25 Questions
What pathways are involved in emotions?
Visceral motor changes and somatic motor responses
What is the role of the hypothalamus in emotions?
Regulating visceral motor changes
What are the functional connections of the hypothalamus in emotions?
Limbic system and cortical regions
What is the role of the prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and amygdala in emotions?
Contributing to the emotional motor system
Which brain structure is associated with acquired sociopathy?
Orbitofrontal cortex
What is the estimated lifetime incidence of depression in men?
5% - 12%
Which brain structure shows abnormal blood flow correlated with severity of depression?
Amygdala
Which brain area is under dopaminergic modulation from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and causes rewarding effects?
Nucleus accumbens (NAcc)
What is the estimated percentage of people who will have a traumatic experience in their lifetime?
50%
Which hemisphere is more involved with negative emotions?
Right hemisphere
What are the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
Persistently re-experiencing the traumatic event, avoiding reminders of the event, numbed responsiveness, and heightened arousal
What treatment is commonly used for PTSD?
Cognitive-behavioral therapies and antianxiety/antidepressant medications
What did electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus elicit experimentally in a cat?
Sham rage
What did patient S.M., who suffered selective bilateral damage to the amygdala, exhibit?
Impaired emotional processing
What do VTA dopamine neurons signal in associative learning?
The presence of the reward-predicting stimulus
What is the main role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex?
Inhibitory control over behavior (impulse control)
What role does the hypothalamus play in emotional behavior?
Integration of emotional states
What can cause 'uninhibited hypothalamic discharge' in humans?
Hypothalamic lesions
What behavior can be elicited by electrical stimulation of different parts of the hypothalamus?
Rage responses
Which brain structure is part of the limbic system and plays a role in mediating emotional behavior?
Amygdala
What syndrome results from bilateral lesions of the medial temporal lobe and demonstrates visual agnosia, docility, hyperphagia, hyperorality, and hypersexuality?
Klüver–Bucy syndrome
How many major functional and anatomical subdivisions does the amygdala have?
Three (central, medial, and basolateral)
What resulted from unilateral lesion of the amygdala in monkeys?
Changes in behavior
What is the amygdala involved in, contributing to associative learning?
Association of neutral stimuli with primary reinforcers
What disease does Patient S.M. suffer from, resulting in amygdala calcification and atrophy, and an inability to recognize the emotion of fear?
Urbach-Wiethe disease
Study Notes
The Role of Hypothalamus and Amygdala in Emotional Behavior
- Hypothalamus plays a critical role in the integration of emotional states, with examples of "sham rage" observed in cats with intact hypothalamus
- "Uninhibited hypothalamic discharge" in humans can be caused by hypothalamic lesions, carbon monoxide poisoning, and hypoglycemia
- Electrical stimulation of different parts of the hypothalamus can elicit rage responses, attack behavior, or defensive postures resembling fear
- The limbic lobe, consisting of the cingulate and parahippocampal gyrus, forms a rim around the corpus callosum and is part of the limbic system
- The limbic system includes the amygdala, which links cortical sensory regions with the hypothalamus and brainstem, and plays a role in mediating emotional behavior
- Klüver–Bucy syndrome, resulting from bilateral lesions of the medial temporal lobe, demonstrates visual agnosia, docility, hyperphagia, hyperorality, and hypersexuality
- The amygdala has three major functional and anatomical subdivisions: central, medial, and basolateral, each with specific connections and functions
- Unilateral lesion of the amygdala in monkeys resulted in changes in behavior, demonstrating the role of the amygdala in interpreting the significance of visual stimuli
- The amygdala is involved in the association of neutral stimuli with primary reinforcers, contributing to associative learning
- Patient S.M., suffering from Urbach-Wiethe disease with amygdala calcification and atrophy, cannot recognize the emotion of fear, highlighting the role of the amygdala in fear processing and recognition
Test your knowledge of the role of the hypothalamus and amygdala in emotional behavior with this quiz. Explore the impact of lesions, stimulation, and specific syndromes on emotional responses, and learn about the functions of different parts of the amygdala in processing fear and associative learning.
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