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- Title
Neural signatures of experimentally induced flow experiences identified in a typical fMRI block design with BOLD imaging.
- Authors
Ulrich, Martin; Keller, Johannes; Grön, Georg
- Abstract
Previously, experimentally induced flow experiences have been demonstrated with perfusion imaging during activation blocks of 3min length to accommodate with the putatively slowly evolving "mood" characteristics of flow. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a sample of 23 healthy,male participants to investigate flow in the context of a typical fMRI block design with block lengths as short as 30 s. To induce flow, demands of arithmetic tasks were automatically and continuously adjusted to the individual skill level. Compared against conditions of boredom and overload, experience of flow was evident fromindividuals' reported subjective experiences and changes in electrodermal activity. Neural activation was relatively increased during flow, particularly in the anterior insula, inferior frontal gyri, basal ganglia andmidbrain. Relative activation decreases during flow were observed inmedial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortex, and in themedial temporal lobe including the amygdala. Present findings suggest that even in the context of comparably short activation blocks flow can be reliably experienced and is associated with changes in neural activation of brain regions previously described. Possiblemechanisms of interacting brain regions are outlined, awaiting further investigation which should now be possible given the greater temporal resolution compared with previous perfusion imaging.
- Subjects
FUNCTIONAL magnetic resonance imaging; MOOD (Psychology); AMYGDALOID body; HEALTH; HEALTH behavior; BOREDOM
- Publication
Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience, 2016, Vol 11, Issue 3, p496
- ISSN
1749-5016
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/scan/nsv133