Neurophysiology of Emotion

Question 1

Parahippocampal regions

Answer 1

Linked to surprise

Question 2

Basal ganglia

Answer 2

Disgust, pleasure

Question 3

Hippocampus

Answer 3

Emotion tied to memory

Question 4

Anterior cingulate cortex

Answer 4

Higher level control, sadness

Some neurons in cingulate cortex show after-discharge

Question 5

Mirror neurons

Answer 5

Known to fire both when you do something, and when you see someone else do the same action

Question 6

Fear pathways

Answer 6

Direct thalmo-amygdaloid pathway to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala - mediates the rapid response
Indirect thalamo-cortico-amygdaloid pathway to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala - mediates the later responses

Question 7

Fear and memory

Answer 7

Lateral nucleus of the amygdala integrates the fear information and helps form memories associated with fear stimuli, then this info is sent to basal nuclei and intercalated nuclei
Information from the lateral, basal and intercalated nuclei is sent to the central nucleus of the amygdala
Central nucleus relays to other parts of limbic system such as hypothalamus

Question 8

Damage to amygdala

Answer 8

Fear will not be perceived

Question 9

Anger receptors

Answer 9

Anger mediation via the amygdala requires dopamine and D2 receptors

Question 10

What areas of the brain help inhibit anger

Answer 10

Neocortex
Ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus
Septal nuclei

Question 11

Avoidance

Answer 11

Helps prevent you from seeking short term reward at risk of long term repercussions
Mediated by:
Lateral posterior hypothalamus
Dorsal midbrain
Entorhinal cortex

Question 12

Disgust

Answer 12

Insular cortex/putamen mediate

Damage from disease such as Huntingtons can abolish this feeling

Question 13

Anterior cingulate cortex areas/function

Answer 13

Ventral area- Affective:
- integration of all sensory and emotional processing
- controlling emotional display (poker face)
- conflict detection- what new information can change my feelings
Dorsal area- cognitive

Question 14

Cortical control of emotion

Answer 14

Integration of visceral, attentional and emotional input
Regulation of affect- particular top down control “controlling our emotions”
Monitors conflict b/w our current state of mind and new information that has potential motivational consequences
It relays this info to the pre-frontal cortex

Question 15

Pre-frontal cortex and emotion

Answer 15

Dorsolateral division receives input from:
Motor areas- basal ganglia, pre/supplementary motor cortex
-cingulate cortex, especially areas related to performance monitoring
Ventromedial division receives input from:
-Amygdala
-Hippocampus
-Temporal visual association area
-Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
(our class is more interested in the ventromedial area)

Question 16

Reward processing

Answer 16

Orbitofrontal area prefrontal cortex
With the amygdala, we link new stimuli to a primary reward
Cortex also plays a role in delayed gratification

Question 17

Integration of bodily signals

Answer 17

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex

The “gut feeling” decision when logical analysis is unable to help