Brave New World

Courage may come down to activity in a certain region of the brain.

Courage may come down to activity in a certain region of the brain. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute in Israel claim that activity in a brain region called the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) is associated with participants overcoming their fears, suggesting this brain region could be a target for therapies for phobias and fear-related disorders.

Thirty-nine participants who scored high on fear of snakes were asked to literally face their fear. A live snake was placed on a conveyor belt. The subjects pressed a button that would bring the snake one step closer to their head or away. The subjects were told to try to bring the snake as close to their head as possible. Activity in the sgACC was higher when the subjects chose to advance the snake, and lower when they chose to retreat. Also, activity in their sgACC regions was more when the subjects overcame their fear and brought the snake closer. When the subjects moved the snake away, activity dipped.