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Scientists: the adolescent brain responds to likes how in chocolate

Ученые: мозг подростка реагирует на «лайки» как на шоколадAmerican scientists have studied the question of how social networks affect children.

When teenagers see in social networks a large number of “likes” (of “likes” under their photos or photos of their peers, their brain activates the same neural circuits as when eating chocolate.

This is shown by a new study conducted at the University of California.

The study included 32 teenagers aged 13 to 18 years. Volunteers said they will see photos from social networks, like Instagram. Participants over 12 minutes showing on the computer screen 148 pictures, including 40 photos, which were provided by the volunteers.

Under each photo Teens saw the number of “likes”, supposedly set by other participants of the experiment. In fact, the number of determined researchers.

During the experiment the scientists observed the brain activity of adolescents. Experts have noticed that when the volunteers saw a lot of “likes”, in different areas of their brain increased activity. Most strongly increased activity in the nucleus accumbens associated with reward. In adolescence this area of the brain is very sensitive.

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