Researchers in Chile conducted an experiment on 60 men aged between 20 and 45, all fans of the Colo-Colo and Universidad de Chile clubs, to monitor blood flow in their brains while watching highlights of their favorite teams' matches, including goals from the opposing team and goals from neutral teams.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed that brain activity changes within seconds: when a favorite team scores a goal, the brain's reward center is activated, releasing chemicals like dopamine, creating feelings of pleasure and motivation. Conversely, when the team loses, the "reasoning network," responsible for thinking and reflection, is activated, helping the brain to process the event and cope with the effects of the loss.
Lead researcher Francisco Zamorano Mendieta noted that neural activity is highest when goals are scored against direct rival teams, and that the effect is strongest among die-hard fans, who may exhibit extreme behavior in dramatic moments.
He added that the loss may inhibit cognitive control mechanisms in the brain, by inhibiting the axis that connects the limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, with the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making and regulating behavior, thus increasing the likelihood of engaging in aggressive or destructive behaviors.
The researchers asserted that studying the brains of football fans provides a reliable model for studying social identity and the emotional impact of competition, with the potential for these neural mechanisms to extend to political and sectarian conflicts.
The study results were published in the journal Radiology.