Circuitos neuronales de la cognición

Major depression is associated with cognitive deficits, which affect executive functions, memory, attention and language. One of the current challenges of neuroscience is to understand the neurobiology of cognition. This article aims to review the available evidence on the neural circuits of the main cognitive functions from the perspective of both the neurotransmitter systems and the brain structures involved in each of the cognitive functions. Advances in neuroscience have determined that the human brain is constituted by overlapped circuits. It is essential to understand how different neurotransmitter systems interact to give rise to cognitive functioning in order to understand its complexity. The cognitive functions described in this article are learning and memory, executive functioning, attention and language, as these are the functions that are altered in major depression. Cognitive functions are based on the interaction of different brain regions involving distinct neurotransmitter systems. It is not located in specific regions but in an architectural organization. The distinct cognitive processes involve the participation of many different neurotransmitter systems in a variety of brain areas, and therefore, novel therapeutic strategies should take into account not only the altered neurotransmitter system but also unaltered systems.