EMOTIONAL NEUROSCIENCE

Emotional Neuroscience

While examining the relationship between the brain and emotions, emotional neuroscience focuses on the formation, development, and effects of emotions, the nervous mechanisms, which are the main components of emotions, the causes, and consequences of these mechanisms on human and animal behavior, with the disciplines of psychology, neuroscience, and biology. In this direction, the basis of emotions, their neural substrates, and their effects on our behavior are examined.

NERVOUS BASIS OF EMOTIONS
Emotional neuroscience studies the areas of the brain involved in emotional processing. At this point, the amygdala is of great importance. The amygdala is primarily responsible for detecting stimuli on the basis of emotional importance, with fear and threat elements. However, the Prefrontal Cortex, which is responsible for higher cognitive functions, is responsible for emotion regulation and evaluation. Emotional experiences occur as a result of the interactions of the responsible regions in the brain.

NERVOUS PROCESSES OF EMOTIONAL REACTIONS
In emotional responses, neurotransmitters (especially serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline) and hormones are of great importance in terms of the intensity of the responses. In addition, the hormones Cortisol and Oxytocin take part in stress responses. Neurotransmitters and hormones are components of fundamental factors in understanding complex interactions, in emotional neuroscience, and in generating emotional responses in this context.

DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF EMOTIONS
Emotional Development is defined as the development of the skills to understand, experience, express and manage emotions. In addition to early experiences and environmental factors, genetics also influence it. Thus, it can be seen that the interaction between Emotional Neuroscience and Emotional Development is a result of the interaction between upbringing and genetics.

EMOTION REGULATION SKILL
The goal of emotion regulation is to achieve emotional stability and resilience. Emotion regulation examines how a person controls, regulates and directs emotional responses in cognitive processes (eg, attentional control and reappraisal).

ANIMAL EMOTIONS
Emotional neuroscience examines not only the monopoly of emotions, but also the evolutionary development of emotions, the comparison of human-animal emotional development processes, the universal base of emotions, and the diversity of emotions, with great emphasis on animal emotions.

METHODOLOGY
In Emotional Neuroscience examinations, neural activities are observed and measured with methods such as fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and EEG (electroencephalography).