Fundamentals of Emotions
Emotions manifest themselves seemingly out of nothing if we look at them from an absent-minded or abstracted perspective!
Fundamentally the biology or several brain legions participate in the generation and in the process of emotions. The three of those brain legions are the most chargeable ones. The amygdala, the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. They are all closely connected and in communication.
The amygdala is the small subcortical structure that acts as a threat detector, on intuition, without reasoning. Before my mind registers the information from the surrounding, the amygdala gets it and acts based on it. Moreover the amygdala lines up emotions with specific memories. For that reason, certain memories induce strong emotions. At early stages of development, the amygdala is not that much active unless any childhood abuse or neglect occurs. Those early broken experiences activate amygdala prematurely. Paradoxically, early exposure to those sad experiences does not facilitate recognition and flee from those relationships when faced in adulthood. Conversely, the early activation of amygdala by early trauma and stress comes with excessive chronic stress later in life. On top of that there is a strong connection between emotional abuse and neglect, and alexithymia. The more emotional abuse, the less emotional awareness! The one may not self-identify as having been abused or may not even name current abuse and act on it (*). Here “the resiliency” which is the well known concept in psychology enters the scene. The wise “what does not kill me, makes me stronger” old saw may well not be that much wise.
The hippocampus encodes and consolidates emotional memories. It attaches emotions to the context. It helps us to remember when, what, where happened. It shapes our expectations according to set of circumstances which is good to some extent. I said “to some extent” because it is good to be alert if there is a possibility of a spot of bother and it is also good to be able to discriminate contextually the overlapping experiences and memories.
The prefrontal cortex, the substrate of highest cognitive functions! Although neurons of the prefrontal cortex are generated before birth, the differentiation of its neurons and development of synaptic connections in humans extend to the 3rd decade of life. The last region of the brain takes too long to gain full maturity (**). If we divide roughly the PFC into structurally and functionally different three subdomains, the lateral prefrontal cortex is mostly involved in language and emotional control. The medial and orbitofrontal cortex are highly involved in cognitive functioning and emotional control. As the PFC (prefrontal cortex) takes long time to mature, early chronic stress may be suspected to pose a remarkable risk for structural impairment and prefrontal dysfunction.
In short, the prefrontal cortex regulate, moderate, refine or domesticize the emotional responses. It evaluate emotional significance of a circumstance, takes into consideration potential outcomes and produces relevant, timely emotional responses.
Luckily the three of them; the prefrontal cortex, the amygdala and the hippocampus have reciprocal connections. Thanks to the prefrontal cortex, the human is not at the mercy of emotions. The PFC analyses the situation and informes amygdala to regulate the intensity of emotions or informes hippocampus to re-oriente the one to the time, place and the mise-en-scene.
And luckily our brain is plastic and moldable or workable. This is neurogenesis or nerve growth capability of our brains which may allow us to have more clearheaded, calm, cool lives if we make up our minds.
Then what facilitates neurogenesis?
Psychotherapy, exercise, diets high in Omega 3 and flavonoids, intermittent fasting, effortful learning which requires concentration in the present moment of experience over some extended period of time and many other things…dancing (***).
References:
*Rachel E. Goldsmith PhD & Jennifer J. Freyd PhD (2005) Awareness for Emotional Abuse, Journal of Emotional Abuse, 5:1, 95-123, DOI: 10.1300/J135v05n01_04
** Kolk, S.M., Rakic, P. Development of prefrontal cortex. Neuropsychopharmacol. 47, 41–57 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-021-01137-9
***Teixeira-Machado, L., Arida, R. M., & de Jesus Mari, J. (2019). Dance for neuroplasticity: A descriptive systematic review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 96, 232-240.