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Subjectively, a person gets pleasure from symmetry, recognitions and repetitions.

Objectively, repetition of a stimulus activates the smiling muscles. Conclusion: the brain contains a system that has as input two representations that match or overlap, and has as output a (usually tiny) hedonic spurt.

Single neurons are known that fire when a stimulus is repeated. Locations are known that are active when the power spectrum of a signal changes. A simple direct theory suggests that repetition of a stimulus will produce a change in the power spectrum of the signal, viz. a shift of power from a lower frequency to a higher frequency. EEG records show that upon repetition of a stimulus extra power appears in the gamma range. In a task that involves matching, spatial analysis of EEG records show a location where power in the beta range diminishes and power in the gamma range increases. Possibility: when two representations match or overlap, a shift in the power spectrum at some location initiates activity that leads to a hedonic spurt.

Role of the pregenual anterior cingulated cortex: Regardless of mode, pleasant stimuli activate the pregenual ACC. Regardless of mode, familiar stimuli activate the pregenual ACC. The extra gamma-range power following a repetition has a source region that overlaps the pregenual ACC. Anhedonia = absence of response to pleasant stimuli; severity of anhedonia and current density magnitudes derived from EEG records correlated best in the pregenual ACC.

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