cingulate gyrus function. cingulate gyrus

I call the anterior cingulate gyrus (AFCI) the brain shifter. This gyrus runs through the deep zones of the frontal lobes, at the junction of the hemispheres. PPP allows us to switch attention, be flexible, adaptable and change, adapt to the situation when necessary. If there is increased activity in this part of the brain, people tend to get hung up on something (more often on negative thoughts and negative behavior), they are prone to anxiety, lingering resentments and an oppositional, conflicting position. Excessive activity of PPPI is also associated with obsession, obsessive-compulsive states, which, in turn, is related to eating disorders, in particular anorexia. In addition, FPPI is involved in error detection and allows us to notice when something is wrong or out of place. If she's hyperactive, we tend to see too many problems, to make a molehill out of a fly. For example, some women experience low levels of serotonin during the premenstrual period, which increases the activity of PPPI, causing them to focus on what upsets them.

One of my acquaintances had a severely overexcited PCHPI. Rona noticed all the mistakes of her husband and children. And until we found a way to calm this part of the brain, nothing could make it happy.

Deep limbic system

Deep in the brain, the deep limbic system is directly related to a person's emotional state. If this area is moderately active, the person tends to be more positive and optimistic. When the limbic system is overexcited, negative moods can take over, motivation and inner drives decrease, self-esteem deteriorates, and feelings of guilt and helplessness increase. That is why such functional abnormalities in the functioning of the limbic brain are associated with emotional disorders.

Basal ganglia

Surrounded by the deep limbic system, the basal ganglia are involved in the integration of thoughts, feelings, and movements. This part of the brain is also involved in a person's level of anxiety. If the basal ganglia are overactive, the person tends to suffer from symptoms of anxiety and physical stress, such as headaches, abdominal pain, and muscle tension. Increased anxiety often creates conditions for overeating, especially cravings for sweet and starchy foods (i.e., from simple carbohydrates), which have a calming effect. A person will overeat to calm their fears or relieve tension. The basal ganglia are also associated with feelings of pleasure and ecstasy.

In the same area of the brain, cocaine "works", provoking the production of the hormone of interest and pleasure - dopamine. Cookies, cakes, and other sugar- and fat-filled treats also activate this area. Not for nothing, as I mentioned, sugar is more addictive than cocaine. Thus, a study conducted in 2007 by French scientists revealed the following. When rats were given the choice between cocaine and water sweetened with saccharin or sucrose, the vast majority (94%) preferred sugary drinks over cocaine. Even increasing the doses of cocaine could not tear the rats away from the sweet.

temporal lobes

The temporal lobes are associated with language skills, working memory, mood stability, and temper issues. This area of the brain is also involved in the process of identification (answers the question "What is it?"): The temporal lobes help us recognize things and phenomena and name them. Normal activity in this area usually results in mood stability and reserved behavior. Temporal lobe function problems often lead to memory impairment, mood instability, and irascibility.

parietal lobes

The parietal lobes are located in the upper back of the brain and are associated with sensory processing and sense of direction. They seem to answer the question "Where?" - help us to know where things are in space, in particular, to find the way to the kitchen at night in the dark. The parietal lobes are one of the first areas of the brain to be affected by Alzheimer's, which is why people with the disease often get lost. In addition, the parietal lobes are related to body denial syndrome (dysmorphophobia), such as anorexia (anorexics torture themselves with eating disorders and hunger because they consider themselves fat, even when they reach extreme malnutrition).

Occipital lobes

Located in the back of the brain, the occipital lobes are primarily associated with the process of vision - they are engaged in the analysis of visual information.

Cerebellum

Located in the lower part, behind the cerebral hemispheres, the cerebellum is responsible for physical coordination, coherence of thought and is involved in the speed of information processing. There are many connections between the cerebellum and the frontal cortex, leading scientists to believe that the cerebellum is also involved in judgment and impulse control. With problems with the cerebellum, people suffer from impaired physical coordination, slow thinking and learning difficulties. Alcohol has a direct toxic effect on this part of the brain, which is why drunk people have impaired balance and coordination of movements. Training the cerebellum through coordination exercises will simultaneously optimize the performance of the prefrontal cortex and will promote both judgment and physical dexterity.

Brain Systems Summary

Prefrontal cortex - judgment, foresight, planning and impulse control.

The anterior part of the cingulate gyrus - switching attention and identifying errors.

The deep limbic system is involved in the regulation of emotions and is involved in the formation of mood and attachment.

Basal ganglia - the integration of thoughts, feelings and movements, are also associated with the sensation of pleasure.

Temporal lobes - identification ("What is this?") as well as memory, mood stability, and temper issues.

Parietal lobes - sensory processing and sense of direction ("Where is it?").

Occipital lobes - vision and visual processing.

Cerebellum - coordination of movements and thoughts, speed of information processing and judgment.

General information about the 5 types of overeating identified by AMEN CLINICS

Answer the questions in the questionnaire in Appendix A to determine if you fall under any particular type or if you belong to several at the same time, which happens quite often. Based on your answers, you will be able to fine-tune this program to your individual needs in order to finally become leaner, smarter, and happier.

Today I want to tell you about an important part of our brain - the cingulate gyrus (cingular). The cingulate gyrus is the cortical part of the limbic system that runs along the lateral walls of the sulcus that separates the two hemispheres of the brain. Why is she important? The cingulate gyrus determines whether we start to act, violations in it cause obsessive thoughts, indecision and the inability to find a solution. How to pacify your cingulate gyrus - below in the article. How to solve problems with the cingulate gyrus, in the second part. Yes, I remind you that the recruitment for the group has begun

Deep in the central part of the brain, along the frontal lobes, runs the cingulate gyrus. This is the part of the brain that allows you to shift your attention from one object to another, switch from one thought to another, see different solutions. It is believed that it is responsible for the feeling of security. In my opinion, the functions of this area of \u200b\u200bthe brain can most accurately be expressed term "cognitive flexibility".

Cognitive flexibility determines the ability of a person to go where everyone is, to adapt to changes, to successfully solve new problems. There are often situations in life that require cognitive flexibility. For example, you come to a new job, and you need to get used to the new system of completing tasks. If you did something differently at your previous job, then in order to succeed in a new place, it is important to understand how to restructure in order to please the new bosses and adapt to the new system. As students transition from elementary to middle school, they need the cognitive flexibility to do well in school. Instead of one teacher, different teachers begin to teach different subjects. Students have to study, adjusting to the style of each of the teachers. Flexibility is also needed in relationships between friends. What works well with one friend may not work well with another.

Dealing well with change- one of the main conditions for personal, social and professional growth. And in this, a belt system can become a great help, or an obstacle. When it functions correctly, we are better able to follow daily circumstances. When its activity is reduced or, conversely, increased, cognitive flexibility is impaired.

In addition to switching attention, this area of the brain is also responsible for the ability to cooperate. With its effective work, it is easy for us to switch to cooperation mode. For those who have impaired function in this part of the brain, it is difficult to switch attention, and then they begin to behave in an inefficient way.

The belt system is involved in the process of thinking, "looking into the future", for example, in planning and setting goals. With the normal functioning of this part of the brain, it is easier for us to plan and set reasonable goals for ourselves. In case of violations of her work, a person is inclined to see danger where there is none, to wait for an unfavorable outcome of situations and to feel very vulnerable in this world.

To be able to adapt, it is important to be able to recognize existing options. In my profession, doctors who have the ability to adapt, readily apply new ideas and technologies (after the scientific base is formed under them), they can offer new and interesting methods of treatment to their patients. Physicians with lumbar dysfunction (there were many of them among those I scanned) are unresponsive, work as they have always done, and are authoritarian ("If you want me to treat you, do as I say"). The ability to see options and new ideas keeps one's own development from being delayed and depression and hostility from developing.

The cingulate system of the brain enables us to shift our attention from one object to another, from one thought to another, and from one problem to another problem. When the functions of the cingulate system are disturbed, we begin to fixate on negative thoughts or actions; it becomes difficult for us to find ways out of situations.

Belt gyrus:

- compares how it was and how it is, detecting contradictions in information about the stimulus, takes into account information received from the senses, stores in memory intended goals, as well as skills previously acquired to achieve them, etc., adapts standard behavior to familiar and not too new situations.

- hyperactive in anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder [tendency to repetitive or ritual actions to get rid of anxiety], may be overactive in bipolar disorder [manic or alternating manic and depressive episodes];

- deactivated with panic fear, when it is weakened, there is not enough motivation for action. In severe cases, he becomes easily distracted and lethargic.

- anterior cingulate: behavior control (toggles)

- the back evaluates where you are and what you are doing

- activated by sensory information and the lower part of the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex (error detection circuit), goes off scale during possession

- in the absence of switching, the basal ganglia are overexcited, stress is triggered, a “black hole” appears in the inner life

- negative spiral and overload of the frontal lobes (their overexcitation). Shifting sands of trying to deal rationally with anxiety.

What is this department responsible for?

So, for example, he:

1. Shifts the focus of attention from one object to another.

2. Provides cognitive flexibility (we can explore the world from different angles and change the angle of view on it, put ourselves in the place of another).

3. Responsible for adaptability. Those. the world has changed and we must change, shift priorities, interests, etc.

4. Provides transition from idea to idea.

5. Allows you to see different, often alternative possibilities.

6. Gives the ability to adapt to society, keep up with it, or return to oneself, one's interests.

7. Gives the opportunity to cooperate with other people, to use the possibilities of the environment.

8. Provides future-oriented thinking. Those. this is not only some separate picture from the future, issued by the frontal cortex, it is a kind of stream of images that replaces one another and creates a timeline of the future.

In fact, it is the brain's gearbox that helps you switch from one brain mode to another.

Problems with violations of the belt system:

anxiety;

constant return to past grievances;

intrusive thoughts (obsessions);

obsessive behavior (compulsion);

oppositional behavior;

desire for controversy;

inability to cooperate; the desire to automatically say "no";

the formation of addictions (alcohol, drugs, eating disorders);

chronic pain;

lack of cognitive flexibility;

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD);

OCD spectral disorders;

eating disorders;

extreme aggressive driving.

With violations of the belt system, a person tends to "go in cycles", constantly returning to the same thought. They constantly remember past grievances and traumas, being unable to “let go” of them. They may fixate on negative behaviors and develop compulsive behaviors (such as constantly washing their hands or trying to check the locks on doors). An overactive cingulate gyrus often results from a lack of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which causes people to get stuck on certain thoughts and ideas. This "stuck" is usually accompanied by anxiety, gloominess, emotional rigidity and irritability. Sometimes it is inherited, but the manifestations can vary. For example, in a father or mother, hyperactivity of the cingulate gyrus is accompanied by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior (constant washing of hands, checking something, counting), and in a daughter or son with the same problems of the cingulate gyrus, oppositional behavior will appear (any question or sentence is answered by "No").

One patient with impaired lumbar function described his condition as follows: "It's like a squirrel on a wheel when thoughts come back again, and again, and again." Another patient put it differently: “It's like a button to restart a program all the time. Even if I don't want to think that thought anymore, it still comes back."

We will dwell on the clinical conditions associated with disruption of the functioning of this area of the brain. And now I would like to talk about, as I call them, subclinical conditions caused by a malfunction of the cingulate system. Subclinical conditions are not expressed to the same extent as full-fledged disorders, but at the same time they may well worsen the quality of life. Anxiety, the constant memory of past hurts, lack of cognitive flexibility and rigidity may not be the reason for a visit to a psychotherapist, but nevertheless paint your life in gloomy tones. You can do without it.

People with problems in the cingulate gyrus often experience:

1. Anxiety. They cannot build themselves a clear vision of the future, they cannot adapt to those around them, and they are afraid of getting into a mess in communication.

2. They keep various psychological traumas in themselves for a very long time, because they cannot switch to a future perspective and see ways to improve their condition.

3. Due to the complexity of switching mental processes, they often have obsessions.

4. They often show oppositional behavior due to the inability to switch and look at the situation from the side of the interlocutor.

5. Difficulties with the cooperation of their actions with the actions of others.

6. Difficulties with changing the nature and sequence of activities. He used to drink tea with bergamot every morning. No tea - a person has a disaster. He breaks up the whole day and because of this he has a panic.

7. Persistent unchanging attachment to places, times, things and people. On the one hand, there is nothing wrong with this. Attachment and constancy are very good feelings in themselves. It begins to have a negative effect on a person if something changes, but he cannot change. He cannot part with old things, continues to be faithful to people who offend and insult him. Not that it's such a twisted love or that he's afraid of being alone. He's really sick, but he can't switch.

The main pathology caused by the lumbar gyrus is obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is then that the gearbox does not work, a person gets stuck in some particular state, lifestyle, needs and cannot adapt to change. So, even a slight movement of things in the room of an obsessive person can cause him to panic. He doesn't know how to live with it. The current theory suggests that in this case, the impulse begins to rush around in the lumbar gyrus in a circle, like a caged animal, and the brain cannot get rid of it.

The ability to learn from mistakes: to try, not to worry.

When we make a mistake, our brain responds in two ways. The first response occurs in anterior cingulate cortex, or cingulate cortex(anterior cingulate cortex), - in the area that controls attention, monitors behavior and a sense of satisfaction from the reward. For any failure within 50 milliseconds, a characteristic signal comes to the EEG from there. The second signal, which does not have a clear localization, on the contrary, is “positive”: it serves as a sign that the error has been “noted”. This is a signal of an increase in experience, which comes with a big delay, within 100–500 ms. Preliminary studies have established that training is the more effective, the stronger the negative signal and the more stable the positive signal: on the one hand, a person experiences great inconvenience from his mistake, and on the other hand, he carefully comprehends this mistake.

The experiment revealed two types of subjects. The first is characterized by a rigid, fixed mindset: such people, having made a mistake, are more likely to admit that they simply have not been given talent than to try to take into account the mistake and sit down again at the task. The second type, on the contrary, is characterized by a mobile ("growing") mental structure: people of this warehouse perceive an error as an occasion to expand their horizons. They believe that it is possible to cope with everything: there would be time, strength and desire.

This purely psychological division was reflected in the results of the described experiment. Volunteers belonging to the second type coped better with the task: after each mistake, their attention sharpened, and they followed the letters with special care. At the same time, their positive signal turned out to be more pronounced: they paid maximum attention and effort to comprehending the mistake they had made. In those with more fluid mindsets, the peak of positive signal activity after an error was 15 times higher than usual, versus only a fivefold increase in the first type of subjects. Moreover, the increase in this signal clearly correlated with accuracy in subsequent testing. The more the brain thought about where it went wrong, the easier it was for it to avoid mistakes in the future.

In fact, these two personality models are not innate, but acquired. Classical experiments have shown that if a child is praised for his quick wit or for his giftedness in general, his mental patterns will soon freeze, and the individual will take on only those tasks that he can solve for the rest of his life. Indeed, the easiest way to get praise is if you perform the same successful trick over and over again. And vice versa: if a child is encouraged for attempts, even unsuccessful ones, he will have a more mobile, courageous and decisive mind. Such a person will be able to study all his life, and it will be interesting for him to study.

Anxiety (driving on the handbrake).

If the activity of the cingulate gyrus is high, then a random thought cannot fade away, but endlessly spins in the head, annoying us.

Despite the fact that we all get anxious sometimes (in certain doses, excitement is necessary, as it makes us work or study better), people with increased function of the cingulate system worry constantly, and chronic anxiety becomes part of them. Their anxiety can take on such proportions that they can sometimes inflict psychological and even physical harm on themselves. Returning to their minds again and again, disturbing thoughts can cause tension, stress, stomach pains, headaches and irritability. Constant worry out loud begins to annoy others, people begin to pay less attention, and he himself becomes less restrained.

At one appointment, an old friend, also a doctor, complained to me that his wife was "constantly worried." “She worries about the whole family,” he said. “It pisses me off and the kids. The constant worry seems to have led to her having chronic headaches and being irritable all the time. How can I help her relax so that she no longer worries over trifles? I have known his wife for a very long time. Even though she never had clinical depression, nor any symptoms that would suggest she had panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder, I knew that anxiety was very common in her. Some of her family members, whom she told me about several times, had clinical disorders (alcoholism, drug addiction, compulsive behavior) associated with the cingulate system.

If a person holds on tightly to the memory of old grievances and traumas, he can thereby create serious problems in his life. Among my patients was a woman who was very offended by her husband. During a trip to Hawaii, on the beach in Waikiki, her husband allowed himself to glimpse one of the women dressed in a very revealing swimsuit. This pissed off the wife. She thought he cheated on her with his eyes. Her anger ruined their whole trip, and she herself constantly reminded him of this incident for many years.

Lack of cognitive flexibility

Lack of cognitive flexibility, in other words, the inability to deal with the ups and downs of everyday life, is the root cause of most of the problems associated with the belt system. Kimmy, my friend's six-year-old daughter, is a classic example of cognitive inflexibility. Their mother asked her older sister to dress Kimmy to go visit. The older sister chose a T-shirt and trousers for her. Kimmy complained that the T-shirt and pants looked "stupid". She said the same about other clothes that her sister chose for her, rejecting three more “ensembles”. Kimmy herself expressed a desire to wear a light summer dress. It was February and it was cold outside. Demanding that she be allowed to have her own way, Kimmy began to sob. She did not agree to any other options. As soon as she decided that she wanted to wear a summer dress, she could no longer switch from this desire.

In counseling couples over the years, I have often heard of another example of cognitive rigidity: the need to do something right now. Not in five minutes, but right now! This scenario occurs quite often: a wife asks her husband to get some clothes out of the dryer, and put clothes from the washing machine into the dryer. He replies that he will do it in a couple of minutes - just watch the end of the basketball game on TV. She gets angry and demands that he do it now. A scandal begins. She cannot calm down until her husband fulfills her request. It seems to him that she rudely invades his space, pushes him around and generally humiliates him. The need to do this now can cause serious discord in the relationship. Of course, if earlier her husband had already promised her his help, but did not keep his word, then in this case her desire is understandable for him to do it right away.

Symptoms of problems (a person is "fixated"):

In everyday life, we encounter a huge number of examples of lack of cognitive flexibility. Here is a short list:

eating certain foods and refusing to try new ones;

the desire to ensure that objects in the room are in strictly defined places;

the desire to make love all the time according to a single scenario (or generally refusing to have sex because of the disorder associated with it);

severe frustration if plans for the evening changed at the last moment;

the desire to act in a very specific way at work, even if it is not in the interests of the company (for example, not being flexible enough to satisfy the request of an important client);

the desire to force family members to do housework in a strictly defined way (this often repels them, discouraging all desire to help).

Such cognitive inflexibility can gradually destroy happiness, joy, and close relationships.

Automatic "no"

Many people with an overactive cingulum fixate on the word "no" because they find it difficult to shift their attention. One gets the impression that the first word they utter is always “no”, and they don’t even think about how beneficial this “no” is to them? One of my patients told me about his father. Whatever request he made to his father (for example, to let him take the car), he always automatically answered “no”. All the children in the family knew that if they wanted something, then his first response would still be refusal. Then, after a week or two, he will think and maybe change his mind. But his first answer was always “No!”.

Amen: I had several employees with undeniable violations in the belt system. Very often they were uncooperative and looked for ways not to do what they were asked to do. They often argued and instead of completing the task, they explained why it was impossible to complete it.

Checking the status of the belt system

This is a list of symptoms that may indicate a dysfunction of the lumbar system. Read it and evaluate the state of yours or that of the person you are evaluating. To do this, use the given scoring system and put down the appropriate score for each of the items on the list. If a score of 3 or 4 had to be set on at least five points, then it is likely that there are some violations in the work of the belt system.

0 = never
1 = rare
2 = sometimes
3 = often
4 = very often

1. Excessive or groundless unrest.

2. You lose your temper if things don't turn out the way you would like.

3. You lose your temper if things are out of place.

4. Tendency to disputes or negativism.

5. Tendency to intrusive negative thoughts.

6. Tendency to compulsive actions.

7. Acute rejection of change.

8. Tendency to remember grievances.

9. Difficulties with switching attention from one object to another.

10. Difficulties with switching from one activity to another.

11. Low ability to see solutions.

12. The tendency to persist and not listen to the opinions of others.

13. Tendency to fixate on a certain action, regardless of whether it is right or wrong.

14. You get very upset if something is not done the way it should be.

15. Others notice that you are too nervous.

16. The tendency to answer the question with the word "no", without thinking about the question.

17. Tendency to expect the worst.

Sources

1. Amen "Brain and Soul", an excellent book.

2. http://gutta-honey.livejournal.com/321095.html

Anterior cingulate and basal ganglia

Two interconnected areas of the brain that help a person find his place, relax and look at things broadly are the anterior cingulate gyrus, which runs deep in the frontal lobes, and the basal ganglia, large nuclear structures deep inside the brain. These two areas are responsible for switching attention and perception. I call them speed shifters because they are the ones that modify behavior, allowing you to be flexible, adaptable, and accept the coming changes.

These areas of the brain are involved in switching attention from object to object, from idea to idea, and the ability to see different options.

In this chapter, we explore the functions and problems associated with the functioning of the anterior cingulate gyrus and the basal ganglia as they relate to our daily activities and spiritual and emotional growth. We will look at how these areas of the brain influence flexibility and adaptability in behavior, a sense of connection with others, and emotional and spiritual openness. Difficulties in the work of these structures make people rigid and fixated on certain ideas.

The ability to switch attention in time simplifies life and ensures a smooth transition to a new model of thinking and behavior. If attention gets stuck on negative thoughts, on feelings of pain from the past, on anger and resentment, then emotional or spiritual growth stops. The ability to switch and the flexibility of thinking help to adapt to new situations. Humans have survived as a species precisely because of adaptability. Over time, human beings have adapted to various changes in climate, nutrition, social structure, population density. Those who did not know how to adapt did not survive. In everyday life, there are many situations where flexibility is vital. For example, to get along with a new person: a roommate in a hostel, a husband or wife, or with a whole barracks of colleagues. This requires the ability to take into account the interests and position of another person.

Insisting that things go your way and failing to accept the other person's needs or wants causes serious relationship problems. Similarly, working in a new team requires increased adaptability. You have to master new activities and get along with colleagues of different character, get along with the new boss.

The ability to cooperate (in church, at work, in a sports team) is also involved in the functions of the brain regions under consideration. When the anterior cingulate and the basal ganglia are working effectively, it's easy for you to get into a collaborative spirit. To stay healthy, we need to let other people into our lives. Human beings are a very special species, cooperation only strengthens the emotional and spiritual bonds between us.

The tendency to constant disagreement and conflict are the features of people with poor performance of the "gearbox". Increased activity in the cingulate gyrus and basal ganglia is most often caused by a lack of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which normally contributes to switching attention. This leads to rigid, contradictory, quarrelsome behavior. Such people are also often offended, envy and hostility.

Hank, 48, has been angry with God since childhood. His mother died in an accident when he was 8 years old. He prayed that God would bring her back, but when that didn't happen, he decided never to talk to the Lord again. Hank was sent to me by a family counselor because of excessive jealousy and vindictiveness. As soon as Hank told me about his 40 year old promise never to talk to God, I knew something was wrong with his "gearbox", which was later confirmed with a SPECT scan. Balancing the brain helped Hank a lot. He became more flexible, began to show more attention to his wife, stopped murmuring against God, and returned to church.

Jenny, 7 years old, was brought to the clinic by her parents. They could not cope with the irritability, anxiety and obsessive thoughts of the girl. To conduct a tomography, it was required to make an intravenous injection. When my lab assistant tried to perform this procedure, Jenny screamed, “No, I won't let you do this,” and she screamed not once, but repeated the phrase 500 times. The more she repeated the same sentence over and over again, the better we understood what part of her brain was wrong - the one associated with switching difficulties and repetitive behaviors. Conducted after many efforts and persuasion, tomography confirmed our suspicions - overexcitation in the basal ganglia and cingulate gyrus.

I prescribed her a natural antidepressant, St. John's wort, which helps calm the overactive cingulate gyrus and basal ganglia. After a few weeks, Jenny began to behave better, she was more willing to play with other children and cooperate with adults. Her temper softened. It became easier for her to find a common language with other people.

The anterior cingulate and the basal ganglia are also involved in planning and goal setting. When the brain works harmoniously, a person is able to intelligently plan the future. With weak activity, there may not be enough energy to build reasonable plans.

With excessive activity, people make too many plans, worry too much about them, become too serious and one-sided about invented goals. The difficulty in the work of the discussed areas of the brain is associated with a person’s tendency to predict various troubles ahead and, in general, consider the world to be hostile.

Ten-year-old Joshua's basal ganglia and cingulate gyrus were also "overheated." He was constantly afraid of something: that he himself would die, his parents or friends would die. Because of his fears, he stopped going to school. When the parents brought the boy to the clinic, the doctors could not find much stress in his past. However, Joshua's family had members with anxiety disorders. Joshua's SPECT scan showed clear hyperactivity in the cingulate gyrus and basal ganglia. After treatment with a drug that enhances the effects of serotonin, his fears left him, and the boy was able to return to school.

I believe that the anterior cingulate cortex is the part of the brain that allows people to experience spiritual growth firsthand and see different choices in different situations.

Thriving people or organizations are always able to adapt to change. Among the best priests and religious leaders I have met, adaptability was a prominent personality trait. On the other hand, people with abnormal basal ganglia and cingulate function are often fixated on outdated patterns of interaction. Among the priests, these are the same types who say: "Believe my every word or leave the church." At the other end of the spectrum are individuals who are able to explore new paths and come up with new ideas.

Hyperactivity of the cingulate gyrus and basal ganglia is associated with: anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, eating disorders, addiction and behavioral abnormalities in children. People with these disorders are vindictive and remember all past grievances, causing pain to their loved ones.

Often they get stuck in negative behavior patterns or fall into compulsive disorders, such as washing their hands too much or constantly checking the locks. One patient described her problem to me as "running on a wheel, in which thoughts repeat themselves over and over again."

Another patient said: "It's like the reset button on the computer is constantly pressed, even if I don't want to think about something, the thought keeps coming back." All such violations are associated with difficulties in switching attention.

There are many subclinical features associated with disorders of these brain regions. The term "subclinical" means that the intensity of the problem does not lead to a serious disorder like OCD, but creates difficulties in the person's life: anxiety, vindictiveness, automatic denial (always says "no") and refusal to try something new or to recognize the right to exist otherwise another person's opinions.

Cognitive inflexibility is at the root of most of these problems. It is she who causes religious and marital wars.

People with such problems always adhere to the position "I'm right, but you're wrong", "Let's do it my way!", "There are no other ways of action than the one I propose." This type of thinking is characteristic of religious fundamentalists and fanatics.

From the book Biorhythms. Or how to be happy. author Kvyatkovsky Oleg Vadimovich

Part 2. Chapter 16. Introduction to the 2nd part The first part of the book ends with chapter 15, so I will continue the numbering of the chapters of the second part of the book from the number 16 (in order to preserve the unity of the book, different parts of which were written at different times). We already know how biorhythms affect

From the book People who play games [Psychology of human destiny] author Bern Eric

E. Front and Back Rooms Something completely different can happen in the "front" and "back" rooms, as the following anecdote illustrates. Cassandra was the daughter of a priest; she dressed sloppily, but bizarrely erotic, and her life was distinguished by the same properties:

by Amen Daniel

Chapter 5 Fear and Anxiety Basal Ganglia Functions of the basal ganglia: Integrate sensation and motor functions; Regulate fine motor skills; Suppress unwanted motor activity, determine the basic level of anxiety; Increase motivation; Participate in