The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind

by John Coates

The brain stem, often called the reptile brain, controls automatic processes such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. The cerebellum stores physical skills and fast behavioral reactions; it also contributes to dexterity, balance and coordination. The hypothalamus controls hormones and coordinates electrical and chemical elements of homeostasis. The amygdala processes information for emotional meaning. The neocortex, the most recently evolved layer of the brain, processes discursive thought, planning and voluntary movement. The insula (located on the far side and near the top of the illuminated brain regions) gathers information from the body and assembles it into a sense of our embodied existence.