17. Emotion Flashcards
(18 cards)
What are the basic expressions of emotion?
Fear, anger, joy, sadness, surprise, disgust
These are fundamental emotional states recognized universally.
How are emotions described in terms of context?
Emotions are context-dependent
The same stimulus can trigger different emotional responses based on personal experience.
What is emotion considered in terms of brain function?
A conscious brain function involving strong feelings directed at specific objects
Accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes.
What evolutionary advantage do emotional responses provide?
Help organisms adapt for survival
Emotional responses have been crucial for the survival of species.
Can emotional responses occur without higher brain functions?
Yes, they can occur without higher brain functions
This indicates that some emotional responses are basic and do not require complex processing.
Which brain structure is critical for emotional responses?
Hypothalamus
It can trigger rage responses even when isolated from the forebrain.
What role do higher brain centers play in emotional responses?
Contribute through discrete anatomical pathways
Initial research focused on temporal lobes but highlighted deeper structures like the amygdala.
What did lesion studies reveal about the amygdala?
Damage caused loss of aggressive/fearful behaviors in animals
This indicates its critical role in processing fear and aggression.
What does the amygdala do with sensory information?
Processes and integrates it to generate emotional responses
This is essential for forming emotional reactions to stimuli.
What do fear conditioning experiments demonstrate?
How the amygdala associates neutral stimuli with aversive stimuli
For example, a sound can be paired with a shock to induce fear.
What is significant about patient S.M. regarding the amygdala?
Lives without experiencing fear due to bilateral amygdala calcification
This case illustrates the amygdala’s vital role in fear processing.
What is conditioned fear?
Involves associative learning in the amygdala
This process strengthens the connection between stimuli and emotional responses.
What is long-term potentiation (LTP)?
Strengthens synapses when auditory and sensory pathways are simultaneously activated
This neural mechanism is crucial for learning and memory.
Which brain circuits are involved in different emotions?
Different circuits are activated depending on the emotion
- Love activates the caudate nucleus and ventral tegmental area
- Deactivates the amygdala
What brain regions interact in emotional responses?
Amygdala, hippocampus, working memory systems, interoceptive systems
These regions work together to process and respond to emotions.
What characterizes anxiety in terms of brain function?
Inappropriate activation of fear pathways and hyperactivation of the amygdala
This leads to heightened states of anxiety.
How do benzodiazepines function in treating anxiety?
Enhance GABAergic inhibition in the amygdala
They do not activate GABA receptors alone but enhance GABA’s effects.
What are limitations of benzodiazepines?
Withdrawal effects and addiction potential
These factors must be considered in their use for treatment.
