Using a Scan to Gauge Responses

Not knowing the end to a scary movie increases the suspense. Going along with this idea, uncertainty about the economy can also increase a person's anxiety level. Scientists recently studied the association between uncertainty and anxiety with the use of a brain scan. A study by the UW Madison School of Medicine and Public Health has utilized the MRI scan to track emotional responses by participants in response to negative stimuli. Participants were told the images they were to see would be positive, negative, or unknown. Those images which directly followed an "unknown" warning showed the largest reaction in the brain. "These results have obvious relevance to our current economic times. Expectations have a dramatic impact on many aspects of our lives, including performance at work and school, interpersonal relationships and health. Expectations can alter perceptions of negative events as well as neural and emotional responses" reports the study leader to Science Daily. The results showed that if a person was told the image they would see was going to be negative, their response to a disturbing image was less than if they had no idea what type of image they would see next. If a person is expecting a negative outcome, they are better able to cope with less anxiety. The brain is a complex organ that is continually studied by scientists. Using scanning technology allows scientists the ability to track activity in the brain and better understand physical and emotional responses.