How the brain keeps eyes focused on long-term goals

As anyone who has travelled with young children knows, maintaining focus on distant goals can be a challenge. A new study from MIT suggests how the brain achieves this task, and indicates that the neurotransmitter dopamine may signal the value of long-term rewards. The findings may also explain why patients with Parkinson’s disease — in which dopamine signalling is impaired — often have difficulty in sustaining motivation to finish tasks.
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