Psychiatria pre prax 1/2012

Dualistic neurobiological approaches to emotions and their overcome

Are our emotions just a matter of brain? Are affective processes generated in other areas of brain such as cognitive? What has brought more knowledge, psychological, or purely experimental approach to the emotions? Is limbic system a centre of emotions? Are emotions a reflection of the common functions of neuronal structures or arise in separate so-called emotional circuits? It seems, that these issues are not exclusive to ask, because there are no clear answers either. Review will focus on basic affective neuroscience dualistic conflicts, with important implications for psychiatry, as a science dealing directly with emotions.

Keywords: emotions, affects, affective neurosience, triune brain theory, limbic system, circumplex model.