A group of interconnected brain structures involved in emotional processing, motivation, memory formation, and behavioral responses. The limbic system bridges basic survival functions with higher-order cognition. - Key Structures - [[Amygdala]] - emotion processing, fear conditioning, salience detection - [[Hippocampus]] - episodic memory formation, spatial navigation - [[Hypothalamus]] - autonomic and endocrine regulation, homeostasis - [[Cingulate Cortex]] - conflict monitoring, emotional regulation - [[Fornix]] - connects [[hippocampus]] to other limbic structures - Functions - Emotional processing and regulation - Memory formation and consolidation - Motivation and reward processing - Stress response and homeostasis - Social behavior and attachment - Network Interactions - [[Prefrontal Cortex]] - executive control and emotional regulation - [[Striatum]] - reward processing and habit formation - [[Brain Networks]] - integration with large-scale functional networks - Clinical Relevance - [[Trauma]] - dysregulation of limbic structures - [[Anxiety Disorders]] - hyperactivity in [[amygdala]] - [[Depression]] - altered hippocampal function - [[Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)|PTSD]] - impaired fear extinction and memory consolidation