The Biological Side of Emotions

Scientific understanding of emotions is evolving. Emotions were once thought to be hardwired and linked to specific brain areas; however, research now shows that they involve complex networks. The brain’s “pleasure centers” and reward circuits, which involve the prefrontal cortex and dopamine pathways, play a crucial role in generating positive feelings. However, mood disorders are not solely due to chemical imbalances; thoughts and emotions influence these balances, and in some cases can cause or create imbalances.

Neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine influence how these networks function and how we perceive our emotions. Medicines that specifically affect these chemicals are helpful for many people, but other factors are also important. Chemicals like oxytocin (involved in social bonding and attachment), dopamine (which plays a role in attention and foraging), pheromones (involved in mating, territorialism, danger, and food), endocannabinoid (involved in the regulation of mood, appetite, immune response, pain, and inflammation) and cortisol (involved in fear and fight or flight) are also involved when emotions ramp up. Chemistry within the individual constantly changes, and issues can arise due to an imbalance of one or more of these chemicals. Dopamine, for example, activates the reward system and is associated with motivation, positive emotions, and foraging, but it is also associated with cravings in which people experience uncontrollable urges and engage in harmful behaviors like addictions or risk-taking. Other factors, such as diet, sleep, exercise, breathing, health, and genetics, also influence emotions, making these issues even more complex.

Emotions are more like reactive patterns than fixed physical or neurological conditions or specific states of being. They are like the meaning the conscious mind assigns to the reactions that occur as we naturally adapt to the events we experience. According to Dr. Barrett, they are like predictions made in the brain about what is or will likely happen. When specific emotions are repeated or practiced frequently, they can develop into a pattern that becomes a condition programmed by automatic reactions over time. The way we interpret or make sense of them cognitively influences how intensely we feel the emotion and how often it occurs.

Many emotional reactions are hardwired and passed down genetically, such as the baby who reacts to pleasant sounds, certain types of touch, or a smile, or exhibits adverse reflexive reactions to loud noises, high places, or certain facial expressions. As the brain develops, emotions become more complicated and nuanced.

Over time, our brain becomes a great predictor of future performance, a skill essential for survival. Emotions help us predict what is happening, what will happen, and how we think we should respond. These predictions are based on our memory of previous experiences, and their purpose is to help us make sense of our experiences and aid in our survival. The brain generates emotions as we cope with life experiences and try to predict or anticipate our needs, generating options in the process. This view suggests that we create our own emotions, but it also means we can change and create new or different emotions.