Biology Content Flashcards
What makes up the motivational core?
ventral striatum (accumbens)
dorsal striatum
midbrain
amygdala
orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
What regions make up the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and are involved in self-comprehension and self-regulation?
medial prefrontal cortex
dorsolateral PFC
ventral striatum (accumbens)
the “southernmost” part of the striatum, responsible for impulsive actions leading to goals, feelings of attraction, desire, anticipation, craving, and some aspects of reward itself; fuelled by dopamine sent from the midbrain.
dorsal striatum
the “northern” part of the striatum, activated when goal-directed behaviours shift from impulsive to compulsive; central to stimulus-response learning; triggers actions that are automatic and difficult to turn off; also fuelled by dopamine.
midbrain
contains cells that send dopamine to diverse parts of the limbic system and cortex, including the striatum, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex
amygdala
a pair of small clusters, one on each side of the brain; acquires and maintains emotional associations, triggering the same emotion on subsequent occasions; focuses attention on the likely source of this emotion.
orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
bottom surface of the prefrontal cortex; closely connected to the amygdala and accumbens; uses signals from these regions to create context-specific interpretations of highly motivating situations; generates expectancies and helps initiate an appropriate response.
medial prefrontal cortex
inside surfaces (on both sides) of the PFC; crucial for self-awareness, identity development, and interpreting others’ thoughts and feelings.
dorsolateral PFC
outer/higher-up region of the PFC (on both sides); matures gradually with cognitive development; responsible for bringing memories to mind, sorting and comparing them, and using insight, judgement, and logic to fashion new perspectives, make decisions, and adjust previous decisions; I call this “the bridge of the ship.”
