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- Glossary
Microexpressions
Microexpressions are facial expressions that last only a fraction of a second. They cannot be consciously controlled and are rarely consciously perceived by others.
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- Glossary
Emotions
Neuroscientists understand "emotions" to be complex response patterns that include experiential, physiological, and behavioral components. They arise in response to personally relevant or significant events and generate a willingness to act, through which the individual attempts to deal with the situation. Emotions typically occur with subjective experience (feeling), but differ from pure feeling in that they involve conscious or implicit engagement with the environment. Emotions arise in the limbic system, among other places, which is a phylogenetically ancient part of the brain. Psychologist Paul Ekman has defined six cross-cultural basic emotions that are reflected in characteristic facial expressions: joy, anger, fear, surprise, sadness, and disgust.
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- Glossary
Apraxia
Difficulty performing a purposeful movement, such as grasping a glass or cutting with scissors. Depending on the form of apraxia, speech or facial expressions may also be affected. The cause is not muscle weakness or paralysis, but damage to one or more areas of the brain, e.g., as a result of a stroke. In other cases, however, it is congenital.
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- Topic
Emotions
Feelings give spice to our lives and influence many of our decisions – whether we want them to or not.
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- Glossary
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurological disorders, caused by the death of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to a neurotransmitter imbalance in the basal ganglia. Symptoms usually begin late in life with mild tremors (resting tremor), increasing stiffness of the limbs, and slowed voluntary movements (bradykinesia). Later, postural instability, balance disorders, and difficulty walking occur. Other typical features include rigid facial expressions (hypomimia), a shuffling gait, and muscle stiffness (rigor). The disease is incurable, but its symptoms can be treated with medication (e.g., L-dopa, dopamine agonists) or surgery involving deep brain stimulation (brain pacemaker).
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- Think
- Emotions
The Fear Circuit
Fear arises thanks to lightning-fast mechanisms – that do not always react correctly.
11.09.2025
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- News from the Institutes
Thirst and hunger neurons
New research shines light on how the brain interprets nutritional and hydration needs and turns them into action
31.03.2025
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- Act
- Motor Skills
Man on the Move
Even simple movements require complex interaction between the brain, spinal cord, and muscles.
01.12.2025
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Frontal Lobe
Motor skills and executive functions – the frontal lobe is the largest brain structure.
28.10.2024
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Cingulate Gyrus
When paying attention, experiencing pain, or feeling emotions, the cingulate gyrus on the inside of the cortex becomes active.
22.09.2023
