Risky Brains Lack Brakes
Summary
What makes some people take on extreme adventures which others would not attempt even in their wildest dreams? Brain image researchers have found that adventure lovers may have brains that possess less control over the cells that release the chemical called dopamine. David Zald from Vanderbilt University carried out a test on volunteers wherein volunteers were asked to fill up a questionnaire that measured the thrill seeking and risk taking personality traits among them. Then their brain scans were performed and the number of auto receptors was measured. Auto receptors act like brakes that limit the amount of dopamine that is released. It was found that low thrill seekers had many auto receptors while high thrill seekers had very few of them.
Keywords: Brain, adventure, Vanderbilt University, dopamine, auto receptors
