The neural mechanisms involved in behavioral responses related to emotions

任何生物体最显著的特征之一是它对显著的刺激作出适当的行为反应的能力，从而最大限度地提高生存能力，最大限度地减少威胁或不愉快的事件。在哺乳动物中，情绪被认为是一种进化策略，用来检测环境的变化，指导适当的行为反应。情绪是由边缘系统中相互连接的大脑结构的复杂相互作用产生的。中叶背核（DRN）是大脑中主要的血清素能核，接收来自边缘系统不同核的信号，并通过在中枢神经系统的不同部位释放神经调节剂血清素（5-HT）来调节情绪和行为反应。实验结果表明，5-羟色胺对于处理厌恶信号很重要，而当厌恶的事情发生时，这些信号对于协调行为很重要。然而，5-HT控制情绪和行为的机制仍然是难以捉摸的。这可以通过具体测量和控制体内血清素能途径的技术困难来解释。

One of the most conspicuous characteristics of any organism is its ability to react to salient stimuli with an appropriate behavioral response that maximizes survival and minimizes threatening or unpleasant events. In mammals, emotions are considered as an evolutionary strategy to detect changes from the environment to direct proper behavioral responses. Emotions are generated by the complex interaction of interconnected brain structures part of the limbic system. The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), the main serotonergic nucleus of the brain, receives signals from different nuclei of the limbic system and in return regulates emotions and behavioral responses by releasing the neuromodulator serotonin (5-HT) in different parts of the central nervous system. Experimental results suggest that the 5-HT would be important to process aversive signals that are important to orchestrate behaviors when something aversive is expected. However, the mechanisms by which 5-HT controls emotions and behaviors is still elusive. This can be explained by the technical difficulties in specifically measuring and controlling serotonergic pathways in vivo.