tap into the power of habit. The Power of Habit Charles Duhig's book, the Power of Habit is a fascinating and entertaining look at the edges of the science of habits, why we do what we do and how to change it. Earlier, I mentioned that your brain is energy hungry and any threat to the status quo diverts energy from our thinking brain to other areas. Just consider, for a moment, that your brain consumes about 25% of your daily energy. And the biggest gas guzzler in your brain is the Pre-Frontal Cortex or PFC. This is the executive centre of your brain and the place where you make decisions. Every decision requires enormous amounts of energy so let's take a simple task of breathing. For sure you know how to breathe. Or do you? If breathing were a conscious decision, would you remember to do so? So take just a few moments to think about driving. Remember when you last drove home, arrived there and had a momentary thought that the entire journey had flashed by. You went on autopilot and it just happened. Now, remember the very first time that you drove a car. Even if you learned in an automatic car, you'll recall the incredible complexity of this process. I know, there are many people who continue to drive today as if they had only just learned how to do so, but for the most part, after sufficient practice, the process of driving became habitual for you. You no longer think carefully and rationally about steering or accelerating or braking or changing gear, you just do it. It's a routine, like walking, that has been delegated to the basal ganglia in your brain. The routine of driving no longer requires much conscious thought. Indeed, some people appear to have a personality transplant as they sit behind the wheel of a car becoming monsters when outside they are sweet as pie. Perhaps, as a leader, you have developed standard routine behaviours that also no longer require your conscious effort. You've gotten used to the tell, yell, sell approach of managing people. After all, it's business, not personal. You're under pressure to deliver results and your staff and colleagues should understand the need to keep their noses to the grindstone, There's no need to greet each other, nor spend time on pleasantries. A simple: "do this" instruction should suffice. And for years it has worked well. Now you want them to change something. A new technology to use instead of the old method. Or you've heard that you need to improve your communications skills or maybe you have taken on a new project that requires a few new ways of influencing and leading to be successful. It's going to be uncomfortable because it is a change to the status quo, so how? Cue-Routine-reward Duhig identifies a powerful model of habit that will help us sustain change. There is a cue that triggers a routine that gains us a reward. So, your driving routine could be opening the car door, or putting your seat belt on, or turning the key in the ignition. Whatever your cue is. Then the routine takes over the heavy lifting. You turn into an ill-tempered monster and negotiate some of the most dangerous roads in the world surrounded by similar monsters - some of whom have routines that include the use of indicators, others who seem to own the road and desperately need to gain a 3-metre advantage over you. Your reward is that you get to your doorstep within a relatively short amount of time without a great deal of physical effort. Your habits may be good habits for you or bad habits. I used to have a smoking habit. With numerous cues leading to the routine of rolling (yes I was a "baccy" fan) lighting and smoking a cigarette. A coffee would trigger this routine, as would the end of a meal, or a pint of beer, or taking the dog out. I had way too many triggers for this routine and it came extremely close to killing me. Quitting was a nightmare, but after 3 years I can safely say that the habit has been destroyed. I had a terrific boss when I worked in Saudi Arabia. As anyone walked into his office, he would greet them heartily and ask what solutions they had for him today. When we want to change a habit we face one big problem, they are largely, if not completely, unconscious. That is, we do not consciously know what we are doing and sometimes even why. The problem with habits is that they are unconscious When you want to sustain a change, especially a change in the way you lead yourself or others, one way to ensure this is to make it habitual. Our willpower is better described as "won't power". When we want to change the way we do anything, we need to stop ourselves going into our more normal and habitual routine. And the braking system in the brain is right beside the pre-frontal cortex, the place where we consume most of the brain's energy and hence the "hottest" part. Now the brakes on a car are in the wheels and open to the air to help keep them cool. But our brains braking system is next to the hot engine. And they wear out quickly. That's why most people who try to quit addictive habits like smoking or booze "cold turkey" need incredible amounts of braking power to stop the old routines. And few have it. A better way is to change something in the original habit. Just gonna have to be a different man When we want to break bad habits or implement good habits if the change is going to be sustainable we need to leverage the awesome power of habits and either change the cue or alter the routine or both and either way, we want to be rewarded. Change the cue Change the cue - i.e. do NOT allow the cue to trigger the routine. So smoking quitters stop going to the pub where they always smoke "socially". Or change from coffee to tea in the morning - works for me. Chocoholics avoid the chocolate aisle in the supermarket. Drivers who wish to improve their skills change the position of their seat so that it is deliberately less comfortable. Leaders who want to smile when they walk into the office climb the stairs instead of using the lift. External stimuli can help too: leaders who want to remember to observe what people do well in their job right a message with a whiteboard marker on their bathroom mirror, or on their computer screen background. An app that reminds you to stand up and move on your computer or smartwatch. Another option is to change the routine. Create a new routine - similar to the old way You start by understanding the exact steps of your currently unconscious routine and then choose one thing to change in it. A quick(ish) way to do this is to audio or video record yourself as you go into normal routines. I was coaching one particular senior leader who truly wanted to stop by peoples' desks and greet them instead of heading straight to her office. A small step along the way to building more amicable relationships and understanding her people as well as building trust and respect. When I asked how she normally walked into the office, she was taken aback when I wouldn't accept: "I just walk into the office." So we set up a video camera to record her for the next couple of weeks. After reviewing the video she knew what was happening and could identify one tiny change to make deliberately that would change her routine. She turned left after the office door instead of right. Indeed, you can make subtle changes to your environment, such as moving your desk to face a different angle to disrupt your old routine enough so that you can stop and choose a different way. Just remember to reward yourself for doing so. Remember the reward Rewards are an important part of habits. Whatever routine you have, the way you do things around here. Once something changes it is critical that the new way is similarly or better rewarded. And this is not to incentivise you to do something new, but simply to reward your brain for the extra burden you are placing on it. And make no mistake, changing habits or implementing new ones increases the brain's demand for energy. The existing way of doing things is like a superhighway in your brain. It's quick, straight, wide and easy. Your new way of doing things is clearing a path through the thick jungle. And whilst you are clearing this path, you can see the superhighway right nearby. It would be so much easier and less effortful to take the superhighway. So, for those that stick with it, the rewards need to be there. And the chemical you are after is dopamine. Dopamine, often referred to as the happy chemical, is the hormone that makes you feel happy. It has a huge role to play in motivation and in memory consolidation. And dopamine production is triggered by being rewarded for achieving things. (Money, by the way, is a dreadful reward to use.) If you want people to change the way they work, then reward them with clearly expressed praise and acknowledgement, will work better than a couple of extra bucks in their monthly wage. And if you are doing it for yourself, then reward yourself. After that it's practice, practice, practice. Before long, it's a habit. I shared about this aspect in an earlier podcast on leveraging your talent. Time may change me, but I can't trace time. Finally, if it's safe to do so right now, give yourself a jolly pat on the back from me and say "good job, well done." What for you ask? For passing this on to someone who needs some help to get them self or others to change. Good job, well done. Be blessed John K

Are you a strategic decision maker? Is your brain anterior cingulate cortex switched off or on? Are random decisions being made or are you basing them entirely on past experience?Alla Karpova discusses decision-making... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Are you a strategic decision maker? Is your brain anterior cingulate cortex switched off or on? Are random decisions being made or are you basing them entirely on past experience?Alla Karpova discusses decision-making... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists