At any given moment, dozens of chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, are active. But there is no one “love” or “hate” chemical. Some of these neurotransmitters go between individual cells, while others are broadcast to entire brain regions. By layering signals on other signals, your brain can adjust your responses and can effectively alter your mood.
In the Museum exhibition Brain: The Inside Story, visitors can try out an interactive exhibit that illustrates how neurotransmitters work, find out the difference between our “lizard brain” and our “mammal brain,” and learn more about the emotional brain.
In the video below, exhibition co-curator Rob DeSalle talks about how the brain processes emotion. Brain: The Inside Story is open now through Sunday, August 14.