Limbic System

Question 1

the limbic system is the border between the

Answer 1

diencephalon and cortices

Question 2

called the visceral brain due to influence on visceral function and also called emotional brain because of function linked to motivation, emotion, olfaction, social behavior and memory

Answer 2

limbic system

Question 3

what are the 5 structures that make up the limbic system

Answer 3

• hypothalamus - homeostasis
• limbic cortex - cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, uncus, septal nuclei
• hippocampus - memory
• amygdala - emotions
• orbitomedial prefrontal cortex - social behaviors

Question 4

what connections does the limbic system have

Answer 4

• receives input from all 5 senses, somatosensory association areas, and visceral sensory input from the ANS from hypothalamus and brainstem
• info passes through hippocampus and/or amygdala on to hypothalamus
• hypothalamus regulates behavioral responses to stimulus, modulates ANS and endocrine systems, and influences activity of immune system

Question 5

the limbic system is composed of 3 lobes of gray matter around the thalamus on medial hemisphere, what are the 3 lobes

Answer 5

• cingulate gyrus
• parahippocampal gyrus
• uncus

Question 6

receives info from prefrontal and parietal association areas and thalamus and sends information back to them and to hippocampus

Answer 6

limbic cortex

Question 7

what are the functions of the cingulate gyrus

Answer 7

alterations of BP, HR, RR; dilation of pupils; piloerection (goosebumps) when afraid; anxious or pleasured; motivation based on previous experience

Question 8

what do lesions to cingulate gyrus cause and what are they

Answer 8

• akinesia: no physical response to stimuli
• apathy: lack of concern or attention
• incontinence
• mutism: doesn’t speak but not due to loss of motor aspects of speech

Question 9

involved in interpretation of smell from olfactory bulbs

Answer 9

parahippocampal gyrus

Question 10

lesions to prehippocampal gyrus and what are they

Answer 10

• anosomia: cannot smell; early sign of brain cancer
• cacosmia: sensation of unpleasant smells prior to seizures (epilepsy) or olfactory hallucinations

Question 11

reciprocal projections to hypothalamus and amygdala and hippocampus; involved in autonomic regulation and influences social-emotional behavior (difficulty shifting perspective when social situations does not work as expected; inability to connect decision making to appropriate emotional response

Answer 11

orbitomedial prefrontal cortex

Question 12

where does amygdala receive info from and where does it send info to

Answer 12

• receives: olfactory cortex, frontal and parietal and temporal association areas of brainstem
• sends: to prefrontal and premotor cortex, hypothalamus, thalamus, and brainstem nuclei

Question 13

what will lesions to amygdala cause

Answer 13

lack of caution, increased libido (sex drive), compulsive eating, loss of appropriate social behavior, visual agnosia

Question 14

olfactory function of amygdala

Answer 14

emotional connection to smell

Question 15

autonomic function of amygdala

Answer 15

modulates endocrine function and connects emotions to ANS responses

Question 16

cortical function of amygdala

Answer 16

• involved in emotions, memory and learning by way of connections with prefrontal cortex
• attaches meanings to sensory stimuli
• heavy influence on protective emotions (fear, rage, libido)
• interpretation of facial and vocal expressions of others, socially acceptable behaviors

Question 17

are subjective experiences with physical quality

Answer 17

emotions

Question 18

what are positive and negative emotions associated with

Answer 18

• positive: L prefrontal
• negative: R prefrontal

Question 19

thoughts and emotions influence visceral actions via ANS neurotransmitters (epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol)

Answer 19

gut feelings

Question 20

negative or stressful situations over prolonged periods of time will result in

Answer 20

increased levels of cortisol in blood (stress response)

Question 21

what effect does cortisol have on immune system

Answer 21

• depresses immune system
• more susceptible to inflammation, allergic conditions, injury or cancer

Question 22

what 3 systems are involved with stress response, describe them

Answer 22

• somatic NS: increased motor neuron activity leads to muscle tension which leads to chronic pain
• autonomic NS: sympathetic activity increases blood flow to muscles and decreased blood flow to skin, kidneys and digestive tracts
• neuroendocrine system: sympathetic stimulation of adrenal cortex leads to increased HR, BP, metabolic rate

Question 23

ways to balance stress and what does it lead to

Answer 23

• group therapy, meditation, prayer, relaxation exercises, nature
• parasympathetic

Question 24

is an important emotion to brain function and leads to a whole brain experience because it sets the brain up for a series of parallel synaptic happenings

Answer 24

humor

Question 25

explain how is humor a whole brain experience

Answer 25

- language center in L hemisphere makes sense of words - R frontal lobe to thank about logic or illogic presentation - makes experience funny - limbic system connects an emotion or memory to joke (domapine released = feel good) - motor system to laught - ANS changes in HR, RR, laugh till cry

Question 26

what are the positive effects of humor on the brain

Answer 26

- improve memory - result in learning - improve creative thinking - has positive effect on healing and immune system

Question 27

where is the hippocampus located

Answer 27

temporal lobe

Question 28

functions of hippocampus

Answer 28

- assembles sensory info and sends it to brainstem - memory associated with smell - highly involved in memory due to connection with temporal lobe

Question 29

lesions to hippocampus

Answer 29

amnesia, alzheimers

Question 30

modification of behavior in response to an experience

Answer 30

learned responses

Question 31

have to be stored and recalled when needed; are survival functions

Answer 31

memory and learning

Question 32

what are the 3 different memory forms and describe them

Answer 32

- Emotional or Reflexive Memory: hard-wired stereotypical response to a previous experience (elation at birth of my child even 40+ years later) - Declarative Memory: recalling events that happened yesterday or years ago (episodic memory) and knowing factors or concepts (semanitc memory) - Procedural Memory: knowing how to ride a bike

Question 33

remembering something that happened yesterday or years ago; remembering events

Answer 33

episodic memory

Question 34

knowing facts/concepts

Answer 34

semantic memory

Question 35

what structures are involved in declarative memory

Answer 35

hippocampus, nearby cortical areas, diencephalon

Question 36

skills and habits, emotional associations, conditioned reflexes are what type of memory and what structures are associated with them

Answer 36

procedural memory - skills/habits: striatum, motor areas of cortex, cerebellum - emotional associations: amygdala - conditioned reflexes: cerebellum

Question 37

what brain structure is associated with working/short term memory

Answer 37

prefrontal cortex

Question 38

recollections that can be verbalized; conscious, cognitive memory

Answer 38

declarative memory

Question 39

what lobes are involved with declarative memory

Answer 39

frontal and temporal

Question 40

found in temporal lobe and processes memory from short to long term

Answer 40

hippocampus

Question 41

what are the 3 stages of memory acquisition

Answer 41

- immediate - short-term - long-term

Question 42

lasts only 1-2 seconds because no significance is attached to experience

Answer 42

immediate memory

Question 43

what processes immediate memory

Answer 43

sensory and sensory association areas - NO limbic system involvement

Question 44

brief storage of stimulus in chunks, loss of info unless material is rehearsed

Answer 44

short-term/working memory

Question 45

relatively permanent storage; has been processed by STM (______) first with formation of new synaptic connections

Answer 45

- long term memory - consolidation

Question 46

what has to be involved to have something stored in long term memory

Answer 46

hippocampus --> making new synapses

Question 47

what are the 3 mechanisms for declarative memory

Answer 47

- acquisition - storage - retrieval

Question 48

sensory experiences are directed to temporal lobe; if significant is attached to the experience that it is programmed for storage

Answer 48

acquistion

Question 49

short vs long term; performance depends on context and emotions attached to the event

Answer 49

storage

Question 50

how you retrieve information

Answer 50

retrieval

Question 51

what is consolidation

Answer 51

from STM --> LTM

Question 52

what is the difference between recall and recognition

Answer 52

- recall: able to retrieve memory without a cue - recognition: cued by seeing the item or attachment to another piece of information

Question 53

refers to recall of skills and habits; nonconscious memory; requires practice to store these memories; won't need attention once skill or habit is learned, will be automatic

Answer 53

procedural memory

Question 54

what brain structures are associated with procedural memory

Answer 54

amygdala, basal ganglia, motor cortex and cerebellum

Question 55

primary functions of the limbic system

Answer 55

- regulates feeding and drinking - regulates aggressive and defensive behavior - regulated reproductive behavior - influences memory and emotions

Question 56

what pathologies can impact limbic system

Answer 56

TBI, stroke, cancer, alzheimers

Question 57

lesion to limbic cortex

Answer 57

Inappropriate risky behavior, poor judgement, difficulty conforming to social norms, impulsive, emotional outbursts, violent behavior, difficulty making decisions, no emotional concern about outcomes

Question 58

lesion to prefrontal area and amygdala

Answer 58

Depression, emotional lability (uncontrolled expressions of emotion), inability to recognize emotions in others, poor social behavior

Question 59

hippocampus lesions

Answer 59

amnesia (retrograde or antegrade)

Question 60

what are hippocampal lesions related to

Answer 60

thiamine deficiency (alcoholism)