What Do the Basal Ganglia Do? Dr. Amen Explains Their Roles

A blue glowing brain

What do the basal ganglia do? What roles do they play when it comes to your emotions, decisions, and learning? Whether you’ve ever heard of them or not, your basal ganglia make a big difference in your life. In his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, psychiatrist and brain health expert Daniel G. Amen explains how important this system in your brain is. Read more to learn what the basal ganglia do.

How to Stop Feeling Nervous: Tackling Basal Ganglia Dysfunction

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Do you experience unwarranted or excessive nervousness? Do you bite your nails or have other compulsive habits? Psychiatrist and brain health expert Daniel G. Amen argues that basal ganglia dysfunction might be to blame if you’re nervous or worried much of the time. He discusses the symptoms and shares several treatments that could calm your nerves. Keep reading to learn how to stop feeling nervous by addressing basal ganglia dysfunction.

Influence Perception (and Stop Trying to Change Reality)

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How important is it to understand how people see things? How might you shape the way people see things? In Alchemy, Rory Sutherland discusses the importance of understanding human perception and the functions that psychological biases serve. He also explains how meaning and language are vital tools for influencing perception to a positive advantage. Read more to learn why you should stop trying to change reality and instead seek to influence others’ perceptions of reality.

Limbic System Dysfunction: Symptoms & Remedies (Dr. Amen)

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Do you feel more guilty than you probably should? Do you have trouble sleeping? Is it hard for you to concentrate? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you might suffer from limbic system dysfunction. In his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, psychiatrist and brain health expert Daniel G. Amen lays out the common symptoms and provides several recommendations to restore your system to health. Continue reading to learn about symptoms of—and repairs for—limbic system dysfunction.

Examples of the Lover Archetype: Fueled by Emotion

A couple having a romantic picnic on the beach.

What is Carl Jung’s Lover archetype, and what does it look like? What are some examples of this part of the psyche? Examples of the Lover archetype include seeking a sense of purpose, being fueled by emotion, and in imbalanced cases, hedonism. Like all parts of the psyche, balance is key to healthy expression. See what the Lover looks like in action in healthy and unhealthy examples.

The Limitations of Logic: How It Fails to Decode Human Behavior

A Logic Limit Ahead road sign in front of mountains

In what disciplines does logic come up short? When does unreason triumph over logic? To be clear, Rory Sutherland doesn’t attack logic as a tool for scientific understanding, but he warns against using pure rationalism as the only method for guiding policy and business decisions. Humans are illogical beings, so any solution to human-centered problems must factor unreason into the equation. Continue reading to understand the limitations of logic.

Prefrontal Cortex Dysfunction Symptoms & Remedies (Dr. Amen)

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Would you like to be more organized? Are you easily distracted? How can listening to Mozart help? Your prefrontal cortex oversees your executive function. If it’s not hitting on all cylinders, you could experience difficulty with focus, directions, emotions, learning, managing daily life, and more. Dr. Daniel G. Amen discusses ways to identify and address prefrontal cortex dysfunction. Read more to learn about the symptoms of—and treatments for—prefrontal cortex dysfunction.