According to recent research, the brain has a reckless side, a relatively small and hidden area that controls the sudden and uncontrollable passion for risk: in other words, the one related to gambling.
The research, published by the journal eNeuro, was conducted by the BioRobotics Institute of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy in collaboration with other institutions.
“We know that there are two types of mechanism that trigger decisions: one that controls fast reactions, the other is more thoughtful,” explained Alberto Mazzoni, research coordinator.
Research data has identified the subthalamic nucleus, a structure responsible for switching from one mode to the other.
He said that “this dynamic has long since been evaluated by psychologists, but it was not clear why the brain followed one model rather than the other”.
He added that compulsive gamblers behave in an irrational manner and the next step is to try to understand how their brains work in more detail.
Full article: Ansa (Italian)
