Individual Emotions

Question 1

Individual emotions

Answer 1

Fear
Aggression
Impulse control

Question 2

Fear

Answer 2

Adaptive emotional response coordinated by nuclei of the amygdala
Some stimuli automatically activate the central nucleus of amygdala and produce fear reactions
Can become a conditioned emotional response

Question 3

Fear extinction

Answer 3

Occurs when a conditioned response is no longer paired with aversive stimulus (not same as forgetting)
Inhibition is supplied by the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)

Question 4

Aggression

Answer 4

Almost all species engage in aggressive behaviors
Many aggressive behaviors are related to reproduction and self-defense (threat behavior, defensive behavior, submissive behavior, predation)
Serotonin affects aggression

Question 5

Threat behavior

Answer 5

Postures or gestures that warn adversaries

Question 6

Defensive behavior

Answer 6

Threat behaviors or actual attack against animal threatening it

Question 7

Submissive behavior

Answer 7

Behaviors that indicate that animal accepts its defeat
Can prevent an attack

Question 8

Predation

Answer 8

Attacking member of another species for food

Question 9

Serotonin and aggression

Answer 9

Serotonergic synapses inhibit aggression
Destruction of serotonergic axons in forebrain or targeted mutation to reduce serotonin synthesis facilitate aggressive attack (removing inhibitory effect)
Serotonin agonists may decrease irritability and aggressiveness

Question 10

Hormonal control of aggressive behaviors

Answer 10

Androgens

Question 11

Androgens

Answer 11

Hormone related to reproduction and mating-related behaviors
Facilitate aggression: offensive attack
Seen in both males and females
Ex: testosterone

Question 12

Impulse control

Answer 12

One theory: impulsive violence is a consequence of faulty emotion regulation

Question 13

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and emotion regulation

Answer 13

Includes medial orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex
Damage causes serious and often debilitating impairments of impulse control and decision making

Question 14

Phineas Gage

Answer 14

Damage to the vmPFC from a railroad accident
Change in mood and behavior

Question 15

Brain development and impulse control

Answer 15

Amygdala matures early in development, but PFC matures much later in life
Around 80% of amygdala at childhood, around 60% of PFC