Lately, I've been so fascinated with the biology of cognition. Some of us feel our way through our days. Others, painstakingly plot and plan every move and every choice. But most of us, live somewhere between these two mentalities. Biologically these two ways of thinking are controlled by two very different parts of the brain. Our behavior is indeed affected by our feelings which are a direct product of which part of the brain is being activated.
In our medial temporal lobe (base of the brain towards the back) lies the amygdala, a small group of nuclei shaped kind of like an almond. The amygdala (see pic) deals with feelings and emotional impulses. Painful memories, fears, and trauma is created and stored in this area, imprinted in the how synapses react. For someone who is anxious, depressed, or overly emotional, activity in the amygdala increases. Once this part of the brain is activated one can only respond emotionally because all the amygdala can do is feel. This is where many people lose hope. Since all of the activity is taking place in this area, one's reasoning, perspective, and grasp of reality is completely tainted with powerful emotions and fears.
Conversely, the orbitofrontal cortex, or OFC (which lies behind the eyes) is the part of the brain that reasons and rationalizes, regulating our emotions and impulses. When a tragedy or trauma occurs our initial reaction is from our OFC, however if one is too used to dwelling in their amygdala we respond with emotion instead of reason, often worsening the situation at hand. Anyway, the most interesting and inspiring thing I've found out is that we have the power to choose which part of the brain to utilize. The dichotomy between raw emotions (amygdala) and comprehension/understanding (OFC) reflects our own patterns of behavior. We truly have the power to control how we feel, and that's an assuring notion indeed.
