The Neuroscience of Locking-In

This piece, by Mariano Frare-Finnerty, was published on 04/01/25. The original text, by van der Linden et al., was published by Frontiers in Psychology on 04/13/21.

"Locked in" is a popular term you probably heard your friend use to describe intense focus, whether cramming for a test or rushing to finish an assignment. Scientifically speaking, this state is what psychologists usually call "flow." The psychological concept of flow was first recognized by Mihaly Robert Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian-American psychologist. 

Csikszentmihalyi characterized "flow" as full-task engagement and low levels of self-referential thinking. Flow, or the "flow state," commonly referred to, is traditionally associated with athletes who seem to get in states of complete and utter concentration that block out everything else and remain focused on the task at hand. Flow is usually associated with athletes immersed in their performance, such as soccer players who are so focused that they don't have to think about their actions. 

This article sheds light on the idea that his mental state is linked to the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system. The locus coeruleus (LC) is located in the brainstem and produces norepinephrine (NE), which helps with attention, alertness, stress response, and memory. This system allows the brain to decide what to focus on by adjusting how strongly brain signals are processed, helping with attention and the ability to adapt one's thinking. The authors suggest that the brain state behind flow is linked to how the LC-NE system works when it's focused and engaged. This idea aligns with the belief that performance is best at a moderate level of arousal, such as when someone is not too bored or anxious. The authors propose that flow happens when norepinephrine (NE) levels are in the middle. This allows for intense, focused reactions to what's essential in the task and enables the brain to filter out distractions and stay motivated. 

When you're in a flow state, your brain turns down the Default Mode Network (DMN) activity, which is part of the brain linked to daydreaming, self-reflection, and mind wandering. While this happens, the Central Executive Network (CEN) becomes activated, the part of the brain that helps focus, decision-making, and goal-directed thinking. Therefore, the LC-NE is crucial as it helps switch the brain from DMN to CEN, making it easier to stay focused on the task and ignore distractions. The author's argument is backed by the findings of Mittner et al. (2016), who showed that the LC-NE system helps balance on-task vs. off-task thinking by controlling how active these networks are.

Aside from focus, the LC-NE system also affects motivation, as it helps the brain decide whether putting in the mental effort is worth it, depending on how complex the task is and what the reward may likely be. Thus, the flow state occurs when you put in a lot of effort, such as cramming to study for a test or giving your all during a game. Moreover, flow is more likely to occur when the task offers you good feedback, which keeps the LC-NE system focused and engaged, helping you stay motivated and absorbed.

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