The cognitive control network links up regions that coordinate our attention and concentration so that we can complete tasks. Key hubs in this network comprise brain areas inside the prefrontal cortex, which sits in the front of the brain the hippocampus the posterior cingulate cortex, which is the upper part of the limbic lobe and parietal regions, which sit behind the frontal lobe and are important for mental imagery. The autobiographic memory network processes information related to ourselves, including recalling personal memories and self-reflection. Two particular networks that stand out across numerous studies are the autobiographic memory network and cognitive control network. ![]() Researchers are increasingly looking towards newer networks to understand how the brain controls mood. In day-to-day life it’s controlled by some newer networks that co-ordinate how we think and act, so our behaviour is conducive to achieving longer-term goals, rather than always going wherever the mood takes us. The limbic system also regulates biological functions in line with our mood, such as accelerated heart rate and sweating triggered by feeling flustered.īeing so old, however, the limbic system is rather primitive. This may account for common features of the condition, such as vague or non-specific recall of personal memories. The hippocampus has been shown to be shrunken in people with chronic depression. If you feel crap, you may instead be drawn to that bar that spins melancholy albums by The Smiths. For instance, if you feel great you might like to walk down a path fringed with daffodils. The hippocampus, meanwhile, reminds us which courses of action are congruent with our mood. They became fearless, hypersexual and either devoid of emotion or irrationally aggressive.ĭubbed Kluver-Bucy Syndrome, it is rare in humans, but has been observed in people with amygdala damage incurred, for instance, after a bout of brain inflammation. It came to the attention of emotion researchers in 1939 when monkeys whose amygdalae were removed showed bizarre patterns of behaviour. The almond-shaped amygdala attaches emotional significance to events and memories. The limbic system sits under the cerebrum (the largest and newest part of the brain) and is made up of structures such as the hypothalamus, hippocampus and the amygdala. Brain regions receive these signals, which results in us recognising objects and situations, assigning them an emotional value to guide behaviour and making split-second risk/reward assessments. Neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are used as chemical messengers to send signals across the network. It’s a network of regions that work together to process and make sense of the world. ![]() The limbic system is the major primordial brain network underpinning mood. But, overall, the brain seems geared towards maintaining a mildly positive frame of mind.īeing in a good mood makes us more likely to seek new experiences, be creative, plan ahead, procreate and adapt to changing conditions. ![]() This is probably because mood is evolutionarily important.īeing glum can be advantageous and has been shown to sharpen our eye for detail, for instance. ![]() Many regions fundamental to mood are buried deep in the most primordial parts of the brain that is, they are thought to have been among the first to develop in the human species. But what role does the brain play in shaping our mood? The limbic system It is influenced by events in our lives, the amount of sleep we get, hormones, even the weather. Our mood is a transient frame of mind that influences how we think and view the world. At other times you might feel particularly gracious and sunny, for no reason at all. You know that comment the one that rarely makes you feel any more gracious towards the world (or the person saying it). “Somebody woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning.”
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