Psychobiology of Emotion Flashcards
(22 cards)
Define Emotion
Emotions are transient events, produced in response to external or internal events of significance to the individual, characterised by attention to the evoking stimulus & changes in physiological arousal, motor behaviour & feelings and engender a biasing of behaviour
- physiological response
- readiness to act in a specific way
- feelings
What is the function of emotion?
- Regulation,
- Protection: defensive, immune
- Communication: social
- Attachment & affiliation
- Reinforcement, learning, memory
Explain James-Lange theory of Emotion
- Based on Damasio-somatic markers in the brain
- Arousal (snake) –> physical response (heart pounding) –> emotion (fear)
Explain the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion
- Arousal either leads to a physical response and an emotional response
- not that the physical response proceeds the emotional response as the James-Lange theory would suggest
Explain the Dimensional model of emotion
- it is a scale based on the balance between arousal bs valence and pleasant vs. unpleasant
Explain the Schachter-Singer theory of emotion
- the stimulus simultaneously creates a physiological and emotional response
- however, the physiological response also contributes to the emotional response
What is Lisa Feldmans Barrets theory of emotion?
- the stimulus is first processed/ appraised before the physiological and emotional responses are experienced
What are the Neurmodulatory systems involved in emotion?
- overview of the homeostatic pathway
- 5-HT (Serotonin)
- NA
- ACh
- DA
Explain the role of the Hypothalamus in emotion
- forms connections to neuroendocrine autonomic and cortices
- plays a role in motivation reward and homeostasis
The Ventral Straitum in emotions
- the Nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is a key player in reward prediction error
- mesolimbic DA system VTA s> NA
What structures of the Limbic System are involved in Emotion
- the Amygdala, Orbitofrontal Cortex, Anterior cingulate cortex, Insula
- build a system that creates emotion
- the neuromodulators are: NA, ACh, 5-HT, DA
What is the role of the Amygdala in emotion?
- receives sensory information from the sensory cortex and the sensory thalamus
- process information and creates a bodily arousal response
What is the role of the Insula and emotions?
- provides the viscerosensory cortex a basis for interceptive feeling states
- the anterior insula cortex supports the integration of internal and external information
- provides a conscious access to internal states
- it stimulates feelings of disgust and anxiety (and empathy)
What is the role fo the Ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex (VPC, OFC)
- provides negative feedback on emotion, preservative cognition
- modulates disappointment and regret
What is the role of the Anterior cingulate in emotion?
- It is part of the visceromotor cortex implicated in
- stress, emotional arousal and cognitive control
- depression
How is facial expression understood?
- FACS System: Facial Action Coding System
- the amygdala and the insula are activated
How do physiological states correlate to emotion/ feelings states- Bodily expression
What is Depression?
- Persistent sadness or low mood
- Loss of interests or pleasure
- Fatigue or low energy
- symptoms most days, most of the time, at least 2 wks
–disturbed sleep –poor concentration or indecisiveness –low self-confidence –poor or increased appetite –suicidal thoughts or acts –agitation or slowing of movements –guilt or self-blame
What are examples of Anxiety?
- PTSD
- Panic/ Specific Phobia
- Generalised Anxiety
- Social anxiety disorder
- OCD
What is Bipolar Disorder?
- episodes of depression & elation
- Hypomania associated with impulsivity, sleep disturbance, increased energy, grandiosity, hypersexuality, irritability, pressure of speech
- Mania if psychotic symptoms present: delusions, hallucinations
What is Autism?
- the early onset of difficulties in social interaction and communication together with restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests
- Clinical features include
- inability to relate and hold the gaze
- speech and language disorders
- impaired non-verbal communication
- resistance to change
- odd behaviours and mannerisms
- seizures
- emotional lability, overactivity, poor concentration
What are sickness behaviours?
a whole-organism response to infection or injury
- Anorexia, nausea, apathy, anhedonia,
- low mood, fatigue, social withdrawal,
- anxiety, irritability, poor concentration,
- memory impairment, psychomotor slowing
