Neuroscience Limbic System Russell T. Matthews Flashcards

1
Q

What did Papez hypothesize about the limbic system?

A

That it is involved with emotions, the Papez circuit

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2
Q

What is the Papez circuit? (Four items)

A
  1. Hippcampus connected to mammilary bodies
  2. Mammilary bodies to the anterior of the thalamus
  3. Anterior nuclesu to the cingulate cortex
  4. Cingulate cortex back to the hippocampus
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3
Q

T or F: The amygdala is part of the Papez circuit.

A

FALSE. Kluver-Bucy showed that all emotional symptoms could be recapitulated by removing/damaging the amygdala (monkey experiment)

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4
Q

What are the areas of the limbic system currently thought to be active in emotional processing?

A
  1. Amygdala
  2. Anterior and mid-cingulate cortex
  3. Mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus
  4. Prefrontal cortex
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5
Q

What is the key function of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)?

A

To store emotional/valenced information and recode the amygdala
**regulates ANS

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6
Q

What is the key function of the Mid-Cingulate Cortex (MCC)?

A
Select responses (mental or motor), predict outcomes, resolve ambiguity, improvise new behavior for new problems
**resolves conflict, regulates skeletomotor output
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7
Q

What is the key function of the amygdala?

A

Invests sensory experience with emotional significance (valence), most prominently involved in fear

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8
Q

What is the key function of the hypothalamus?

A

Autonomic, hormonal control

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9
Q

What is the key function of the periaqueductal gray?

A

Coordinate behaviors, autonomic/skeletal

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10
Q

What is the key function of the locus coeruleus?

A

Coordinates responses and enhances storage of emotional memories

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11
Q

What is the key function of the dorsal raphe nucleus?

A

Regulates mood

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12
Q

What are secondary emotions?

A

Conscious emotions, involve conscious processing

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13
Q

What is the effect of Urbach-Wiethe disease?

A

Calcification of the amygdala

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14
Q

What was special about patient S.M.?

A

She has no fear response, but her motor, sensory system, intelligence level and function, and memory were intact. She had loss of her amygdalas bilaterally due to Urbach-Wiethe disease, a genetic disorder.

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15
Q

The amygdala receives direct input from the:

A

thalamus

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16
Q

Memory is directly enhanced in the presence of:

A

norepinephrine

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17
Q

What specific locations in the brain mediate the fight or flight response?

A

Amygdala to the periaqueductal gray and locus coeruleus (and connections from the LC to the PAG)

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18
Q

What is/where is the periaqueductal gray?

A

It is part of the limbic system, surrounds the cerebral aqueduct in the midbrain.

19
Q

T or F: PAG has no memory. It is controlled by higher brain regions.

A

True

20
Q

What are the behaviors stimulated by the PAG?

A

Could be anything in the F or F response, or quiescent/bradychardic response. Depends on the area of the PAG being stimulated.

21
Q

A stroke or tumor to the hypothalamus/PAG can produce:

A

Sham rage

22
Q

Activation of the __1__ causes quiet resting behavior, while activation of the __2__ causes affective defensive behaviors.

A
  1. Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH)

2. Lateral Hypothalamus (LH)

23
Q

PAG acts through other circuits to produce what kind of response, which heightens the feeling of emotions?

A

ANS

24
Q

What region of the cingulate cortex acts through the ANS?

A

ACC

25
Q

Through what projections does the ACC act through the ANS?

A
  1. NST, nucleus of the solitary tract

2. DMX, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus

26
Q

What area of the brain is particularly vulnerable to emotional diseases such as depression?

A

Perigenual region of the corpus collosum

27
Q

What parts of the cingulate cortex are most involved in processing emotion?

A

The ACC, and the anterior part of the MCC (NOT the posterior regions)

28
Q

PET studies show activation in the ACC when remembering what kinds of events?

A

Sad events

29
Q

Electrical stimulation of the MCC produces what?

A

Complex motor outputs, such as emotionally valenced motor behaviors, ie kissing.

30
Q

Where does emotional facial expression and interpretation occur in the brain?

A

ACC (facial region)

31
Q

Provide the summary of the fear response from stimulus to facial response:

A
  1. Sensory stimulus activates amygdala
  2. Amygdal activates upstream (ACC) and downstream (PAG)
  3. ACC further activates PAG, and activates facial area at ACC/MCC border
  4. Facial area activates facial nucleus ad facial expression
32
Q

Storage of emotionally valenced memories in the amygdala and ACC depends on what critical item?

A

Norepi released from the LC

33
Q

LC is critical for what responses?

A

F-or-F

34
Q

Where is the LC?

A

Pons, regulates HPA axis

35
Q

Summarize the 4 points at which the LC intercedes in the limbic system to coordinate motor outputs.

A
  1. Nucleus of the solitary tract (NST/paraventricular nucleus (PVT) in the thalamus mediate heart rate responses from the ACC/Central amygdala
  2. PAG: NE selects F-F
  3. PVN (paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus) drives HPA axis: NE, ACTH, Cortisol
  4. Enhances amygdala processing and memory
36
Q

What behavior disorders are associated with the limbic system?

A

Conduct disorders
Criminal psychopathy
Sociopathies

37
Q

What mood disorders are associated with the limbic system?

A
PTSD
Anxiety
Depression
Schizophrenia 
(Addiction)
**Most prevalent are A&D
38
Q

Why does the limbic system play a secondary role in nearly all neuropsychiatric disorders?

A

Bc it is an integration point for all the biogenic amines (5HT, dopamine, serotonin, NE)

39
Q

What are some structural and functional evidences of mood disorders in the limbic system (3)?

A
  1. Increased amygdala size in adolescents with high anxiety
  2. Decreased ACC size in patients with MDD
  3. Reduced glucose metabolism in ACC in MDD
40
Q

Where is the specific area of connectivity between the ACC and the amygdala, where glucose metabolism is reduced in MDD?

A

genu of the corpus callosum

41
Q

The dorsal Raphe nuclei are located where in the brain?

A

In the midbrain, PAG on either side laterally

42
Q

What is the major source of 5HT in the brain?

A

DRN

43
Q

What are the first-line strategies for treating mood disorders such as MDD?

A

Modulation of NE and 5HT