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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Recordings of Neural Circuit Activation in Freely Behaving Animals
Published on: July 22, 2009
Effects of behavioural activation on the neural circuit related to intrinsic motivation
Asako Mori1, Yasumasa Okamoto2, Go Okada3
1Clinical Fellow,Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences,Hiroshima University,Japan.
Background:
Behavioural activation is an efficient treatment for depression and can improve intrinsic motivation. Previous studies have revealed that the frontostriatal circuit is involved in intrinsic motivation; however, there are no data on how behavioural activation affects the frontostriatal circuit.AimsWe aimed to investigate behavioural activation-related changes in the frontostriatal circuit.
Method:
Fifty-nine individuals with subthreshold depression were randomly assigned to either the intervention or non-intervention group. The intervention group received five weekly behavioural activation sessions. The participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning on two separate occasions while performing a stopwatch task based on intrinsic motivation. We investigated changes in neural activity and functional connectivity after behavioural activation.
Results:
After behavioural activation, the intervention group had increased activation and connectivity in the frontostriatal region compared with the non-intervention group. The increased activation in the right middle frontal gyrus was correlated with an improvement of subjective sensitivity to environmental rewards.
Conclusions:
Behavioural activation-related changes to the frontostriatal circuit advance our understanding of psychotherapy-induced improvements in the neural basis of intrinsic motivation.Declaration of interestNone.
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