Emotion Control Theory and Brain Research

  As I have repeatedly mentioned, several brain functions participate in the establishment of emotional control. The regulation and reward systems are indispensable areas of our normal mental activities. It is especially important that there is a route of neural transmissions from the regulation system (frontal lobe) in the new brain to the reward system (nucleus accumbens) in the old brain. Why is this route so important? One reason is that this route forms "good experiences," which are necessary for healthy mental states.  For example, the motive system (the displeasing factors), activated by certain displeasing stimuli, has the ability to stimulate the aversion system (the object-defensive factors), the reward system (the self-defensive factors), or the regulation system (the regulatory factors). When the motive system is activated under the condition that the comfortable care for our preservation is simultaneously provided by the external world, the regulation system is also activated apart from the motive system. The motive system transmits the stimuli to the regulation system, and subsequently the regulation system  stimulates and excites the reward system in order to realize comfortableness of these neural transmissions. Afterwards, activations of the motive system and the regulation system are transmitted to the memory system; activation of the reward system is simultaneously transmitted to the memory system. Consequently, this train of experience of the displeasure-regulation system is stored in a set within the memory system. If the motive system is activated again, the memory system, which has already accumulated good experiences, develops the interlocking movements with the regulation system. From here, it is possible to induce stimuli from the motive system and to deal with these  stimuli. Of course, if the activated motive system is that of the self-displeasing factors, the regulation system prepares the object-regulatory factors in response to the self-displeasing factors, and if the activated motive system is that of the object-displeasing factors, the regulation system prepares the self-regulatory factors in response to the object-displeasing factors.


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Recycling function of the reward system

  The distinction between the normality and abnormality of the mind has its source in the difference between the route of neural transmissions constituting the displeasure regulation system (which includes the loop of forgiveness and the loop of help) and the displeasure-defense system (which includes the interlocking movements among the displeasing factors and pathological identification). Each of these two systems makes sequential use of the reward system. At first, the self-defensive factors (the punitive self and the ideal self) constituting the displeasure-defense system use the reward system. This is the "instinct of self-preservation" and "sexual drive." Both the displeasure- defense and reward systems belong to the old brain (animal brain). Next, the object-regulatory (the apologetic object and the idealized object) and self-regulatory factors (the rebellious self and the grandiose self), which constitute the displeasure-regulation system, also use the reward system. The displeasure-regulation system belongs to the new brain (human brain) centered on the frontal lobe. Access from the new brain to the old brain (nucleus accumbens within the reward system) is produced. In this way, receiving various inputs via neural transmissions from several areas activates the reward system, but the reward system itself cannot select this content. In other words, the quality of activation within the reward system by taking a drug is same as when someone is being supported and encouraged. Conversely, both the displeasure-regulation and displeasure-defense systems activate the memory system through other routes. Even if a similar quality of pleasure is obtained through the reward system, the content of neural transmission from the reward system to the memory system is chosen by the regulation and memory systems. Thus, the function of giving pleasure from the reward system to the object and self-regulatory factors is called the "recycling function."

  The recycling function of the reward system is not formed by differentiation within the reward system itself, but this function evolves into a course where the object and self-regulatory factors, which are newcomers, prevent a monopoly of the self-defensive factors to the reward system. This process likely evolved to prevent human extinction. Although the aversion system has been monopolized by the object-defensive factors, the regulatory and defensive factors use the reward system almost simultaneously. I have  already introduced the following route of neural transmissions: → grandiose self → weak self → ideal self. Within this route, the displeasure-regulation system and the displeasure-defense system simultaneously activate the reward system. This route's typical psychic phenomenon is "laughter." Laughter includes various kinds of psychodynamics beyond a discrimination between the normality and abnormality of the mind. They can include a  baby's smile or, empty laughter seen in schizophrenia. For babies and patients with schizophrenia, the emotional control system centering on the loop of help is not formed, but neurons that take charge of the grandiose self are arranged. Even if the loop of help is dysfunctional, the grandiose self is activated by input stimuli from the thinking system. Within any route of neural transmissions, whenever the grandiose self is activated, stimulus reaches the reward system. Moreover, the ideal self is activated alone, or it interlocks with the punitive self. Complicated circumstances caused by conditions related to the activation of the grandiose self and ideal self induce many kinds of laughter.


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Center of aggression and Center of fragility

  The motive system, which is the source of the displeasing factors, has the center of aggression standing in comparison to bad emotins. We can also argue that the center of fragility, standing in comparison to weak emotions, is present. Tracking changes of the emotion system, our maturation process from birth to childhood begins with the emotional expression of "crying." Some people grow up crying for one or two years after birth. A crybaby, no matter how severe, tends to calm down as he/she grows older. Next, the emotional expression of "getting angry" is observed. As an individual continues to age, it is thought he/she is more subject to anger than crying spells. According to this series of changes regarding emotional expression, we can consider that the center of fragility stands in comparison to weak emotions that lead crying. However,these weak emotions are regulated or defended in due course, and crying should calm down. If an individual's expression of crying is regulated, he/she will be able to adequately cry later. In contrast, if an individual's expression of crying is defended, it is possible that he/she  cannot cry, even under conditions when it would be natural to cry. As an individual continues to mature, he/she comes to avoid conditions that stimulate weak emotions. In other words, he/she shows behaviors related to escape and avoidance.

  Where is the center of fragility? I argue that the center of fragility is within the motive system, in which bad emotions dwell, or within the area called the aversion system. Since the aversion system is supposed to prevent a person from exposure to sadness, misery, etc., the aversion system might hide the center of fragility that stands in comparison to weak emotions. The regulation system dwells within a brain area apart from the motive and aversion systems. The motive and aversion systems lie near the reward system. It is possibly supposed that these systems easily activate the self-defensive unit (the self-displeasing and self-defensive factors) by using the reward system. These systems also make up the psychodynamics related to the instinct of self-preservation. The center of fragility is put aside as a person grows older; the center of fragility is then hard to identity. The presence of the center of fragility is not an unnatural supposition. Considering that the centers of aggression and fragility make up the psychodynamics mentioned above, the functional network of neural transmissions within the emotional brain can be made up by the following neural transmissions: defensive factor ⇔ displeasing factor → regulatory factor. This ia a basic pattern of a neural transmission within the emotional brain. Although it is natural for some people to disagree with me about this theme, detractors should not cease their viewpoint by only developing a functional neural network similar to mine. They should draw a steady methodology out of their neural network. (The center of aggression is within the amygdala. The center of fragility is likely located within the thalamus. The amygdala is part of the limbic system, while the thalamus is part of the diencephalon.)


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Causes and Results of mental disorders related to the brain

  A series of my studies is on the contents and routes of neural transmissions that cause mental disorders. All functional mental disorders are caused by abnormalities within the contents of neural transmissions. The contents of neural transmissions are introjected solely from our environment. As seeing stimulates the visual center and hearing stimulates the auditory center, so do the contents of fostering environments stimulate brain areas presiding over "pleasure" and "displeasure." The cerebral cells (neurons) corresponding to specific stimuli have already been stationed, and the routes of neural transmissions are prescribed by the contents of neural transmissions.

  Recent research has shown that mental disorders are caused by changes within the brain observed through functional neuroimaging and increases and decreases in neurotransmitters. Although these themes would have stayed within the spheres of a few researchers, the general public has recently taken interest in brain research. According to my studies, brain changes are not thecause but the result of several mental disorders. Let us take up, for example, causes of schizophrenia. Some researchers note changes within the brain appearing on MRI scans and insist that such changes cause schizophrenia. Another researcher may observe increases and decreases in neurotransmitters within certain brain areas and insist that they might cause schizophrenia. However, these are just results of the disorders; they do not necessarily speak to the cause behind the disorders. It is necessary to understand that widely known causes are but one stage of disorder formation. (Even if medication is taken for several mental symptoms, and the abnormalities among neuro-transmitters are dissolved, mental disorders cannot be cured insofar abnormalities within the contents and routes of neural transmissions remain behind the disorders.)

  The relations of causes and results of mental disorders are simplified in the following flowchart:

           Abnormalities within the contents of neural transmissions
          (Excessive stimulation to the displeasing and 

          defensive factors)

                                                     ↓
           Abnormalities within the routes of neural transmissions
          (Various routes of neural transmissions, which I 

           have identified)

                                                     ↓
           Abnormalities appearing on brain images and 

           abnormalities among neurotransmitters            

                                                     ↓
                                   Various mental symptoms
                                   (Various mental disorders)


                                                                            Brain Research

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