Repetitive Tasks Linked to Reduced mPFC Activity, Increased Putamen Engagement in fMRI Study

A recent study reveals that participants showed decreased activity in brain regions associated with self-awareness and increased activity in regions linked to habit formation when performing repetitive tasks. Researchers observed these changes using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to monitor brain activity during the performance of both novel and repetitive activities. Furthermore, the study noted a correlation between the duration of repetitive task performance and the magnitude of the observed brain activity changes. Specifically, the fMRI data indicated a reduction in activity within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain region commonly associated with self-referential thought and conscious awareness, as participants engaged in the repetitive tasks. Conversely, researchers recorded an increase in activity within the putamen, a structure within the basal ganglia known for its role in habit learning and automated behavior. The team also found that the longer the participants performed the repetitive tasks, the more pronounced the decrease in mPFC activity and the increase in putamen activity became, suggesting a potential shift from conscious control to habitual execution of the tasks.

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Date: May 1, 2025

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Author

Mark Chiang

紐約 NYU Computer Science 碩士 紐澤西 UMDNJ Biomedical Informatics 博士 中研院博士後 台灣大學博士後