Sustained striatal activity predicts eudaimonic well-being and cortisol output.
Aaron S Heller1, Carien M van Reekum, Stacey M Schaefer
11Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Psychological Science
|September 24, 2013
Summary
Greater eudaimonic well-being, a sense of life purpose, is linked to sustained brain reward activity. This neural engagement with positive stimuli promotes well-being and lowers stress hormone cortisol levels.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Health Science
Background:
- Eudaimonic well-being (purpose, meaning, life engagement) protects against psychopathology and improves physical health.
- Lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone, are associated with better health outcomes.
- The link between reward circuitry engagement and well-being remains largely untested.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if sustained neural reward circuitry activation underlies eudaimonic well-being.
- To test the hypothesis that reward system engagement mediates the relationship between well-being and health.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity.
- Participants viewed positive, neutral, and negative images during fMRI scans.
- Cortisol levels were measured to assess stress hormone output.
Main Results:
- Sustained activity in the striatum and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in response to positive stimuli correlated with higher self-reported well-being.
- Individuals with sustained reward circuitry activation exhibited lower cortisol levels.
- This suggests a neural basis for the link between positive experiences and physiological regulation.
Conclusions:
- Sustained engagement of the brain's reward circuitry is fundamental to eudaimonic well-being.
- This neural mechanism plays a role in the adaptive regulation of the stress response (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis).
- Findings support the hypothesis that reward system function is crucial for both psychological well-being and physical health.
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