Which Area of the Brain is Responsible for Pessimism?
Experts have identified the region of the brain that might be responsible for pessimism. The cause appears to be overstimulation of the caudate nucleus.
Most of us, at one
Which Area of the Brain is Responsible for Pessimism?
Experts have identified the region of the brain that might be responsible for pessimism. The cause appears to be overstimulation of the caudate nucleus.
Most of us, at one point or another, have felt or shown a pessimistic attitude. But what’s pessimism exactly? Is there an area of the brain responsible for pessimism? Pessimism is a mental attitude in which you anticipate an undesirable result stemming from a specific situation. Pessimists tend to focus on the negative aspects of particular situations. Sometimes, this extends to a negative perspective on life itself.
Many patients with psychological disorders such as anxiety or depression have such a mindset. They often commonly experience moods that lead them to focus on the possible roadblocks in a given situation more than the possible beneficial points of it.
A team of neuroscientists has identified a region of the brain that might be involved in this. They believe that this pessimistic mood stems from this area of the brain. The research studies suggest that overstimulation of the caudate nucleus may cause anxiety and depression.
Ann Graybiel is a professor at the MIT McGovern Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She directed a study that was published in the journal Neuron. This study examines the neurological foundations of pessimism in mice. She also found clues regarding anxiety and depression in humans.
Her findings might help scientists better understand how these disorders arise. In other words, they might discover some of the reasons behind some of the paralyzing effects of depression and anxiety. That could then lead them toward the development of new treatments.
The area of the brain responsible for pessimism
The researchers have shown that stimulating the caudate nucleus can create negative mood states. These can lead a person to make irrational decisions. According to the results of this study, stimulation of the caudate nucleus makes animals act differently. The animals place much more reasoning weight on the anticipated disadvantages of a situation. They do thi