ABSTRACT
Every action taken and every decision made, including financial decisions, originates in the brain. Neuroscience examines the structure and function of the brain. Neuroeconomics is a subcategory of neuroscience that analyzes the structure and function of the brain during financial and economic decision making. The limbic system is the complex system of nerves and networks that are involved in motivation, emotion, learning, and memory. The cingulate gyrus processes conscious emotional experience and behavior regulation, while the hippocampus is associated with memory, especially long-term memory. The fornix connects parts of the limbic system. Neurotransmitters are chemicals released by neurons (the nerve cells) to transmit messages between neurons. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that activates the ventral tegmental area when a person does anything that may provide pleasure or pain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in appetite, emotion, and cognitive and autonomic functions.
