This part of the brain is the driving force behind aggressive behavior (sorry, Raiders fans, I’m still looking at you). It works closely with the prefrontal cortex, which is why we see overlap in how they both regulate impulse control. The dysregulated locus coeruleus releases too much noradrenaline (the brain’s version of adrenaline) and can result in increased anxiety, arousal, and aggression. It can also seriously mess with your sleep-wake cycles by overloading your system with hormones that tell it to remain vigilant because (hello!) a bear is in your cave.
