Size Matters: The Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex
How a region of your brain can make you live longer and better.
I like to do hard things. If you met me in the last five years, you might assume I was born this way. This is absolutely not the case, however. I used to wake up late, eat poorly, and wouldn’t run unless you chased me (and maybe not even then).
I call this person Old Dan.
New Dan recently ran 10 miles in freezing rain and enjoyed it.
How does this happen?
This question could likely have several explanations, but I recently discovered that I may have found a way to activate and possibly increase the size of my anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC). This is a fascinating region of the brain that, according to research like this:
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13438
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7381101/
is a major contributor to tenacity, grit, and developing a growth mindset.
Studies have been conducted in which the aMCC was electrically stimulated, and subjects described an increased will to persevere. One individual said they suddenly felt compelled to drive into a storm so they could figure out how to come out the other side victorious. Another reported a sudden urge to climb a mountain.
Vast research also indicates that a thicker aMCC is found in "super agers"—individuals who live well beyond the average lifespan with unbelievable cognitive ability. A thick and active aMCC is also strongly associated with lower occurrences of cognitive decline and dementia, more career achievement, and lower instances of depression.
Why am I sharing this? Because it turns out we actually have control over the activation and even the size of our aMCC. Research shows that there are two significant ways in here. One is through exercise, and the other is through engaging in activities that we don't instinctively WANT to do (or by resisting temptations). The beauty of this is that we can likely kill two birds with one stone. If you don't feel like exercising but you do anyway, you are getting activation of the aMCC in both ways.
Back to my ten-mile run in the rain. I said I enjoyed it. That is a bit misleading. I did NOT want to start that run, and it was brutal every step of the way. But when I finished, I was euphoric, and nothing felt challenging in comparison for the rest of the day. I even ended up going to the gym for a second workout and pushed myself harder than normal, likely due to the previous activation of the aMCC.
I think I've found myself in a virtuous cycle here. I have felt the benefits of doing something difficult that I didn't inherently want to do, which increases the activation of my aMCC…which then reminds me to push through and do another difficult thing.
Will this make me a super ager? Who knows. I do know that it makes me feel more purpose, meaning, and delight in the present.
My hope is that reading this will give you the boost you need to push yourself the next time you're debating whether or not to go for a run, head to the gym, resist the Twinkie, etc.
Doing hard things can literally save your life.
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