2- Brain Areas involved in Emotional Processing and their Function Flashcards
4 key brain areas in emotion
- Insula
- Hypothalamus
- Amygdala
- Prefrontal cortex
What did Papez propose in 1937?
The circuit connecting the hippocampus and thalamus was the neural basis for emotional experiences
What did Papez say the role of the thalamus is?
Receiving sensory input to send it out to sensory cortices
Why does the thalamus communicate with the hypothalamus in the Papez circuit?
The hypothalamus is the output brain which implements the body’s response
How did MacLean modify the Papez circuit?
To include the amygdala
How did MacLean’s modification of the Papez circuit change how we think about brain regions in emotion?
Some regions (eg. the hippocampus) are not primarily involved in emotion
What do brain scanning studies show about the brain in emotions?
Show that many brain regions are implicated in emotions
How is brain specialisation affected in emotional processing?
Most regions respond to a range of emotions, but no brain regions are specialised for a single emotion
2 main areas included in the emotional network
Subcortical and cortical areas
3 areas in the subcortical emotional network
Insula, amygdala, hypothalamus
1 area in the cortical emotional network
Prefrontal cortex
3 things the anterior insula is activated by
- Viewing a disgusted facial expression
- Smelling a disgusted odour
- Other negative stimuli
How does the insula seem to be unusually specialised?
For disgust
What does insula damage cause?
Failure to experience/recognise disgust
How is the communicative function of emotion underlined?
Similar brain systems are activated by both viewing and feeling an emotion
What is insula activity linked to as well as disgust?
Sensing body sensations
What is created by insula electrical stimulation?
Feelings of nausea
What is experienced by people with higher awareness of body states?
More insula activity and higher emotional intensity
What theory does the insula link to?
The James-Lange Peripheral Feedback Theory
How does the insula seem to be activated?
By emotional stimuli in general
What 3 things is the amygdala connected to?
Hypothalamus, insula and prefrontal cortex
How is the amygdala activated?
By emotional stimuli
What is amygdala activation strongest for?
Fear and anger
Why may the amygdala be most activated for fear and anger?
May be because they are very arousing emotions and activate the fight-or-flight response
What is the amygdala particularly involved in?
Negative emotions
What did Sabatinelli et al find?
Greater amygdala activity when people with a snake phobia view pictures of snakes
What 3 effects are associated with amygdala lesions?
- Worse at recognising negative emotional facial expression
- Show less intense negative emotions
- Show less emotional arousal
How does the amygdala trigger the ‘fight-or-flight’ response?
Sending signals to the hypothalamus
Why is the hypothalamus important?
For autonomic nervous system activation
How did Bard discover ‘sham rage’?
Removed the cortex in cats but not the hypothalamus
What is ‘sham rage’?
Severe aggressive responses that is not directed at targets
What happens when the hypothalamus is also removed?
The aggression response disappears- no sham rage
What 2 things did sham rage conclude?
The hypothalamus is critical for aggressive expressions, and the cortex inhibits and directs aggression
How is sham rage characterised?
By undirected emotional expression without the cerebral cortex
When is sham rage abolished?
When the hypothalamus and the brainstem are disconnected
How is the prefrontal cortex involved in emotional regulation?
Stops us from behaving inappropriately
When is the lateral prefrontal cortex activated?
When reappraising
What does reappraisal reduce?
Self-reported arousal ratings and amygdala activity
Why does the prefrontal cortex inhibit the amygdala?
Dense interconnections between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala
What is caused by damage to the prefrontal regions?
Emotional expression inhibited/inappropriate
What can the PFC do to amygdala activity?
Dampen it
Why is the PFC important?
For emotional regulation
