Brain Diagrams
Striatum⁴
"The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped part of the brain that works with you hippocampus to create long-term memories of specific, and often emotional, events (this is called episodic memory). It is particularly known for linking fear, aggression, and anxiety to knowledge of people or places: damage to the amygdala reduces aggression, but also makes it difficult for people to avoid painful or threatening situations. The amygdala creates these associations by changing the strength of connections between neurons, a process known as long-term potentiation. By hardwiring memories of emotional events, the amygdala ensures threats can be recognized and avoided in the future."²
"A cluster of neurons deep within the brain divided into ventral and dorsal regions. The ventral striatum consists of the nucleus accumbens and the olfactory tubercle, while the dorsal striatum consists of the caudate and putamen. The striatum is a part of the basal ganglia and is involved in reward processing."⁵
³
"The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has long been recognized as critically involved in cognitive control, including cognitive control over emotions. Recent studies suggest its specific involvement in overriding prepotent emotional biases, such as when delaying gratification or making utilitarian decisions in the context of moral dilemmas."⁷
⁶
"The corpus callosum is a major white matter tract in the brain that is frequently damaged in cases of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). It is an important pathway for communication between the two hemispheres of the brain and plays a crucial role in connecting various brain regions, including the cingulate cortex. Damage to the corpus callosum can lead to impairment in these communication pathways and affect cognitive functions."⁹
⁸
"The thalamus is a mass of neurons located in the center of the brain, underneath the cerebral cortex. It serves as a relay and modulation center for sensory and emotional information between the peripheral nervous system and the higher brain centers."¹¹
¹⁰
"This tiny area contains highly conserved neural circuitry that controls basic life functions: these include energy metabolism, from feeding through digestion, metabolic control, and energy expenditure; fluid and electrolyte balance, from drinking through fluid absorption and excretion; thermoregulation, from choice of environment through heat production and conservation, and fever responses; wake-sleep cycles and emergency responses to stressors in the environment; and reproduction, from reproductive hormone control through mating, pregnancy, birth, and suckling."¹³
¹²
¹⁴
"The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is a region of the brain that plays a crucial role in social and affective functions, as well as moral competency. It is involved in emotional regulation, decision-making, integration of cognition and affect recognition, encoding of emotional values, and processing of facial signals. It also contributes to risk evaluation, moral judgments, economic decisions, and inhibitory control over aggressive impulses. The proper development of this brain region is important for the acquisition and maturation of moral behavior."¹⁵