Given the complexity of the human body, it is no surprise that we are still making new discoveries about the different parts that make up it. cerebellum back of the brain.
Already known to be important for the proper control of our movements, this brain region also appears to play an important role in remembering positive and negative emotional experiences.
Emotional experiences of this kind are especially well remembered by the brain. Especially because remembering when we were in danger and when we thrived helps the species survive.
of Amygdala When Hippocampus The area of the brain thought to be most involved in consolidating these emotional memories, but the cerebellum already linked Fearing conditioning, the researchers behind the latest study wanted to see if it was also involved in recording emotional memories.
“The aim of this study was to investigate whether the cerebellum and cerebellar-cerebral connections are involved in the phenomenon of superior episodic memory for emotionally recalling visual information,” the researchers said. wrote in his thesis. published papers.
1,418 individuals underwent functional testing through brain scans. magnetic resonance imaging By performing (fMRI) scans and observing emotional images (positive, negative, and neutral images), we were able to establish that the cerebellum was indeed involved.
Participants in this study remembered positive and negative images much better than neutral images.
Additionally, researchers also observed a higher level of communication between the cerebellum and the brain. cerebrum, the largest part of the brain.The cerebellum received information from the brain anterior cingulate cortex (a key area for perceiving and evaluating emotions); and relayed information to the amygdala and hippocampus.
“These results indicate that the cerebellum is an integral component of networks that improve the storage of emotional information.” Neuroscientist Dominique de Quervain says Graduated from the University of Basel, Switzerland.
like new discoveries About neural circuits In our minds, these discoveries help show how circuits can be repaired when memories are not stored correctly, or when memories are too clearly engraved in our minds. It may help.
For example, painful or frightening experiences that come to mind too easily can lead to mental health issues. This is what new research could ultimately help.
“These findings expand our knowledge of the role of the cerebellum in complex cognitive and affective processes, including post-traumatic stress disorder and autism spectrum disorder,” write a researcher.
This research PNAS.
