Limbic system Flashcards
the limbic system is ….
an anatomical concept
Describe the anatomy of the limbic system
- It includes a group of cortical and subcortical nuclei found on the medial aspect of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes.
- these cortical areas are interconnected by corticosteroids-cortical pathway
- made out of the orbito-frontal cortex, cingulate cortex and limbic cortex
What lobes is the limbic system found on
- It includes a group of cortical and subcortical nuclei found on the medial aspect of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes.
describe the blood supply of the limbic system
- The limbic cortex in the frontal and parietal lobes is supplied by blood from the ANTERIOR cerebral artery.
- Limbic cortex in the temporal lobe is supplied by the POSTERIOR cerebral artery,
- although the tip of the temporal lobe & orbital cortex may be supplied by the middle cerebral artery
What are the three parts of the limbic system
- orbito-frontal cortex and the cingulate cortex make up the limbic cortex in the frontal and parietal lobe
- parahippocampal cortex is the third part of the limbic cortex, it lies in the medial temporal lobe
What affect do strokes in the anterior cerebral arteries have on the limbic system
- they affect the anterior part of the limbic system which effects what the limbic system does with personality moods and emotions
What affect do strokes affecting the posterior cerebral arteries have on the limbic system
Strokes of the posterior cerebral artery affect the temporal part of the limbic cortex which can affect memory
What does the limbic system do
The limbic system is involved in emotion, memory and learning.
It is linked to rewards and punishments for actions.
What else is the limbic system connected to
- the limbic system is connected to the olfactory sensory system
- allows animals to experience good memories when they smell nutrias food and bad memories when they smell food that made them sick
What is the anterior cingulate cortex made out of
- Made out of the rostral and caudal anterior cingulate cortex
Where is the anterior cingulate cortex
- it goes over the front of the corpus callous
When does the anterior cingulate cortex become active
- it becomes active when someone is suffering and in pain as well as during depression
Describe how pain is linked to the anterior cingulate cortex
- nociceptive (pain) information travels up the lateral spinothalamic tract. From there it goes a) via the parabrachial nucleus (PB) to the amygdala (AMY) and b) via the anterior thalamic nucleus to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula
What is the difference between the anterior cingulate cortex and the prefrontal cortex
- the anterior cingulate cortex appears to be the cortical area responsible for the ‘unpleasantness’ of pain and its depressing emotional consequences. The prefrontal cortex is activated to “do something” about the pain.
What is the difference between the caudal and rostral anterior cingulate cortex
Caudal Anterior Cingulate:
Registers the quality of the pain, how bad it is.
Rostral Anterior Cingulate:
Decides upon the action in response to the pain.
Merges into the orbitofrontal cortex, the frontal lobe is responsible for actions.
This planning of future actions helps to avoid pain.
in what area do OCD patients may have excessive brain activity
Prolonged exposure to make impossible choices causes extreme stress, and has been
linked to the development of OCD.
OCD patients may have excessive activity in this brain area.
= Orbitofrotnal cortex
What is a cingulotomy and what does it do
- a cingulotomy is the procedure of cutting the anterior cingulate gyrus which disrupts fibres that pass through it
- this reduces the emotional distress of pain
- in patients in which this has happened they reported a decrease in the level of pain and no longer required pain killers
what is the orbitofrontal cortex involved in
- Involved in actions to avoid pain or injury in the future
the anterior part of the cingulate merges into…
the orbitofrontal cortex
What happens when you have to make a difficult decision
- person may not be a able to chose between actions and freeze
- these decisions cause extreme stress and cause the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline
- this leads to a sense of hopelessness and then depression
- this happens to patients with OCD
What is the posterior cingulate cortex linked to
- The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) has been shown by fMRI to display intense activity when memories with emotional significance such as those concerning friends and family are recalled successfully.
- therefore It has been suggested that the PCC codes or is responsible for the emotional content or significance of memories.
if there is dysfunction in the posterior cingulate cortex what is it linked to
Loss of function correlates with the disorientation seen in Alzheimer patients.
Where is the parahippocampal gyrus
- lies medially and inferiorly in the temporal lobe