Category: brain
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THE PROFOUND IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE BRAIN: UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE STRAIN
Stress is an integral part of our lives, and while some level of stress can be beneficial, excessive and chronic stress can have a detrimental impact on our overall well-being, particularly on the brain. Recent scientific research has shed light on the profound effects of stress on the brain, unveiling a complex interplay between our…
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GOING INSIDE THE OCD BRAIN
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent intrusive thoughts that take the form of obsessions coupled with repetitive, often ritualistic, behaviors. Those behaviors are called compulsions, because the individual does not have the ability to choose not to perform the actions. Often they seem irrational and sometimes even disturbing to the person, but she is…
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DEBUNKING MYTHS ABOUT THE BRAIN
Reference: Feldman Barrett, L. (2020). Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain. Boston, MA: Mariner’s Books THE BRAIN IS NOT FOR THINKING “LEFT” BRAIN VS “RIGHT” BRAIN IS A METAPHOR THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A LIMBIC SYSTEM DEDICATED TO EMOTION PROCESSING
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THE PLEASURE CIRCUIT IN THE BRAIN
Find out how pleasure and other positive emotions arise in the brain. The reward systems of the brain are a group of brain structures that are activated whenever we experience something that brings pleasure, such as eating good food, sex, or using an addictive drug. It is important to note that these structures are actually…
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THE UNCONSCIOUS IN A FEW BULLET POINTS
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THE AMYGDALA: LINK WITH ANXIETY
The amygdala is an almond‐shaped structure (hence the name “amygdala, which means “almond” in Greek) that is buried deep within the temporal lobe. We actually have TWO amygdalae, one in each hemisphere, but we usually referred to them in the singular. Anatomically, it is not one single structure but a complex cluster of nuclei that…
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THREE BRAIN SYSTEMS
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A FEW FACTS ABOUT YOUR BRAIN
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DOES THE AMYGDALA ACTUALLY INHIBIT PANIC ATTACKS?
The amygdala triggers spontaneous “breathing pauses” as a response to an anxiety-provoking situation, but they don’t normally trigger panic attacks. However people with hypersensitivity to Co2 changes (such as panic disorder patients) tend to experience panic attacks when those pauses occur more frequently.
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WHAT PART OF THE BRAIN IS ACTIVATED DURING ANXIETY?
Anxiety activates different parts of the brain depending on whether it is anxious arousal or anxious apprehension.