Emotional Regulation

Neuronugget #4

The ability to regulate emotions improves with age, and this phenomenon is closely tied to the maturation of specific brain regions.

1. Emotion Regulation and Age:

   • Developmental studies consistently find that individuals become better at regulating their emotions as they age.

   • This improvement is associated with the recruitment of prefrontal brain regions involved in cognitive control and executive functioning.

2. Prefrontal Brain Regions:

   • The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a central role in emotion regulation.

   • Some studies suggest that younger children exhibit less PFC activity during executive function tasks compared to older individuals.

   • As the PFC matures, its activity becomes more robust, contributing to improved executive functioning.

3. Complex Patterns:

   • Interestingly, the relationship between age and PFC activity isn’t straightforward.

   • While some PFC regions show increasing activity with age, others exhibit decreasing activity.

   • One interpretation is that early in life, executive functioning is associated with diffuse PFC activity, while later development involves more focused and robust PFC activation.

The amygdala is a crucial brain region involved in processing emotions, particularly fear.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Main Function of the Amygdala:

   • The amygdala, shaped like a tiny almond, handles various emotions—primarily fear, anger, pleasure, and anxiety.

   • It alerts us when we’re unsafe or need to manage stress.

   • However, in trauma survivors, an overactive amygdala can contribute to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mood disorders like major depressive disorder.

2. Feelings Controlled by the Amygdala:

   • Anxiety, aggression, stress responses, and memories tied to emotions fall under its influence.

   • It activates the fight-or-flight response, shaping our reactions to potential threats.

   • Sometimes, an overactive amygdala triggers these responses even when we’re not in danger, leading to stress and exhaustion.

   • Additionally, it’s linked to flashbulb memories, vivid recollections of emotionally significant events or historical moments.

Neuroplasticity—the brain’s remarkable ability to change and adapt—plays a crucial role in reshaping the amygdala’s responses.

1. Amygdala Flexibility:

   • The amygdala, responsible for processing emotions, is not fixed. It can undergo changes due to neuroplasticity.

   • As we learn, experience, and adapt, the amygdala’s connections and responsiveness can alter.

2. Emotional Resilience and Control:

   • Neuroplastic changes in the amygdala enhance emotional resilience and control.

   • By rewiring neural circuits, the brain adapts to stressors, trauma, and emotional challenges.

So you need to create experiences that are not about fear, anxiety, and danger. Create ones of fun, laughter, connection and growth.

The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.