The Limbic System (Part of the Brain)

Question 1

The Limbic System

Answer 1

A set of structures with diverse functions involving emotion, motivation, learning and memory.
Includes the septal area, amygdala and hippocampus.

Question 2

The Septal Area

Answer 2

Appears to be involved in some forms of emotionally significant learning.
Early research linked it to the experience of pleasure.
Stimulating a section of the septal area is an extremely powerful reinforcer.’

Also believed to be involved in responses to environmental stressors, in particular its implicated in maternal defense.

These regions receive projections from midbrain and thalamic nuclei involved in learning.

Question 3

The Amygdala

Answer 3

An almond-shaped structure involved in many emotional processes, especially learning and remembering emotionally significant events.

One of it’s primary roles is to attach emotional significance to events.
Appears to be important in fear responses.
Also involved in recognizing emotion, particularly fearful emotion.

Note–
Research shows that even when threatening stimulus is presented to quickly to react to the amygdala still activates, suggesting it detects some extremely subtle cues.

Question 4

The Hippocampus

Answer 4

Particularly important for storing new information in memory so that the person can later consciously remember it.

Question 5

The Basal Ganglia

Answer 5

Located near the Thalamus and Hypothalamus
A set of structures, including the putamen and caudate nucleus.

Involved in a wide array of functions, particularly movement and judgments that require minimal conscious thought.