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Combat Training Dulls Brain's Reward Response in Recruits

9/5/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A study in *Biological Psychiatry* finds that basic combat training diminishes the brain's reward response in Army National Guard recruits.
Researchers evaluated 123 recruits before and after a 10-week training program using neuroimaging and gambling tasks.
Results showed decreased neural signals for rewards and losses, indicating a decline in reward processing.
Higher perceived stress linked to reduced reward responses suggests stress affects brain adaptation.
The study prompts further investigation into the long-term mental health effects of diminished reward responsiveness.

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Story summary

A study in *Biological Psychiatry* finds that basic combat training diminishes the brain's reward response in Army National Guard recruits.
Researchers evaluated 123 recruits before and after a 10-week training program using neuroimaging and gambling tasks.
Results showed decreased neural signals for rewards and losses, indicating a decline in reward processing.
Higher perceived stress linked to reduced reward responses suggests stress affects brain adaptation.
The study prompts further investigation into the long-term mental health effects of diminished reward responsiveness.