Atlas Generated Cog. Neuro Exam #4 Flashcards

Emotion

A transient state associated with stimuli that possess inherent survival or reproductive value (rewarding/punishing).

Mood

A sustained emotional state, distinct from transient emotions.

Motivation

States of seeking rewards and avoiding punishments, required to overcome habits.

Hedonic value

Subjectively liked/disliked aspect of emotion.

Internal bodily responses

Physiological changes such as sweat, heart rate, and hormone secretion associated with emotions.

External behaviors

Observable expressions that convey emotional states.

Action responses

Behavioral reactions such as fight-or-flight in response to emotions.

Cognitive responses

Increased attention and focus associated with emotional experiences.

Valence

The intrinsic attractiveness (positive) or averseness (negative) of an emotion.

Arousal

The intensity of an emotional experience, ranging from strong to weak.

Basic emotions

Six primary emotions: fear, anger, surprise, happiness, sadness, disgust.

James-Lange Theory

The theory that physiological responses precede and cause emotional experiences.

Cannon-Bard Theory

The theory that physiological responses and emotional experiences occur simultaneously.

Two-Factor Theory

The theory that both physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation contribute to emotional experiences.

Papez Circuit

A historical model of emotion processing involving the amygdala, hippocampus, and other brain regions.

Hypothalamus

A brain region that integrates internal states and drives, influencing autonomic and neuroendocrine responses.

Amygdala

A brain region crucial for processing fear and emotional memories, involved in fear conditioning.

Ventral Striatum

A brain region involved in reward processing and anticipation of rewards.

Insula

A brain region associated with interoception and the physical feeling side of emotions, particularly disgust.

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)

A brain region that tracks the subjective value of rewards and regulates emotional responses.

Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)

A brain region involved in cognitive control and signaling conflicts/errors in emotional processing.

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (dlPFC)

A brain region involved in decision-making and cognitive control related to emotions.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A disorder characterized by increased fear response, improper context assignment, and dysregulated emotional processing.

Depression

A mood disorder linked to dysregulation of serotonin and norepinephrine, characterized by low mood and anhedonia.

Anxiety Disorders

Disorders characterized by hyperactive amygdala responses and excessive worry or fear.

GABA

The most common inhibitory neurotransmitter, often targeted in anxiety treatments.

Theory of Mind (ToM)

The ability to perceive and understand others' mental states and recognize they differ from our own.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of others, involving both cognitive and emotional components.

Oxytocin

A neuropeptide that promotes social bonding, affiliation, and parenting behaviors.

Vasopressin

A neuropeptide that regulates social dominance and aggression, influencing perceptions of social threats.

Aging

A process characterized by synaptic pruning, cognitive decline, and changes in brain structure and function.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

A progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles, leading to cognitive decline.

Cognitive Reserve

The theoretical "stocking" of cognitive resources that helps individuals cope with age-related decline.

Hippocampal Volume Loss

A significant decline in hippocampal size associated with aging and cognitive decline.

Flashbulb Memories

Vivid memories of emotionally intense events, often retaining the gist rather than specific details.

Neurotransmitter Dysregulation

Changes in neurotransmitter levels (e.g., serotonin, norepinephrine) associated with various mental disorders.

Schizophrenia

A mental disorder characterized by positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions) and negative symptoms (apathy, social withdrawal).

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and ritualized behaviors (compulsions).

Frontotemporal Dementia

A type of dementia characterized by abnormal tau and TDP-43 protein accumulation, leading to cognitive and behavioral changes.

Lewy Body Dementia

A type of dementia associated with abnormal deposits of alpha-synuclein protein, affecting cognition and movement.

Vascular Dementia

A type of dementia caused by disrupted blood flow in the brain, leading to cognitive decline.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter linked to mood regulation, with low levels associated with depression.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Medications that increase serotonin levels in the brain, commonly used to treat depression.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter involved in the body's stress response, with low levels linked to depression and anhedonia.

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)

Medications that increase both serotonin and norepinephrine levels, used to alleviate symptoms of depression.

Hippocampal Atrophy

The loss of hippocampal volume associated with depression, which can be reversible with treatment.

Cognitive Symptoms of Depression

Changes in cognition, memory, and attention that often accompany depressive episodes.

Personality Disorders

A category of mental disorders characterized by enduring patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience that deviate from cultural expectations.

Cluster A Personality Disorders

Odd or eccentric disorders, including paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders.

Cluster B Personality Disorders

Dramatic, emotional, or erratic disorders, including antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.

Cluster C Personality Disorders

Fearful or anxious disorders, including avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

A personality disorder characterized by instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning, often involving impulsivity and emotional dysregulation.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A personality disorder marked by a disregard for others' rights, impulsivity, and lack of empathy or remorse.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or an experience of possession, often linked to trauma.

Doug Whitney

A case study of a PSEN2 mutation carrier for early-onset Alzheimer's Disease (ADAD) who remains cognitively normal at age 75, despite typical amyloid deposition.

Tau Accumulation in Doug Whitney

Atypical tau accumulation localized to the left visual cortex, suggesting a unique resilience to cognitive decline.

Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis

The theory that amyloid-beta plaques are necessary but not sufficient to cause Alzheimer's Disease, acting as a trigger for neurodegeneration.

Neurotransmitter Dysregulation in Schizophrenia

Involves hyperactive dopamine signaling leading to positive symptoms and hypoactive glutamate transmission leading to negative symptoms.

Glutamate Hypothesis

The theory that reduced glutamate transmission contributes to the negative symptoms and cognitive deficits observed in schizophrenia.

Flashbulb Memory Effect

The phenomenon where emotionally charged events are remembered with vivid detail, though not necessarily with greater accuracy.

Cognitive Reserve Factors

Factors that contribute to cognitive reserve include education, mental engagement, and a stimulating environment throughout life.

Maintenance in Aging

The active process of regulating cognitive resources through activities like exercise and mental challenges to mitigate cognitive decline.

Compensation in Aging

The recruitment of additional neural resources to meet cognitive demands, often seen in older adults using different brain regions to perform tasks.

Neural Dedifferentiation

The process by which brain regions become less specialized with age, leading to overgeneralization in cognitive processing.

Episodic Memory Decline

A significant decrease in the ability to recall specific events or experiences, particularly noted in older adults.

Working Memory Decline

A decrease in the capacity and efficiency of working memory, often linked to slower processing speeds in aging.

Semantic Memory Stability

The relative preservation of semantic memory (knowledge of facts and concepts) in older adults compared to episodic memory.

Oxytocin's Role in Social Behavior

A neuropeptide that enhances social bonding, trust, and prosocial behaviors, particularly in contexts involving caregiving and romantic relationships.

Vasopressin's Role in Social Behavior

A neuropeptide that influences social dominance and aggression, with varying effects across species and sexes.

Neuroanatomical Changes in Aging

Changes in brain structure, including synaptic pruning and reduced hippocampal volume, that contribute to cognitive decline.

Social Pain

The emotional distress experienced from social exclusion or negative social evaluation, activating similar brain regions as physical pain (ACC and insula).

Dishonesty in the Brain

Engaging the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) when deciding to lie, while a broader set of brain areas is activated when deciding to be honest.

Empathy and the Brain

Watching someone in pain activates the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, with responses modulated by the observer's beliefs about the situation.

Capgras Delusion

A disorder where individuals recognize familiar people but believe they have been replaced by impostors, linked to disordered functional connectivity in the brain.

Neurotransmitter Assessment

Techniques used to measure levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, often through neuroimaging or post-mortem analysis.

Psychophysiological Assessment

Methods that assess the relationship between psychological processes and physiological responses, such as EEG or skin conductance