Brain scan showing cingulate cortex and other areas. Photo courtesy UVic.
Researchers at the University of Victoria may have helped to unlock answers to a mysterious area of the brain which could have promising implications for brain health.
A recent study involving UVic cognitive neuroscientist Clay Holroyd, with post-doctoral fellow José Ribas-Fernandes and Ph.D. student Danesh Shahnazian from UVic, looked into the function of the human midcingulate cortex (MCC), which has been the subject of decades of research on what role it plays.
“This question has been called a ‘holy grail’ because, despite 25 years of study, no one really knows what this critical area of the brain actually does,” Holroyd said in a release about the research.
“Our study illustrates a promising new way to understand what the MCC does, which is important because dysfunction of this brain area is implicated in a variety of neurocognitive disorders including Parkinson’s disease, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression.”
Data results showed the MCC tracks the progression of a task while it’s being done, which is encoded as complex patterns of activity across the brain area.
Holroyd suggests people stay on task and avoid temptation or distraction when the MCC is engaged and helps to sustain the execution of difficult or more mundane tasks.
People may choose to do something easier or more enjoyable without it.
Colleagues Tom Verguts and Massimo Silvetti of Ghent University in Belgium also took part in the study.
Andy Neal
