Thinking makes tired, now it is scientifically established. Neuroscientist Maarten Boksem discovered which mechanism is responsible for mental fatigue: our dopamine system.What is Mental Fatigue?‘When doing a task we like dopamine is released in our brain. This is the fuel for the anterior singular cortex, a little brain area that is responsible for control processes. When at a certain moment the brain struggles to concentrate on one task, the dopamine level drops and so the activity of the anterior singular cortex. That is what humans feel as “I’m tired”’.Dopamine isn’t that the reward substance?‘Indeed, if dopamine drops, your brain tells you the “reward” is not in balance with the task. Some individuals will make more mistakes, other just work slower. In both cases, the work is adapted to the reward’.Without dopamine, no good work.‘For a moment you can, put yourself over that fatigue, but people that ignore these fatigue signals, structurally could risk a chronicle shortage of dopamine. With potentially some nasty consequences. A dopamine shortage is seen a one of the potential explanations for chronical fatigue and burn out. Promotion Rijksuniversiteit of Groningen, the Netherlands, February 2006 

Comment:  How can we make sure our audiences in meetings are not in danger of dopamine shortage? Do we need to ad more fun? Check their happiness using audience response systems? ask our audiences more what they want to do so we can make sure they have fun in doing it? In any case, as with most articles quoted in this section it is clear that Neurology should be part of any meeting planners curriculum.