Why Doing What You Don’t Want To Do Can Improve Your Brain Function And Why This Knowledge Can Help Neurodivergent Individuals
Updated: Jan 20, 2024
Written by: Danielle Baron, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), particularly its anterior part, is a critical brain region involved in various cognitive and emotional processes. It plays essential roles in decision-making, emotion processing, anticipation of reward, and specifically in regulating emotional responses to pain. Additionally, the ACC is linked to the autonomic nervous system, which governs vital bodily functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. This connection underscores the ACC's importance in coordinating both mental and physical aspects of our experiences.
When individuals engage in tasks or activities that they are disinclined to do, the ACC exhibits increased activity. This heightened activity is closely tied to the emotional discomfort or conflict experienced when actions are contrary to one's desires or preferences. The ACC's involvement is crucial in managing the internal conflict arising from such situations, as well as in modulating the emotional responses that accompany this conflict. This responsiveness highlights the ACC's integral role in coping mechanisms and emotional regulation under stress or displeasure.
Dr. Andrew Huberman, a renowned neuroscientist, has conducted extensive research on various brain regions, including the ACC. His studies primarily focus on how the brain processes stress, fear, and courage, and how these processes are interconnected with mental health and physical performance. Through his research, insights into the functioning and significance of the ACC in these areas have been deepened, contributing to a broader understanding of its role in human behaviour and psychology.
Contrary to the notion that the ACC physically enlarges during engagement in unwanted activities, it's more accurate to say that its neural activity increases. This heightened activity doesn't typically translate into an increase in the ACC's size. Instead, consistent mental engagement can lead to neuroplastic changes over time. These changes may involve alterations in the strength and number of neuronal connections, and sometimes, in the number of cells. Such changes reflect the brain's functional and structural reorganisation rather than a mere increase in size, illustrating the brain's adaptability and complexity.
As the ACC strengthens or becomes more efficient through neuroplasticity, various observable changes in behavior, emotions, and cognitive abilities may occur. These include improved emotional regulation, enhanced conflict resolution, increased pain tolerance, and better decision-making abilities. People might also exhibit greater empathy and social cognition, reduced impulsive behaviours, improved attention and error detection, and changes in autonomic functions. However, these changes are individual-specific and depend on the nature of the experiences that contribute to the strengthening of the ACC. It's crucial to remember that the brain operates as an interconnected system, meaning changes in the ACC can have wide-ranging effects on overall brain function and behaviour and could be very beneficial to neurodivergent individuals who struggle with impulsiveness, attention, self-control and emotional regulation.
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Danielle Baron, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Danielle catalyses children and adults to rise like a phoenix from the flames 🔥 and to reach their optimum potential. She is an entrepreneur, inspiring 11+ and 7+ entrance exams tutor, rapid transformational therapist®️, business coach for overachievers, a life coach for all, and an NLP Master practitioner, and she is also certified by the ILM.
One of Danielle’s much-loved abilities is being an overachiever because she thrives on the excitement and follows her passion, which is to help people live fulfilling lives.
Over the last five years of her tuition business, Danielle has become extremely popular and respected in the tuition industry and is a mentor and coach to other tutors to help them increase revenue in their businesses, but ultimately to be the best tutors they can be. Her own tuition service incorporates coaching for parents and children throughout the exam process and NLP classes for children to help them with lack of confidence, bullying, and anxiety and to help them focus on the imminent goal of exams and to visualise and believe in their success.
Danielle’s second business, coaching and therapy, has been a long time coming and her personal interest in people and psychology led her to invest in the most high-quality courses to be the best for her clients. For her rapid transformational therapy ®️, she had the privilege of personally being mentored by Marisa Peer, a world-renowned therapist. Rapid transformational therapy is a combination of NLP, CBT, psychotherapy and hypnosis.
It has been Danielle’s personal experiences that have led her to where she is today. At age four, her father died of suicide, which installed in her a determination to help prevent people from ever becoming despaired again. Her best friend passed away at fifteen, which solidified Danielle’s determination to live life to the full. Growing up with a single parent, they struggled with money, but Danielle was very inspired by her mother’s work ethic, which had a huge impact on her.
As a teacher in some schools, the politics and bullying amongst staff were toxic and she suffered from depression, stress and burnout and was treated badly at her most vulnerable time of being pregnant and having a newborn and that’s why she’s passionate about helping teachers. She wishes that she had someone to help her at the time.
She has been through the journey of setting up successful businesses on her own while undertaking childcare as a single parent of two after she divorced and strongly believes anyone can achieve anything they put their mind to with grit, focus, and passion.
