Fear and Emotions Flashcards
Does anatomical similarity of these brains suggest that behaviors that emerge in these species are also similar?
Yes.
If we study very simple behaviors, like physiological responses made by individual neurons, then brain-based behaviors of invertebrates look very similar to humans, suggesting that from ancient time, such basic behaviors have been conserved in the brains of many simple animal forms and in fact are the foundation of more complex behaviors in animals that evolved later
An example of how human neurons exhibit more intricate complexity than other animals
Neuronal processes (dendrites) in humans have many more branch points, branches, and spines.
What are the 2 forces behind the evolution of cognitive refinement according to Darwin?
natural and sexual selection
The average human brain weighs what?
1,400 grams
What are cerebral hemispheres?
The brain divided down the middle lengthwise into two halves
Each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is divided into what and by what?
Divided into four lobes by various sulci and gyri
What are sulci?
The grooves that can be seen on the surface of the brain
What are gyri?
The bumps that can be seen on the surface of the brain
Purpose of sulci and gyri?
Increases the amount of cerebral cortex that can fit in the skill (900,
What are the 4 major lobes in the cotex?
Frontal Lobe
Parietal Lobe
Temporal Lobe
Occipital Lobe
Where is the frontal lobe located and what is it concerned with?
Located in the front of the central sulcus
Concerned with aspects of speech (Broca’s area), movement (motor and premotor cortex), cognitive control of behavior, attention,
planning and control of memory (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), and emotion and motivation,
social behavior, (ventral [AKA orbitofrontal] and medial cortex)
Where is the parietal lobe located and what is it concerned with?
Located behind the central sulcus
Concerned with the somatosensory
sense (touch) and includes polysensory perception processes and representation
Where is the temporal lobe located and what is it concerned with?
Located on either side of the brain.
Involved in the perception and recognition of auditory stimuli (hearing), episodic and semantic memory (hippocampus), object and facial
recognition
Where is the occipital lobe located and what is it concerned with?
Located at the back of the brain, behind the parietal lobe and temporal lobe
Concerned with many aspects of vision.
The cortex can be divided into what areas?
A motor and sensory area.
Describe the process of when a sensory input arrives in the brain
Sensory input arrives
via the thalamus and is processed in the primary sensory areas. This interacts with experience/memory in the parietal and temporal cortices and in emotional and motivational subcortical nuclei. Finally, behaviour is planned and organized in the prefrontal cortices, and motor output occurs.
Who is SM and what happened to her?
Female patiet who has had complete bilateral amygdala destruction since late childhood as a consequence of Urbach-Wiethee disease. (calcium deposits in the amygdala)
She has no capacity to experience fear in her life
Why must SMs identity be kept a secret?
People could very easily take advantage of her, wouldn’t register danger and that others are a threat
Name all the components of the limbic system
Olfactory bulb Amygdala Hippocampus Mammillary body Thalamus Cingulate cortex Forrix
What are the main functions of the amygdala?
Responsible for the perception of emotions such as anger, fear, and sadness, as well as the controlling of aggression, (emotional learning).
The amygdala helps to store memories of events and emotions so that an individual may be able to recognize similar events in the future.
Which part of the brain does the amygdala compute to?
Sends projections to the hypothalamus, part of the limbic system - automatic response
Periaqueductal grey matter - behavioural response
Cereral cortex - Emotional experience
What was SM’s reaction to her first CO2 inhalation? What was her reaction when she returned for the second CO2 inhalation test? What does this tell us about the
amygdala, fear and anxiety?
She had a panic attack.
She had another panic attack, she hadn’t thought about it once, no anticipation.
Felt the fear in the moment but no learning, moreover amygdala is responsible for learning when to fear and when to turn it on and off.
What is a transorbital frontal lobotomy?
a method of performing prefrontal lobotomy in which the surgical knife is inserted above the eyeball and moved to cut most of the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex, the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain.
- cure mental illness for loss of personality and intellect
Why were lobotomies used despite repulsion?
Quick cheap, benefits outweighed the costs
What major development ended the use of lobotomy?
phenothiazine-based neuroleptic (anti-psychotic) drugs,(Thorazine pill), marketed as the chemical lobotomy without surgery
These had much the same effect as psychosurgery gone wrong; thus, the surgical method was quickly superseded by the chemical lobotomy.
Under what age is brain matter fully developed?
28
Why do men have more substance abuse issues?
Men self-medicate don’t reach out for help
Symptoms of Urbach-Wiethe disease
Dermatological symptoms:
• Dry wrinkly skin, which is easily damaged
• Hoarse voice
Neurological symptoms:
• Bilateral calcification in the medial temporal lobes
• Usually the amygdala
• Usually causes epilepsy, but also can affect emotional processing
