DSA Neurophys Of Emotions

Question 1

What does the Limbic system control?

Answer 1

Emotional behavior

Motivational drives

Question 2

What comprises the Limbic system?

Answer 2

Hypothalamus
Olfactory cortex
Thalamus
Basal ganglia
Hippocampus
Amygdala 
Anterior cingulate cortex

Question 3

What does the hypothalamus do?

Answer 3

Used to create PHYSIOLOGICAL responses to emotions via ANS

Question 4

What does the olfactory cortex do in the Limbic system?

Answer 4

Allows odors to act as strong stimulus for emotion

Question 5

What is the role of the thalamus in the Limbic system?

Answer 5

Relays sensory info into the Limbic system

Question 6

What is the anterior nucleus of the thalamus a part of?

Answer 6

Papez circuit

Question 7

What parts of the basal ganglia are looked at for emotion in the limibc system?

What are their roles?

Answer 7

Nucleus accumbens = pleasure

Putamen = disgust

Question 8

What is the role of the hippocampus in the Limbic system?

Specifically the parahippocampus?

Answer 8

Links emotion to memory creation and surrounding regions to surprise

Parahippocampal: surprise

Question 9

What is the role of the Amygdala in the Limbic system?

Answer 9

Linked with fear and anger

Was considered core of all emotional responses

Question 10

What is the role of the

Anterior Cingulate Cortex in the Limbic system?

Answer 10

Higher level control and sadness

Question 11

What does the anterior cingulate cortex consist of?

What is an important feature of its nuerons?

Answer 11

Mostly paleocortex (3 cell layers) but some have neocortex (all 6 layers)

Neurons show “after-discharge”

Question 12

What emotions are hardwired into our brains?

Answer 12

Fear
Anger
Pleasure
Avoidance
Sadness
Disgust
Surprise

Question 13

How do we identify emotions in others?

Answer 13

Thru same circuit that we use to experience an emotion

Question 14

What happens if you can’t experience an emotion?

Answer 14

You can not recognize it on others

Question 15

What allows us to experience emotion and see it in others?

Answer 15

Mirror neuron system

Question 16

When are mirror neurons active?

Answer 16

Fire when you do something and when you see someone else doing that same action

(I.e. smiling)

Question 17

What is the role of the Mirror neuron system?

Answer 17

Imitation
Imitative learning
Emotional processing

Question 18

What are the 2 kinds of fear?

Answer 18

Innate (unconditioned)

Learned (conditioned)

Question 19

What is innate fear ?

Answer 19

For animals - thru olfacotry cues

For humans - falling, loud noises (?)

Question 20

What is Learned fear?

Answer 20

Fear from experience or indirect experience

Question 21

What process and recognizes social cues related to fear?

Answer 21

Amygdala

Question 22

How does sensory input to create Learned Fear get to amygdala?

Final destination in amygdala?

Answer 22

1. Direct thalamoamygdaloid pathway
2. Indirect thalamo-cortico-amygdaloid pathway

Lateral nucleus of amygdala

Question 23

What is the response if using the

Direct pathway to the amygdala?

Indirect pathway?

Answer 23

Direct: rapid response

Indirect: mediates later responses

Question 24

What si the role of the lateral nucleus of amygdala?

Example?

Answer 24

Integrates inputs

Ex: pairing of sound and electrical shock

Question 25

For learned fear, after the pathways have sent input to the lateral nucleus of amygdala, Where does the integrated input go?

Answer 25

To basal and intercalated nuclei for further processing

Question 26

The basal, intercalated and lateral nuclei of the amygdala will send integrated and processed sensory info about learned fear to? And then to?

Answer 26

Central nucleus in amygdala —> Hypothalamus

Question 27

What does the hypothalamus do in the pathway for creating Learned Fear?

Answer 27

Important component of generating physiologic response Decides what response are required and relays info appropriately

Question 28

What happens if the amygdala is damaged?

Answer 28

Fear is not perceived Conditioning to fear will not occur

Question 29

What is the pathway for Learned fear?

Answer 29

• input: direct thalamogeniculate-amygdaloid path for rapid response indirect thalamogeniculate-corticospinal-amygdaloid path for late response • Feed into: lateral nucleus of amygdala for pairing of events • Travel to: intercalated and basal n. For further processing • ALL go to: central nucleus of amygdala - determines what the responses should be • Final destination— approrpitate parts of Limbic system, including hypothalamus

Question 30

What is anger mediated thru?

Answer 30

Amygdala

Question 31

What was the 1st emotion associated with a specific brain structure?

Answer 31

Rage

Question 32

What does Anger require in order to be expressed?

Answer 32

Dopamine acting at D2 receptors

Question 33

What inhibits Anger?

Answer 33

Neocortex Ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus Septal nuclei

Question 34

What is “avoidance” ?

Answer 34

Emotion that prevents occurrence of behavior w/ short term rewards But Long term NEGATIVE consequences

Question 35

What are the anatomical substrates involved in avoidance?

Answer 35

Lateral posterior hypothalamus Dorsal midbrain Entorhinal cortex

Question 36

What is the anatomical substrate for sadness? When will it be strongly activated?

Answer 36

Lower sector of anterior cingulate cortex When recalling sad events

Question 37

What is the anatomical substrate needed for disgust?

Answer 37

Insular cortex and putamen will process and recognizes social cues related to disgust

Question 38

What disease process could abolish processing and recognition of Disgust?

Answer 38

Huntington’s | affects striatum - caudate nucleus and putamen

Question 39

What is the anatomical substrate for surprise?

Answer 39

Parahippocampal gyrus

Question 40

What is the parahippocampal gyrus important for?

Answer 40

Detecting novelty or unexpected events | Surprise

Question 41

What is the anterior cingulate cortex divided into?

Answer 41

Ventral = affective Dorsal = cognitive

Question 42

What is the role of the Anterior cingulate cortex in high order processing of emotion?

Answer 42

Integration of all visceral, attentional, and emotional input Regulates affect, Controls emotional display (Esp. Top down control) Conflict detection b/w function state (the RN) and new info - only relays info, does not decide anything

Question 43

What regulates having a Poker face vs. Crying?

Answer 43

Anterior cingulate cortex

Question 44

What are the 2 division of the prefrontal cortex related to higher order processing of emotion?

Answer 44

Dorsolateral Ventromedial

Question 45

What does the Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex receive input from?

Answer 45

Motor areas(basal ganglia, PreSMA, SMA) Cingulate cortex (parts related to performance monitoring) Cortical association areas

Question 46

What does the Ventromedial Div. of the Prefrontal cortex Receive input from?

Answer 46

Amygdala Hippocampus Temporal visual association areas Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (which got motor inputs, mostly)

Question 47

What is the role of the Ventromedial div. of the prefrontal cortex in higher order processing of emotion?

Answer 47

Reward processing Gut feeling Delayed gratification/Top Down Regulation

Question 48

Where does reward processing take place in the Ventromedial Div. of the Prefrontal cortex? What does it do?

Answer 48

Orbitofrontal area W/ amygdala, links new stimulus to primary reward

Question 49

What is the “gut feeling” provided by the Ventromedial division of the Prefrontal cortex?

Answer 49

Integration of bodily signals Allows for decision when logical analysis is unable to help