The progressive structure of the conservative brain is different … “Difference of the brain network”

Check-in 2020.11.17 15:02

Stability is important “conservative”, greater capacity for self-regulation and psychological stability than the struggle for progress.
Resilience-related functional brain connectivity is also high

The two opposing trends, ‘progressive and conservative’, show opposite opinions in many respects, including not only politics, but also our society, economy and culture. Through a study that compared the two in the field of brain science conducted by national researchers, they found that there is a difference in the degree of brain activation between progressive and conservative tendencies.

Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Kwon Junsu’s research team (Jang Dae-ik, Sang-Hoon Lee, and Taek-Wan Kim) announced on the 17th They analyzed the political disposition and brain function network of 106 adults to determine the difference in the brain network.

First, the research team surveyed 106 people on a scale of political disposition, divided them into conservative, moderate and progressive groups, and then examined brain function.

As a result, the signaling system between regions of the brain that regulate psychological stress differed according to political orientation.

Those with conservative tendencies had approximately five times greater brain connectivity related to self-regulation and resilience than those with progressive tendencies. In other words, the research team explained that the brains of people with a conservative orientation had greater psychological stability than those with a progressive orientation.

Several studies abroad have also confirmed that there is a difference in the degree of brain activation in people with progressive and conservative tendencies. This is because with the advancement of brain science, it is possible to view a person’s psychological mechanisms through brain changes through brain imaging technology.

Research teams from the University of Exeter in the UK and the University of California, San Diego in the US (UCSD) conducted a study of Democrats and Republicans in the US, and found that conservative Republicans they made risky decisions, which resulted in an overactivation of the amygdala and cortical activity. Confirmed that it decreases. This means that the brain of a conservative person is more sensitive to risky stimuli.

However, this is the first report to study the general functional connectivity of the brain. A study published by Professor Kwon’s team looked at the difference between progression and conservatism in the resting brain. It was confirmed that the functional networks of the brain were also designed differently based on political trends.

However, since this study was the result of confirming the difference in brains according to political orientation, it was not possible to affirm the predecessor or causal relationship between the two factors.

Professor Kwon Jun-soo from the Department of Psychiatry at Seoul National University Hospital said: “It is not known whether the difference in brain function has arisen depending on the political lean, or whether the political lean is different due to the difference. However, it is true that there are differences in the brain according to political position. ” Said.

The results of the study were published in the latest issue of the international academic journal ‘Scientific Reports’.