DSA Neurophys of Emotion

Question 1

What are the olfactory areas (para-olf) associated with in the limbic system?

Answer 1

emotion is strongly linked to olfaction (smell produces vivid memories)

Question 2

What part of the Thalamus is part of the Papez circuit?

Answer 2

Anterior Nucleus of the thalamus

-other Thalamic regions are involved in input and output of the limbic system

Question 3

What is the Hippocampus associated with?

Answer 3

the Papez circuit
-linking memory with emotion

Parahippocampal regions are correlated with surprise

Question 4

What part of the brain is related to the persistence of emotion lasting after an event has occurred?

Answer 4

Cingulate Cortex—- this is known as “after-discharge” where the neurons stay active
-sadness and higher level control

mostly consists of paleocortex (3 up to 6 layers)

Question 5

What are the Basal Ganglia tied to?

Answer 5

Pleasure and disgust

Question 6

Why might someone that cannot experience emotion also not be able to recognize the emotional status of others?

Answer 6

due to the Mirror Neuron System– when you do something and you see someone else do the same thing
imitation+imitative learning

Question 7

What are the 2 kinds of fear?

Answer 7

Innate (unconditioned)- no exp required, can be associated with olfaction in animals
-falling and loud noises

Learned (conditioned)- watching from someone else or from prev exp

Question 8

What are the two paths for learned fear?

Answer 8

Direct thalamoamygdaloid path: to the LATERAL amyg nucleus—rapid responses (initial)

Indirect thalamo-cortico-amygdaloid path: to the LATERAL amyg nucleus—later responses

Lateral nucleus of the Amygdala integrates the inputs that are received—-combined with the info from basal and intercalated nuclei—sent to Central nucleus of the Amygdala

Question 9

What decides what responses are required (the importance of learned fear information that is presented), and then plays an important role in generating a proper physiologic response?

Answer 9

Hypothalamus

Question 10

What process is similar to the fear path via the amygdala?

Answer 10

Anger/rage

-large difference= requires dopamine that acts on D2 receptors

Question 11

What 3 areas plays an important part in inhibiting anger?

Answer 11

Neocortex
Ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei
Septal nuclei

September is Never Very Hot

Question 12

What does the opposite of the pleasure/reward pathway?

Answer 12

Avoidance path– prevent long term negative consequence, even with a short term reward

Question 13

What 3 areas play an important part in Avoidance?

Answer 13

Lateral posterior hypothalamus
Dorsal midbrain
Entorhinal cortex

i’ll Do Ent. Later, probably

Question 14

What area plays a part in sadness and recalling sad events?

Answer 14

anterior Cingulate Cortex

Question 15

What areas are associated with the processing/recognition of social cues related to disgust?
What disease might damage this path?

Answer 15

Insular Cortex and Putamen

Huntington’s disease

Question 16

What is STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH surprise?

Answer 16

Parahippocampal gyrus—detecting new or unexpected events

Question 17

What structure is key in integrating visceral, attentional, and emotional input, as well as dealing with the ‘top-down’ control of emotion?

Answer 17

Cortical control via the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Ventral part= affective
Dorsal part= cognitive

Question 18

What are the two divisions of the Prefrontal cortex?

Answer 18

Dorsolateral: input from the motor areas (pre+supp motor cortex, and basal gang); the Cingulate cortex (performance monitoring); some cortical association areas

*Ventromedial: input from the Hippocampus, Amygdala, temporal visual association area, dorsolateral prefronal cortex

Question 19

What are the 3 main roles of cortical control for emotion?

Answer 19

Reward processing (orbitofrontal)—impulses

Integrating body signals (‘gut-feeling’)

Top-down regulation (esp with Delayed Gratification)