The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is sometimes called the brain's "decision center." Although it's true that the PFC plays an important role in simulating, predicting, and planning, it is deeply linked with emotional processing. We'll unpack the notions of "decision-making" and "executive function" and learn about how emotional processes shape our choices and behaviors.

In week six, we wrap up the series with a discussion of neuroplasticity and the interconnectedness of brain functions—how perception, cognition, and emotion work together. We read excerpts from Victoria Pitts-Taylor’s The Brain’s Body: Neuroscience and Corporeal Politics and Luiz’s Pessoa’s The Entangled Brain.