A vast range of self help books have promised to provide the secrets to success over the years, the authors pledging that if you follow their recipe then greatness is guaranteed.

Angela Duckworth’s notion of grit is highly popular at the moment, and it’s hard to dispute the importance of perseverance in achieving any kind of goal.  Not only do you need to devote a good amount of time to achieve any new skill, but you’re also likely to encounter various hurdles along the way.

New research from the Technical University of Munich attempts to understand just where the motivation to do this comes from (in fruit flies at least).  The researchers were able to identify the neural circuit in the brain of the flies that controlled their levels of perseverance, and believe the circuit could be similar in humans.

Neural triggers

The researchers developed a mathematical model to help them simulate the various internal and external stimuli, such as the smell of vinegar or the hunger felt by the fly, that drive their behavior.  They then identified the neural networks used by the flies via an electron microscopy and in-vivo imaging.

The analysis revealed that the learning and memory parts of the brain are the key neural circuits for perseverance, and they’re controlled by dopamine and octopamine, which are both related to the human noradenaline.  Dopamine levels increase motivation, whilst octopamine reduces it.

“Since these neurotransmitters and the corresponding circuits also exist in the brains of mammals, we assume that similar mechanisms decide whether to continue or to stop,” the researchers say.