How does Brain work

How the Brain Responds to Antecedents

1. Normal Circumstances: Top-Down Processing

  • Sensory Information Flow:
    • Sensory data enters the thalamus, which relays it to cortical areas and limbic regions.
    • Information is processed based on past experiences and memories.
  • Prefrontal Cortex Role:
    • Regulates limbic responses.
    • Makes rational decisions, sending signals to the motor cortex and the body via the brainstem.
  • Characteristics:
    • Known as top-down processing or “the high road.”
    • Involves deliberate, rational, and conscious thought.
    • Examples: “Thinking slow” or System 2 Thinking (Kahneman, 2011).

2. Threat Response: Bottom-Up Processing

  • Immediate Signal to the Amygdala:
    • The thalamus bypasses the cortex, sending signals directly to the amygdala.
    • Triggers the release of stress hormones (epinephrine/adrenaline and cortisol).
  • Physiological Changes:
    • Adrenaline activates the sympathetic nervous system:
      • Increased heart rate.
      • Shallow breathing.
      • Muscle tension.
    • Cortisol (released by the pituitary gland):
      • Provides quick energy and suppresses inflammation.
      • Harmful if sustained long-term.
  • Fight-or-Flight Response:
    • Dual hormone release prepares the body for action.
  • Freeze Response:
    • When fight or flight is not feasible, the parasympathetic nervous system initiates:
      • Decreased heart rate and slowed breathing.
      • Physical shutdown as a survival mechanism (Porges, 2001).

3. Automatic Responses Under Stress

  • Compromised Prefrontal Cortex:
    • Stress bypasses the rational brain, favoring speed over conscious thought.
  • Characteristics of Bottom-Up Processing:
    • Known as “the low road,” System 1 Thinking, or “thinking fast” (Kahneman, 2011).
    • Instinctive and efficient but less rational.
  • Implications:
    • Startle responses are automatic and occur before conscious awareness.
    • Subcortical brain regions dominate when a perceived or actual threat arises.

4. Clinical Example: A Client Experiencing Panic Attacks

  • Background:
    • A client was mugged at night and now avoids similar situations (top-down cognitive strategies).
  • Current Symptoms:
    • Experiences racing heart, shallow breathing, and hypervigilance even when taking safety precautions.
  • Cause:
    • Bottom-up processing dominates, causing physiological and emotional responses independent of conscious thought.
  • Challenge:
    • Cognitive strategies alone (e.g., self-talk, planning) may not resolve the body’s automatic stress responses.

5. Neuroscience and Counseling

  • Brain’s Natural Functioning:
    • The brain prioritizes instinctive reactions over conscious thought in stress conditions.
  • Role of Counseling:
    • Helping clients break automatic cycles of response by integrating neuroscience into therapy.
    • Addressing implicit memory and emotional regulation alongside cognitive strategies.
  • Enhanced CBT Model:
    • Incorporates automatic responding and physiological processes into therapeutic interventions for better outcomes.

Sourced from: Field, Thomas & Beeson, Eric & Jones, Laura. (2015). The New ABCs: A Practitioner’s Guide to Neuroscience-Informed Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Journal of Mental Health Counseling. 37. 206-220. 10.17744/1040-2861-37.3.206. ChatGPT (2024). Summary of important points from “How the Brain Responds to Antecedents” provided in detail. OpenAI. Retrieved from interaction with AI using the prompt: “Summarize important points.”