ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the role of neurotransmitters in brain functioning. It presents the regions of the brain and the functions generally correlated with these regions. The chapter explores the common causes of brain dysfunction. The nervous system consists of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The PNS includes the nerve fibers that connect the CNS to the body. The amygdala plays a key role in emotional processing and responding, and informs the body's detection of threatening stimuli or engagement in a "fight-or-flight" reaction. The cingulate cortex is located above the corpus callosum and plays an important role in linking sensation, emotion, and action, including in relation to the formation of long-term memories for emotionally-significant events and dealing with uncertainty. The brain is protected from injury and illness by the cranium, meninges, cerebrospinal fluid, and the blood–brain barrier.
