Study Identifies Brain Areas That Influence Political Intensity

A person's level of political engagement can be influenced by a variety of factors, including education and environment.

- CORRESPONDENT

A new study led by Northwestern University and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, has for the first time revealed which brain networks control political passion.

The study analyzed Vietnam War veterans with and without brain injuries. By comparing people who had very localized brain lesions with those who didn't, the study team was able to identify the brain structures that can modify the intensity of political feelings.

Damage to the prefrontal cortex, a region responsible for cognitive control and reasoning, led to an increase in the intensity of political feelings. Conversely, damage to the amygdala, a brain structure involved in emotional processing, decreased political intensity in participants. These findings held true even after accounting for factors like age, education, party affiliation, personality traits and other neuropsychiatric symptoms.