Scientists discover the brain chemical that helps you break bad habits
Key takeaways
- Whether you're navigating a job interview, meeting someone for the first time, or responding to an unexpected challenge, success often depends on your ability to adjust your behavior.
- But how does the brain know when it's time to abandon an old strategy and try something new?
- A new study published in Nature Communications sheds light on that question.
Why this matters: new research or scientific developments with potential real-world impact.
Whether you're navigating a job interview, meeting someone for the first time, or responding to an unexpected challenge, success often depends on your ability to adjust your behavior. In some situations, adapting quickly can even be critical for survival.
But how does the brain know when it's time to abandon an old strategy and try something new?
A new study published in Nature Communications sheds light on that question. Neuroscientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) have identified a key brain mechanism that helps animals adapt when circumstances suddenly change. The findings could improve our understanding of conditions that make it difficult to break habits, including addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and Parkinson's disease.