Lecture 18

Question 1

Dopamine (5 ppl, 3grps. what did they discover?)

Answer 1

James Olds & Peter Milner:
- dopamine = pleasure > SIMPLISTIC

Kent Berridge & Terry Robinson:
- wanting, drive = dopamine
- liking, enjoyment = opiods

Wolfram Schule
- dopamine critical for learning, might regulate plasticity

Question 2

Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) & vmPFC

Answer 2

Role in estimating reward value
Informs decision making
ACC & Ventral striatum also contribute

Lesions: impair ability to weigh option
OFC - impairs learning which stimuli predict reward/punishment

Question 3

dlPFC

Answer 3

Role in flexible, future oriented behavior
Modulates other neurons’ responses to stimuli (depending on context)
Info in STM - neurons fire & maintain inforover delay
Firing varies with learning tasks

Lesions: rule switching deficits, WCST difficulty > problem adapting

Question 4

Cingulate cortex

Answer 4

ACC: evaluating outcome of decisions & updating connections
Activated by: errors reducing reward, surprise, cognitive conflict
*conflict ex: stroop task

Detects need to change, dlPFC excutes change
Atypical activity associated w/ OCD

Question 5

vlPFC

Answer 5

Role in restricting impulses (behavior control)
TMS in vlPFC increases ability to suppress responses
> task switching too
> experimental use w/ OCD patients

Lesions: faster but less accurate in timed tasks, poor decision making & impulsivity

Question 6

Anterior insula

Answer 6

Internal context: info about internal body states
Also associated w/ emotional awareness
> attention, time perception, love, mood, speech & music
Often coactivated w/ ACC

Output: subcortical & cortical areas
Input: subcortical regions

Question 7

Posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)

Answer 7

Linked to awareness of ourselves as part of a larger world
Part of default mode network
Most active during distraction & daydreaming
Also activated when thinking about personal future or relation to others