How the brain gets used to lying: From amygdala stress to habit

New Delhi: The first time Rohan lied to his wife, he called instead of meeting her, hiding his face. Her trust made the next lies come easier. Researchers say that shift has a neural basis.

Studies from University College London and Duke University show the amygdala signals distress during a first lie. With repetition, it adapts. The emotional alarm fades, making deception feel routine.Lying also taxes the brain. Sean Spence’s fMRI work found the prefrontal cortex juggles four tasks while lying — suppress truth, build a false story, check consistency, predict reaction — versus one for telling the truth.

That effort leaks into speech. A 2026 PubMed study found liars pause longer, with more silent gaps of 200 ms or more, even in low-stakes, planned lies.

We’re also wired to fall for certain lies. A 2026 ScienceDaily report says people are more likely to believe false claims about “gains,” especially from friends, as brain activity in listener and speaker syncs up.

Lying isn’t natural like hunger — it’s learned from adults, peers, and media. And while the amygdala may quiet down, the brain never lies effortlessly. The prefrontal cortex and other regions keep working overtime to maintain the story.