Psychedelic Neuroanatomy IX: Limbic System, Stress, & Neuroinflammation (Brenna Bray, PhD, 2025)

Описание: I. Introduction to Psychedelic Science
This micro-lecture is part of Brenna Bray's Science of Psychedelics course (within the Neurobioloy of Psychedelics module). This specific micro-lecture provides an orientation to the limbic systme, focussing on its role in stress responses and regulation, emotion, memory, learning, and clinical mental health pathology an behaviors.

II. Overview of the Limbic System
The limbic system is associated with the mammalian brain.
It regulates emotions, memory, and the stress response.
Key regions include the amygdala and the hippocampus.
It also includes the ventral striatum and cingulate gyrus.

III. The Amygdala and Emotion
The amygdala manages decision making and emotional responses.
It is highly sensitive to threat and aversive experiences.
Acute stress can cause hyperactivity in the amygdala.
This hyperactivity is linked to anxiety and aggression.

IV. The Hippocampus and Memory
The hippocampus is critical for memory and navigation.
The dorsal side is associated with learning and memory.
The ventral side regulates neuroendocrine stress responses.
It has the highest expression of stress hormone receptors.

V. The Impact of Chronic Stress
Acute stress can actually promote learning and memory.
Chronic stress leads to cell death in the hippocampus.
It impairs the brain's ability to turn off the HPA axis.
Tissues become overexposed to cortisol and stress hormones.

VI. The Cingulate Gyrus and Corpus Callosum
The corpus callosum connects the left and right hemispheres.
It enables communication, coordination, and integration.
The cingulate gyrus sits just outside the corpus callosum.
The anterior part integrates cognition and emotion.
The posterior part regulates self-referential thought.

VII. Neuroinflammation and the Gut-Brain Axis
Neuroinflammation is integrally linked with chronic stress.
Microglia are immune cells in the body, brain, and gut.
Activated M1 microglia release pro-inflammatory cytokines.
These factors can cause damage and atrophy to brain cells.
About eighty percent of our immune system lives in our gut.

VIII. Psychedelic Impacts on the Limbic System
Psychedelics tend to modulate and reduce amygdala activity.
This reduction correlates with decreased fear and anxiety.
Psychedelics stimulate neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
They improve stress regulation and cognitive flexibility.
Many psychedelics have potent anti-inflammatory properties.

IX. Reward Pathways and the Ventral Striatum
The nucleus accumbens controls motivation and attention.
Serotonin psychedelics stimulate dopamine release here.
This release is responsible for feelings of reward.
Dissociative psychedelics like ketamine modulate glutamate.

X. The Entorhinal Cortex
This region acts as a cortico-hippocampal interface.
It relays information from the hippocampus to the cortex.
It helps maintain tonic inhibition of excitatory activity.
This stabilizes cell excitability and emotional resilience.

XI. About the Creator: Brenna Bray, PhD
Dr. Bray is a Scientific Researcher, Professor, & created this content.
Dr. Bray holds a PhD in Biomedical Science & Neuroscience.
She has postdoctorate training in Eating Disorders & Integrative Health.
Her research is NIH-funded (‪@NIHgov‬ ‪@NIDANIH‬ ‪@NIH_NCCIH‬).
Dr. Bray serves as a researcher; university professor; health, nutrition, & behavior change coach; & Founder, Director, and CEO of the NourishED Research Foundation (https://nourishedrfi.org).

XII. Additional Resource Support
See NourishED RFI's NotebookLM Resource Support Page.
https://notebooklm.google.com/noteboo...

XIII. Source
Bray, B. (2025). Limbic System Overview (35 min) [Video]. NourishED Research Foundation.

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