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- Glossary
Limbic system
The limbic system is a functional unit in the brain. It consists of interconnected structures, primarily in the cerebrum and diencephalon. The structures assigned to the system vary depending on the source, but the most important components are the hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate gyrus, septum, and mammillary bodies. The limbic system is involved in autonomic and visceral processes as well as in mechanisms of emotion, memory, and learning. Some authors mistakenly reduce the limbic system to the emotional world by referring to it as the "emotional brain."
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- Glossary
Medial temporal lobe
The medial part of the temporal lobe contains the hippocampus and a number of other anatomically related structures: the entorhinal, perirhinal, and parahippocampal cortex. Together, they enable us to consciously remember facts and events. This region of the brain is also important for the formation of long-term memory. Deep inside the medial temporal lobe is the amygdala, which is involved in emotion processing, emotional salience, and emotional reinforcement of memories.
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- Glossary
Mesolimbic pathway
A system of neurons that use dopamine as a neurotransmitter and play a crucial role in emotion, reward, and substance abuse. The cell bodies are located in the subtegmental area and extend to the amygdala, the hippocampus, and – most importantly – the nucleus accumbens, where they have their terminal buttons.
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- Glossary
Central nucleus
The nucleus centralis belongs to the centromedial nucleus group of the amygdala. It has connections to the hypothalamus and nuclei of the brain stem and is involved in autonomous emotional responses such as fear reactions.
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- Glossary
Cortical nucleus
The cortical nucleus is one of the cortical nuclei of the amygdala. It primarily receives olfactory information and projects to the hypothalamus, entorhinal cortex, and insula, among other areas.
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- Glossary
Parahippocampal cortex
The parahippocampal cortex is located next to the hippocampus and is part of the temporal lobe. It processes spatial-visual memory content and appears to be involved in the consolidation of memory content. It receives inputs from numerous polymodal cortical areas, and its outputs go to the hippocampus, amygdala, and striatum.
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- Glossary
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
Anatomically, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex belongs to the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex. In some patients with decision-making problems, neuroscientists find lesions in this region of the brain. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex also becomes active when we try to suppress negative emotions such as feelings of guilt. It receives signals from many other areas of the brain and innervates the amygdala, hypothalamus, and several areas of the cortex.
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- Think
- Emotions
Signals from Within
Emotions shape our lives. That's why we're so good at recognizing and empathizing with them.
18.12.2025
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Insular Lobe
Deeply hidden in the temporal lobe lies the insular cortex: ancient, versatile, and full of surprises.
08.07.2025
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- Think
- Emotions
The Roots of Emotions
Emotion scientists seek to identify the basic patterns of our feelings.
25.10.2025
