Neurophys. Of Emotion

Question 1

What does the limbic system control?

Answer 1

Emotional/motivational behavior

Question 2

What is the hypothalamus’ main role in emotion?

Answer 2

Physiologic responses due to connection to ANS

Question 3

Olfaction and emotion are strongly linked in the _____ areas

Answer 3

Para-olfactory

Question 4

What primarily deals with pleasure and disgust?

Answer 4

Basal ganglia regions

Question 5

What forms the connection between memory and emotion?

Answer 5

Hippocampus

Question 6

What region of the brain is associated with fear and anger?

Answer 6

Amygdala

Question 7

What area in the brain contains neurons that show after-discharge?

Answer 7

Cingulate cortex

Question 8

After-discharge

Answer 8

Neurons that continue to fire even after an event has ended that allows for the persistence of emotion
(ex. anger)

Question 9

The circuits that allow us to experience an emotion are the same circuits as what?

Answer 9

That allow us to identify emotion in others!

Question 10

If you cannot experience an emotion, you cannot ________

Answer 10

Recognize it in someone else

Question 11

What allows you to recognize emotion in someone else?

Answer 11

Mirror Neuron System

Question 12

What is the Mirror Neuron System?

Answer 12

Mirror neurons fire when you do something (i.e. smile) and when you see someone else do that SAME action

Question 13

What are the 2 types of fear?

Answer 13

Innate (unconditioned) and Learned (conditioned)

Question 14

Innate fear is mostly seen in animals, what is it strongly associated with?

Answer 14

Olfactory cues - pheromones left behind of sick animals in vet so healthy animals get scared once at the vet due to the olfactory input

Question 15

What is the primary brain region involved with fear?

Answer 15

Amygdala

Question 16

What are the 2 sensory input pathways that allow fear inputs to reach the amygdala?

Answer 16

Direct thalamo-amygdalaoid path

Indirect thalamo-cortico-amygdaloid pathway

Question 17

What does the Direct thalamo-amygdaloid path mediate?

Answer 17

Rapid responses to fear

Question 18

What does the Indirect thalamo-cortico-amygdaloid path mediate?

Answer 18

Later responses to fear

Question 19

Where in the amygdala are sensory inputs for fear sent to?

Answer 19

Lateral nucleus

Question 20

What does the lateral nucleus of the amygdala do?

Answer 20

Links an unrelated event (i.e. sound) with an actual threatening event

Question 21

Once the lateral nucleus of the amygdala pairs information, where does it send it?

Answer 21

Basal and intercalated nuclei of amygdala for additional processing

Question 22

The basal and intercalated nuclei of the amygdala then relay the processed fear to where?

Answer 22

Central nucleus of the amygdala

Question 23

What does the central nucleus of the amygdala do?

Answer 23

Decides what responses are required and relays information

Question 24

The central nucleus of the amygdala relays fear information to many regions, but especially where?

Answer 24

Hypothalamus for ANS activation (i.e. heart rate increase)

Question 25

What happens if there is damage to the amygdala relating to fear?

Answer 25

Fear will not be perceived and conditioning related to fear does NOT occur

Question 26

Where in the brain is anger mediated?

Answer 26

Amygdala

Question 27

Fear and anger are mediated?

Answer 27

Amygdala

Question 28

What does anger require?

Answer 28

Dopamine acting at D2 receptors

Question 29

What happens when Dopamine D2 receptors are blocked?

Answer 29

Unable to recognize and experience anger

Question 30

What areas of the brain are crucial in suppressing anger?

Answer 30

Neocortex, dorsomedial posterior hypothalamus

Question 31

What does avoidance prevent?

Answer 31

Occurrence of a behavior that has short term rewards but long term negative consequences

Question 32

What areas of the brain are activated with avoidance?

Answer 32

Lateral posterior hypothalamus, dorsal midbrain, entorhinal cortex (olfaction)

Question 33

What area of the brain is associated with recalling sad events?

Answer 33

Lower sector of anterior cingulate cortex

Question 34

What area of the brain is associated with processing and recognition of disgust?

Answer 34

Insular cortex and putamen

Question 35

In patient’s with Huntington’s Disease, what is commonly damaged and thus eliminated?

Answer 35

Insular cortex/putamen

- Eliminates recognizing and experiencing disgust

Question 36

What area of the brain is associated with surprise?

Answer 36

Parahippocampal gyrus

Question 37

2 main emotional control areas?

Answer 37

Anterior cingulate cortex and prefrontal cortex

Question 38

What are the 2 functional regions of the anterior cingulate cortex?

Answer 38

Ventral = affective
Dorsal = cognitive

Question 39

What are the main actions of the ventral anterior cingulate cortex in response to emotional control?

Answer 39

• 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

Question 40

Where does the ventral anterior cingulate cortex relay information?

Answer 40

Prefrontal cortex

Question 41

What are the 2 divisions of the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 41

Dorsolateral

Ventromedial

Question 42

For emotional control, the ventral anterior cingulate cortex sends information to the ______ and then that sends information on to the ______

Answer 42

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and then that sends information on to the Ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Question 43

3 primary roles of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex?

Answer 43

Reward processing
Integration of bodily signals - gut feeling
Top down regulation - delayed gratification

Question 44

What is an example of delayed gratification?

Answer 44

Waiting to be angry until not in front of boss

Question 45

In humans, what are common sources of innate fear?

Answer 45

Loud noises and falling