The human brain's limbic system is responsible for controlling emotions. While scientists are not familiar with all the structures that it encompasses, some of the key parts of the limbic system include the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and limbic cortex.
What Makes Up the Limbic System?
The limbic system comprises different interconnected structures in the brain. It handles both emotional and behavioral responses.
Researchers have not reached a consensus regarding the full list of structures that the limbic system consists of. However, there are some brain regions that have been accepted to be part of this system.
The hippocampus, for example, aids in the retrieval and preservation of memories. It also has a crucial role when it comes to understanding the environment's spatial dimensions.
There is also the hypothalamus, which controls emotional responses. Aside from this, it also plays a role in hormone release, sexual responses, and body temperature regulation.
The amygdala helps with the coordination of responses to things within the environment, especially those that could lead to emotional responses. The amygdala also has a crucial role when it comes to anger and fear.
The limbic system also contains the limbic cortex, which comprises two structures known as the parahippocampal gyrus and the cingulate gyrus. These two parts work together to affect mood, judgment, and motivation.
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The Origins of Emotions
Happiness
Different emotions have different explanations and origins. Happiness, for one, generally refers to a state of satisfaction or well-being. Based on imaging studies, responses of happiness partially stem from the limbic cortex, while the precuneus also has a role to play. The latter has functions of memory retrieval, maintaining one's sense of self, and focusing attention as one moves through the environment.
Interestingly, a study from 2015 discovered that individuals with a larger volume of gray matter in their right precuneus reported feeling happier. Experts believe that this region could process data and turn it into happy emotions.
Love
While this may sound odd, romantic love's beginnings are typically linked to the stress response that the hypothalamus triggers. If one thinks about the anxiety or nervous excitement felt when falling in love with someone, this could make more sense.
As such feelings keep on growing, the hypothalamus enables the release of other hormones, including vasopressin, oxytocin, and dopamine.
Fear
When it comes to fear, responses to such emotions are typically generated by amygdala and hypothalamus stimulation. Fear is a crucial emotion that aids one in appropriately responding to threatening and potentially harmful situations. Because of the role of the amygdala, those who have brain damage that affects their amygdala may not always appropriately respond to dangerous situations.
The amygdala is what stimulates the hypothalamus. It then prompts a fight-or-flight response. Signals are sent by the hypothalamus to the adrenal glands for the production of hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline.
Anger
Similar to fear, anger is also an emotional response to environmental stressors or threats. It also begins with the stimulation of the hypothalamus, which is prompted by the amygdala. Some areas in the prefrontal cortex could also play a role.
People who have experienced brain damage in these regions may face issues with emotional control, especially when it comes to feelings of aggression and anger.
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