Our brain is one of the most wonderful structures of our body, the proof is that, while it is one of the most studied parts of the human body, much remains to be discovered about its functioning. that within it we have several systems that specialize in a part of the functioning of our body. One of the most important systems is known as the limbic system.
The first time we talked about the limbic system, although in a less conceptualized and more primitive way than we know today, is because Paul Broca named a region located near the pineal gland, or rather in limbo or margin, the region of the pineal gland. “big limbic wolf. ” Hence the logic of its name, because it is located in limbo or on the edge of other structures already known up to that point.
- But the limbic system.
- As we know it today.
- Was conceptualized by the physiologist MacLean in 1949.
- Who expanded the primary conceptualization of this system.
- Which Papez initiated in 1939.
- Giving his current name.
- MacLean decided to expand the number of structures that make up it.
- Because he considered that in our evolution.
- The development of the cerebral cortex was as important as the development of our emotional brain.
“Happiness is a mood activated by the limbic system. -Antonio Damasio-
Therefore, the limbic system is known as the emotional brain, but is the term emotional brain correct?Currently, what are the components of the limbic system ? is its operation so important?If you keep reading, you’ll find the answers to these questions!
The limbic system is composed of several brain structures interconnected with each other, making it difficult to accurately determine the structures that make up it and the specific function of each; However, studies more corroborated by scientists suggest that the structures that make up the limbic system limbic system and their respective functions are:
Located at the base of the brain, below the thalamus. Specifically, it is located in the central region of the third ventricle, or better, towards the center and in the inner part of our brain.
It is a small brain structure, but formed by several nuclei and fibers, which is fundamental to our survival, as it takes care of our autonomous nervous system and our endocrine system. In addition, it organizes the most important behaviors related to the survival of the species: combat, feeding, flight and reproduction.
One of the most important structures of the hypothalamus in the functioning of the limbic system is the body of the nipple. The nipple bodies are a profusion from the lower part of the brain to the posterior end of the hypothalamus. They contain several important hypothalamic nuclei and support impulses from the amygdala and hippocampus, as well as returning them to the thalamus, making them an important channel for receiving and transmitting information.
It is a structure of the forebrain, located in the temporal lobe, that has a characteristic “hippocampus” shape. It is one of the most ancestral areas of the human brain and, therefore, it is the main structure linked to the hypothalamus in the regulation of the base. processes of our survival.
On the other hand, the hippocampus is so important that without it we could not have an identity, because it is a fundamental area for the proper functioning of our memory, in particular the distant memory, which gives us the memory of everything that has happened. in the past and therefore partly characterizes our experience-based personality. The hippocampus is also a very important structure in the learning processes.
Compared to the limbic system, the hippocampus is primarily responsible for emotional memory, which means that every event we experience, feel and experience is filtered through the hippocampus, which, along with the hypothalamus, allows us to remember not only the experiences, but also how we feel about them.
The amygdala, or amygdalinoid complex, is located in the lateral ventricle of the temporal lobe, specifically inside the temporal lobe, that is, it is part of the so-called deep brain, in which basic emotions or survival instinct prevail. of three main nuclei: the basalated nuclei, the central core and the cortico-media nuclei.
Its main function is to integrate emotions into the corresponding response patterns at the physiological and behavioral level. Their connections produce an emotional reaction, but they also inhibit behavior due to their close connection to the frontal lobe, thus contributing to the well-known emotional deviation.
Within the limbic system, the amygdala is not only the captain of our emotions, but, combined with the hippocampus, also gives rise to emotional memories, but that is not all, with the hypothalamus filling our basic processes of emotional color, associating anxiety or negative emotions with food, sleep or sexual behavior.
It is an arc-shaped beam or assembly (axons) that connects the hippocampus with other regions of the brain, in the functioning of the limbic system highlights its connection with the bodies of the nipple and hippocampus, so this arc is primarily responsible for transmitting information between the main structures of the limbic system.
The limbic cortex is found in the medial temporal lobe of our brain, closely related to memory, especially with the consolidation and recovery of declarative memories of both episodic and semantic, in addition, like Fixix, is a way to connect information between different brain structures.
As we have said before, not all neurologists and neuropsychologists agree on the composition of the limbic system because of the complexity of its functioning, so some professionals, to explain its functioning, can also take into account the following structures:
For many authors this is a perfectly correct term since the main function of the limbic system, as we have seen, is emotional regulation; in fact, historically, the main function assigned to this system has covered only the management of emotions.
Today, however, the vision of this system is considered the very reductionist emotional brain, in fact, as we have seen, several functions associated with the different structures that make up it and their joint functioning have been discovered.
In addition, it is considered that this system is currently not only involved with emotions, but also has a vital importance for motivation, learning development and memory, so when thinking about the limbic system we must go beyond considering it as an emotional brain.
As we have seen, this system performs several functions, including those essential for survival, represented mainly by the hypothalamus, so without it we could not live. Here are some of the most curious diseases, which can occur if one of the structures that make up it is damaged:
These changes, among many others, show us the importance of the limbic system in different aspects of our behavior, from memory to functions as basic as hunger, making it a structure whose functioning is one of the most important of our brain.
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