How does the limbic system help us understand what's good for us?

The limbic system in our brain plays a crucial role in determining what's good for us by controlling the release of four 'happy chemicals' when something good happens. This system helps us recognize and respond to positive stimuli, thus guiding our behavior towards actions that are beneficial for us. It's our limbic system that gives us a sense of satisfaction or pleasure when we do something that's good for us, thereby encouraging us to repeat that behavior.

Question was asked on:

The human brain has a great deal in common with the brains of other mammals. In all mammalian brains, the four happy chemicals are controlled by the limbic system, which releases neurochemicals when something good happens. The other key happiness-inducing part of the brain, the cortex, is much larger in human brains than in those of other mammals, and that difference allows us to regulate our limbic systems and train ourselves to create new neural pathways. "Your big cortex makes you different from other animals," Breuning writes. "You can keep building new neural pathways and thus keep fine-tuning your efforts to meet your needs. But man does not live by cortex alone. You need your limbic system to know what's good for you."

Asked on the following book summary:

resource preview

Habits of a Happy Brain

The key to sustained happiness is learning to form new pathways that will stimulate happy chemicals and create new good feelings. A person’s brain pro...

Download and customize hundreds of business templates for free

Preview

View all chevron_right