Mind
Mind, according to modern neuroscience, is not separable from the brain. It represents higher functions of human’s central nervous system, meaning not just perception, decisions making, judgment and memory, but also personality and thoughts.
According to different philosophical theories mind is the manifestation of the soul and spirit, and it can be viewed as a “driver” of the body. Very often using the term mind we mean self-awareness, thinking, and consciousness. Sigmund Freud in his approach to psychology placed mind into unconscious work of one’s brain, which can be reached by means of psychoanalysis.
Numerous neurobiological studies prove that the process of learning and memorizing stimulate the growth of cerebral neuron connections in specific brain areas, which is crucial for the good memory. Developing of such connections can be controlled by one’s willpower, which is actually an electro-chemical exchange process that can be observed during the brain neuro-imaging procedure, called functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI and positron emission tomography (PET).
Modern advanced research on connections between brain cells helped to make use of new pharmacological chemical treatments of some mental disorders. Moreover, the future findings in molecular biology and genetics may even better explain neuronal functions of the brain and develop higher potential in improving various mental and physical conditions. There is a possibility that the mind functioning under certain mental condition may be responsible for developing different emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression.
