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- Glossary
James-Lange theory
A theory of emotion developed by William James and (independently) Carl Lange in 1884, which assumes that emotions go through a kind of loop before they become conscious: the brain processes sensory signals, to which it responds by causing changes in the organism. It is only on the basis of these physical processes that the emotion becomes conscious. For example, the heart beats faster, which promotes the emotion of fear.
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- Glossary
Limbic cortex
The limbic cortex primarily comprises the cingulate gyrus and adjacent structures such as the entorhinal cortex. It is part of the limbic system, which also includes regions such as the hippocampus and the amygdala. The limbic system plays a central role in processing emotions, motivation, and instinctive behavior.
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- Glossary
Facial expressions
Five muscle groups control the visible movements on the surface of our faces – and this applies to everyone in the world. Neuroscientists emphasize universal, evolutionarily anchored reactions as the reason for this. For this reason, the basic emotions of fear, anger, disgust, sadness, surprise, and joy leave similar traces on the face everywhere, which we can usually identify reliably even in strangers.
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- Glossary
Medial nuclei
The medial thalamic nuclei, especially the mediodorsal nucleus, are located in the medial thalamus and are closely connected to the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. They are primarily responsible for higher cognitive functions such as planning, attention, and working memory, but are also involved in processing emotions and motivation. In addition, they integrate complex information from different areas of the brain.
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- Glossary
Paralimbic cortex
Collective term for all areas of the brain that are closely connected to the limbic system. Anatomically, the orbitofrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and insula belong to the paralimbic system, which plays a crucial role in mediating intense emotions. This is particularly true for feelings of fear. Neurologists often find abnormalities in the paralimbic system in the brains of psychopaths.
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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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- Topic
Heart
The heart and brain form a system. Neurocardiology studies this system.
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- Topic
Hearing
Neuroscientists are researching how the brain and the ear transform simple sound waves into fascinating worlds of acoustics.
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- News
- Question to the brain
What is transgenerational trauma?
How are traumas passed on to subsequent generations? What happens in the brain during this process?
12.05.2024
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- Percipience
- Smell & Taste
Neurogastronomy – the New Science of Taste
Neurogastronomy explores how the brain makes humans gourmets.
02.09.2025
