University of California, Los Angeles researchers have discovered that chronic stress flips brain activity between two amygdala-striatal pathways, disrupting flexible decision-making and promoting inflexible habits.

The research identifies distinct roles for the basolateral amygdala –dorsomedial striatum (BLA→DMS) and central amygdala–dorsomedial striatum (CeA→DMS) circuits in action-outcome learning and habit formation.

Chronic stress impairs goal-directed decision-making, often leading to rigid, habitual behaviors that underpin several psychiatric conditions. Understanding the neuronal circuits involved could illuminate vulnerabilities in disorders like substance use, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression.