Research shows what happens to your brain when you watch a movie

In a major advance in neuroscience, researchers have developed a detailed functional map of the brain by studying brain activity in people watching movie clips. The study, conducted by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and published November 6 in Neuron, used fMRI scans to observe how different brain networks respond to different movie scenes. Clips from independent and popular Hollywood films, including Inception and The Social Network, were shown to participants, revealing how areas of the brain interact differently when processing scenes involving people, objects, dialogue and action.

Detailed insights into brain network functions

The study was published in Neuron. Dr. Reza Rajimehr, a neuroscientist and lead author from MIT, highlighted the study’s unique approach, noting how it highlights the brain’s organization in more realistic environments. Traditionally, research on brain function has relied on scans during resting states, limiting the understanding of how complex external stimuli influence brain activity. By analyzing responses to films, the study provides a broader picture of how specific networks are activated in response to diverse audiovisual elements.

Rajimehr and his team applied machine learning to data from the Human Connectome Project, which involved 176 participants who watched hour-long film compilations. They identified 24 different brain networks related to sensory or cognitive processing, such as recognizing faces, movements and social interactions. The activity varied depending on the content of the scene, especially when switching between simple dialogue and more ambiguous sequences.

Executive control in complex scenes

Specifically, the study identified how executive control regions – brain areas involved in planning and prioritizing information – became more active during scenes that required greater cognitive involvement. Simple scenes, such as clear conversations, saw increased language processing activity, while complex sequences activated executive domains to interpret context and semantic details.

The researchers suggested that future studies could examine individual variations in brain responses, taking into account factors such as age or mental health. Rajimehr suggested that the findings could open doors to mapping how specific film content, including social cues and narrative context, drives activity in different networks. This research provides an initial framework for deeper research into personalized brain mapping based on content-driven stimuli.