The study, led by Professor Masud Husain and Wellcome Trust, is published in the Journal of the cerebral cortex.
Although apathy is traditionally regarded as the attitude or if Outlook, neuroscientists say that their results show that there is biology, which may be the cause.
They wanted young, healthy people look to see if there are significant differences in the brain known as "highly motivated" classified, compared with those who are apathetic.
Professor Husain explained that while some patients had a stroke or treat Alzheimer's disease, can "pathologically apathetic."
"Many of these patients may be physically able," he said. "There may incentive can not be bothered to care for themselves, even if not in a recession."
They and his team decided to explore healthy people if they have any differences in the brain that can support apathy.
Their study, a total of 40 people a questionnaire, the researchers used a score for motivation. Then, participants sacrifices a game in which you have in pay levels and included physical exercise to win a prize.
"Apathetic brain to do more work"
The researchers explained that expected, participants usually offer high fees and effortlessly. However, low prices, a great effort was not as often believed.
Then the participants played the game in the MRI machine, scientists analyzed their brains.
It is interesting that, although the apathetic people were less likely to accept invitations to tender does not require a great effort in particular have greater activity in a brain region as motivation of the participants: pre-motor cortex. This area of the brain involved in the action and immediately activate before other areas of the brain to take control of movements.
The brain scans showed that most people peel apathetic pre-motor was more active if they decide to accept the offer, as an incentive for the participants.
Professor Husain explained that it is the opposite of what he and his team will be required; expect less activity apathetic people, because they are less likely to take decisions requires effort, but it is not true.
"We thought that this is because the brain structure is less efficient, so more problems apathetic people to implement the decisions," he said, adding:
"The use of imaging techniques, we found that the compounds are less effective in the front part of the brain apathetic people. The brain uses about one-fifth of the energy you burn each day. If there is more energy in a plan action will be more expensive apathetic people do the work. their brains to do more work. "
They and his team say they know this is the first evidence of a biological basis for apathy. But they add that their findings apathy of all but processed more information about the brain "normal motivation."
The results also shed light on the patients' pathological extreme apathy "can help.
"These results show that the work of sensitivity and intentions of translations measures decisively contribute to the performance of apathy," the researchers conclude.
If you numb face and done at the end of this article, well done. As a reward for the effort, in this article the scientific explanation of his eyes puppy dog.
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