Igniting Positive Emotions: The Prefrontal Cortex and Anterior Cingulate Cortex - Sense of Mind

In this video, I explore the neuroscience of positive emotions, the roles of the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, and science-based tools to enhance positivity, focus, and mindfulness.

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Discover how the left forebrain is associated with positive feelings and how the left prefrontal cortex (PFC), especially the left dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), springs into action during periods of happiness. Learn about the ways the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) influences your self-concept, life story, and social connections. Understand how brain structures like the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) play a role in positive emotions, attention, and effort evaluation.

The video also provides two evidence-based tools to enhance and increase positive emotions in your daily life. The first tool concerns dealing with failure, and it helps you develop a growth mindset to better handle setbacks and improve future performance. The second tool explains why focusing our attention is so important for overall happiness.

Don't forget to check out my other videos on the neuroscience of pleasure and the role of the pleasure cycle in happiness for more information:    • Happiness, Positive Psychology, and T...  

Chapters:
00:00 How does the brain create positive emotions?
00:47 The Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (dlPFC) and Positive Feelings
03:53 The Medial Prefrontal Cortex (MPFC) and default mode network (DMN) in positivity
05:19 Tool #1: Dealing With Failure - Use Your Words to Grow Your Mindset
07:25 The Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) in Positive Emotions
12:20 Tool #2: Engage With Life and Focus On The Good
15:38 Caveat and Main Source (Alexander, et al. 2021)
16:25 Summary

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References:
Alexander, R., Aragón, O. R., Bookwala, J., Cherbuin, N., Gatt, J. M., Kahrilas, I. J., ... & Styliadis, C. (2021). The neuroscience of positive emotions and affect: Implications for cultivating happiness and wellbeing. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 121, 220-249.

Guan, F., Xiang, Y., Chen, O., Wang, W., & Chen, J. (2018). Neural basis of dispositional awe. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 12, 209. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/...

Keltner, D. (2023). Awe: the new science of everyday wonder and how it can transform your life. https://amzn.to/46cBvpR (I get a commission every time you purchase a product through this affiliate link)

Wheeler, M. S., Arnkoff, D. B., & Glass, C. R. (2017). The neuroscience of mindfulness: How mindfulness alters the brain and facilitates emotion regulation. Mindfulness, 8, 1471-1487.

Marián, M., Szőllősi, Á., & Racsmány, M. (2018). Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex impairs long-term retention of reencountered memories. Cortex, 108, 80-91.

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