Neurowissenschaftler der University of Oregon haben eine Gruppe von Gehirnzellen identifiziert, die im Wesentlichen als „Enttäuschungsmesser“ fungieren und anzeigen, wenn die Realität hinter den Erwartungen zurückbleibt
https://news.uoregon.edu/researchers-uncover-brain-cells-fine-tuned-disappointment
17 Kommentare
>In a study published May 8 in [Current Biology](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2026.04.032), the researchers describe a specific group of neurons in the mouse brain that become active when the animal anticipates a reward but earns less than expected, or nothing at all. The findings reveal that feeling let down is something that particular cells in the brain are designed to detect and record.
>Mapping the cell types that show sensitivity to disappointment might someday lead to a new class of medications that better treat neuropsychiatric disorders like depression and addiction, said [Emily Sylwestrak](https://cas.uoregon.edu/directory/biology/all/Emily), an assistant biology professor in the UO [College of Arts and Sciences](https://cas.uoregon.edu/).
>–
>That observation led to this current work, in which Sylwestrak and colleagues recorded neural activity in mice trained to poke their noses into a port to earn sugar water. But after the mice had learned to expect a sweet sip when approaching the spot, the reward was sometimes smaller than expected or withheld entirely.
>Not only did the neurons suddenly burst into activity in those moments, but that activity scaled with the degree of disappointment. In other words, the researchers could infer how much sugar water the animal received based on the strength of the neural response.
Very interesting stuff. This is the kind of “could end the world, could save the world” type of thing that gets me excited. I could see this in the future turning into a balancing act between doing absolutely nothing because a lack of disappointment is no longer motivating, and being able to do anything because disappointment no longer dissuades us from attempting things.
Can’t wait to see what they do when they start trying to manipulate that cluster.
Mine have been in overdrive for 40 years, and considering the state of the world today it doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon.
Your Mindcraft avatar wasn’t supposed to mine into its own structure to see what it’s made of and how it functions.
Seems dangerous information in the wrong hands, useful in the right, like now I’m curious in cases of depression and such these guys firing on all cylinders all the time?
That is an EXTREMELY interesting positive feedback mechanism. Sort of loke how plants actually grow away from darkness, rather than towards the light.
Did they use the Scuderia for their test subjects
Maybe I can get those removed
They will only find that my disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined
Debbie Downer is disappointed by this
My disappointment meter is immeasurable and my life has been ruined.
Can I just get that part lobotomized? Because it’s permanently ON
So like half of my brain?
And mine’s approaching the size of a Hyundai.
Reality has been falling short of my expectations my entire life.
Hhummm, but what if the levels of anticipation to the same stimulus varies greatly between animals. Like what if male mouses anticipate/imagine a higher level of gratification from the reward than female mouses, yet everybody is getting the exact same treat? I guess…. would that work the same way as, say antidepressants can be prescribed in higher or lower dosages based on the persons need? Maybe it works like that?
Probably trying to figure out what’s wrong with all of us who follow Duck football…
For real though, great research coming out of UO. Phil Knight’s money going to good use here, no joke.