Neurophys. Of Emotion Flashcards
What does the limbic system control?
Emotional/motivational behavior
What is the hypothalamus’ main role in emotion?
Physiologic responses due to connection to ANS
Olfaction and emotion are strongly linked in the _____ areas
Para-olfactory
What primarily deals with pleasure and disgust?
Basal ganglia regions
What forms the connection between memory and emotion?
Hippocampus
What region of the brain is associated with fear and anger?
Amygdala
What area in the brain contains neurons that show after-discharge?
Cingulate cortex
After-discharge
Neurons that continue to fire even after an event has ended that allows for the persistence of emotion
(ex. anger)
The circuits that allow us to experience an emotion are the same circuits as what?
That allow us to identify emotion in others!
If you cannot experience an emotion, you cannot ________
Recognize it in someone else
What allows you to recognize emotion in someone else?
Mirror Neuron System
What is the Mirror Neuron System?
Mirror neurons fire when you do something (i.e. smile) and when you see someone else do that SAME action
What are the 2 types of fear?
Innate (unconditioned) and Learned (conditioned)
Innate fear is mostly seen in animals, what is it strongly associated with?
Olfactory cues - pheromones left behind of sick animals in vet so healthy animals get scared once at the vet due to the olfactory input
What is the primary brain region involved with fear?
Amygdala
What are the 2 sensory input pathways that allow fear inputs to reach the amygdala?
Direct thalamo-amygdalaoid path
Indirect thalamo-cortico-amygdaloid pathway
What does the Direct thalamo-amygdaloid path mediate?
Rapid responses to fear
What does the Indirect thalamo-cortico-amygdaloid path mediate?
Later responses to fear
Where in the amygdala are sensory inputs for fear sent to?
Lateral nucleus
What does the lateral nucleus of the amygdala do?
Links an unrelated event (i.e. sound) with an actual threatening event
Once the lateral nucleus of the amygdala pairs information, where does it send it?
Basal and intercalated nuclei of amygdala for additional processing
The basal and intercalated nuclei of the amygdala then relay the processed fear to where?
Central nucleus of the amygdala
What does the central nucleus of the amygdala do?
Decides what responses are required and relays information
The central nucleus of the amygdala relays fear information to many regions, but especially where?
Hypothalamus for ANS activation (i.e. heart rate increase)
What happens if there is damage to the amygdala relating to fear?
Fear will not be perceived and conditioning related to fear does NOT occur
Where in the brain is anger mediated?
Amygdala
Fear and anger are mediated?
Amygdala
What does anger require?
Dopamine acting at D2 receptors
What happens when Dopamine D2 receptors are blocked?
Unable to recognize and experience anger
What areas of the brain are crucial in suppressing anger?
Neocortex, dorsomedial posterior hypothalamus
What does avoidance prevent?
Occurrence of a behavior that has short term rewards but long term negative consequences
What areas of the brain are activated with avoidance?
Lateral posterior hypothalamus, dorsal midbrain, entorhinal cortex (olfaction)
What area of the brain is associated with recalling sad events?
Lower sector of anterior cingulate cortex
What area of the brain is associated with processing and recognition of disgust?
Insular cortex and putamen
In patient’s with Huntington’s Disease, what is commonly damaged and thus eliminated?
Insular cortex/putamen
- Eliminates recognizing and experiencing disgust
What area of the brain is associated with surprise?
Parahippocampal gyrus
2 main emotional control areas?
Anterior cingulate cortex and prefrontal cortex
What are the 2 functional regions of the anterior cingulate cortex?
Ventral = affective Dorsal = cognitive
What are the main actions of the ventral anterior cingulate cortex in response to emotional control?
- Integration of many inputs to understand emotion
- Regulation of affect = controlling displayed emotions
- Monitors conflict between current state and new information that has potential consequences
Where does the ventral anterior cingulate cortex relay information?
Prefrontal cortex
What are the 2 divisions of the prefrontal cortex?
Dorsolateral
Ventromedial
For emotional control, the ventral anterior cingulate cortex sends information to the ______ and then that sends information on to the ______
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and then that sends information on to the Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
3 primary roles of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex?
Reward processing
Integration of bodily signals - gut feeling
Top down regulation - delayed gratification
What is an example of delayed gratification?
Waiting to be angry until not in front of boss
In humans, what are common sources of innate fear?
Loud noises and falling
