Flow is a state of full task engagement that is accompanied with low-levels of self-referential thinking. Flow is considered highly relevant for human performance and well-being and has, therefore, been studied extensively. Yet, the neurocognitive processes of flow remain largely unclear. In the present mini-review we focus on how the brain's locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system may be involved in a range of behavioral and subjective manifestations of flow. The LC-NE system regulates decisions regarding task engagement vs. disengagement. This is done via different modes of baseline and stimulus-evoked norepinephrine release. We emphasize the theoretical and empirical overlap between the LC-NE system and flow. For both, a match between a person's skill and task challenge is important in order to induce high levels task-related attention. Moreover, psychophysiological indicators of LC-NE system activity, such as eye pupil diameter and arousal are also sensitive to flow states. Flow is related to arousal in an inverted U-shape. Similarly, in theories on the LC-NE system, task engagement is highest with intermediate levels of arousal. We argue that knowledge about the role of the LC-NE system in establishing the flow experience may help to gain fundamental knowledge of flow and can contribute to unifying various empirical findings on this topic.

心流是一种全身心投入任务的状态，伴随着低水平的自我参照思维。心流被认为与人类表现和福祉高度相关，因此得到了广泛的研究。然而，心流的神经认知过程在很大程度上仍不清楚。在目前的小综述中，我们重点关注大脑的蓝斑-去甲肾上腺素（LC-NE）系统如何参与一系列行为和主观的心流表现。 LC-NE 系统调节有关任务投入与脱离的决策。这是通过不同的基线和刺激诱发的去甲肾上腺素释放模式来完成的。我们强调 LC-NE 系统和流程之间的理论和经验重叠。对于两者来说，为了引起高水平的任务相关注意力，一个人的技能和任务挑战之间的匹配非常重要。此外，LC-NE系统活动的心理生理指标，例如眼睛瞳孔直径和唤醒度也对血流状态敏感。心流与唤醒呈​​倒 U 形关系。同样，在 LC-NE 系统的理论中，中等唤醒水平的任务参与度最高。我们认为，了解 LC-NE 系统在建立心流体验中的作用可能有助于获得心流的基础知识，并有助于统一该主题的各种实证结果。