Neuropsychology of emotion

Question 1

Definition of emotion?

Answer 1

A strong feeling deriving from ones circumstances, mood or relationships with others.

Question 2

What is the role of emotion?

Answer 2

Motivator for learning
Means of best obtaining rewards/avoiding punishments:
- stimulus-reinforcer association
- instrumental (action-outcome) learning - more sophisticated

Question 3

Theories of emotion?

Answer 3

Basic
Appraisal
- meaningful interpretation of an object/situation by individual
Psychological constructionist
Bayesian model

Question 4

What is the limbic system?

Answer 4

responsible for emotion

Question 5

Sensory information processing:

Answer 5

-
- appraisal
- reactivity
-
-

Question 6

What parts of the brain are involved in appraisal?

Answer 6

Orbitofrontal cortex
- supresses
Amygdala
- instinctive
- overshadowed by orbitofrontal cortex
- particularly facial recognition - esp negative facial expressions
- slower to update responses than OFC, more ‘set in its ways’

Question 7

Mesolimbic pathway - connects amygdala and OFC wit hrest of brain

Answer 7

Important role in reward - and behaviours that are dictated by seeking reward
Ventral tegmental area - project to the cortex and striatum

Question 8

What is the cingulate cortex involved in? reactivity

Answer 8

Reactivity - connecting certain actions with certain outcomes
Anterior - outcome
- recienes reward signals about the outcomes - reward/punishment
Posterior - action
- recieves input from parietal lobes (spatial/action related info)
- output into hippocampus
Medial - output to promotor areas

Question 9

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex reactivity

Answer 9

Reward related decision making
Synaptic networks signal value of chosen offer

Question 10

How are hypothalamus and insula involved in reactivity?

Answer 10

modulated by - ofc via anteroventral insula and subgenual cingulate cortex
amygdala
- hypothalamus
- periaqueductal gray

feedback from autonomic output not needed for emotional bhaviour/feelings