University of Washington School of Medicine/UW Medicine May 14 2025 A small cluster of cells deep within our brains, called the locus coeruleus, affects how awake and attentive we are, how we respond to stress, how we cope with anxiety and fear, and how we create memories and learn. The locus coeruleus, Latin for "blue spot," is also involved in a wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and Alzheimer's diseases.