Key neural circuit helps the brain “change gears”

Most people have experienced the feeling: switching from one task to another, only to find the brain momentarily stuck in the old mode of thinking. Sometimes, even after realizing a strategy no longer works, the mind keeps returning to it anyway.

Neuroscientists call the ability to adapt and shift strategies "cognitive flexibility" - a core feature of higher cognition that allows the brain to abandon outdated rules and respond to changing conditions. Impairments in cognitive flexibility are associated with disorders including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease.

Now, researchers at the University of California, Riverside have identified a key neural circuit that helps the brain "change gears." The study, published in eLife, shows that a tiny brainstem structure called the locus coeruleus, or LC, plays a central role in helping the brain switch between behavioral rules and maintain flexible thinking.

The brain is constantly faced with changing environments and demands. Our work shows that the locus coeruleus acts as a key regulator that helps the brain transition between behavioral states efficiently."