Emotion ppt

Complex Brain Function: Emotion

• Emotion refers to a conscious brain function subjectively experienced as a strong feeling directed toward a specific object, typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes.

• Described as complex, it encompasses various responses influenced by biological components and experiences.

Core Brain Structures Related to Emotion

• Structures involved include the amygdala, hypothalamus, and the prefrontal cortex.

• These regions interact with each other to regulate emotional responses and behaviors.

• The amygdala, in particular, plays a critical role in processing emotions such as fear and pleasure.

Contribution of Structures Based on the Amygdala

• The amygdala receives sensory input and coordinates emotional responses, recognizing threats and forming emotional memories.

• An increase in amygdala activity can lead to amplified emotional reactions, while atrophy can reduce fear responses—as seen in patient SM with amygdala damage.

Mechanisms of Plasticity and Receptor Function

• Basic neural mechanisms involve synaptic plasticity, allowing the brain to adapt to new information and experiences emotionally.

• Receptor function, particularly involving glutamate receptors, supports the expression of emotions through processes like long-term potentiation (LTP) which enhances synaptic strength.

Therapeutic Benefits of Understanding Emotions

• Knowledge of emotional pathways can guide treatments for affective disorders, such as anxiety or depression, by targeting specific neural circuits and receptors involved in emotional regulation.

• Example: Managing anxiety by enhancing inhibition and dampening excessive amygdala activity through pharmacological intervention.

Suggested Readings and Resources

• Tiffany Watt Smith: The History of Human Emotions | TED Talk

• Background reading: Emotion (Chapters 29 & 30 in Editions), Neuroscience by Purves et al.

• Importance of connecting current knowledge with previous insights to enhance learning.

Six Simple Emotions and Their Complexity

• Six basic emotions identified: Fear, Anger, Joy, Sadness, Surprise, and Disgust.

• A complex palette of 154 human emotions results from biological interactions among these basic emotions, adding layers of complexity in feelings (e.g., Gezelligheit, Wunderlust).

Context and Memory in Emotional Experience

• Emotions are heavily context-dependent and influenced by memory, as demonstrated by associations made in various situations (e.g., nostalgic feelings tied to experiences).

Understanding Emotion for Biological Insight

• Evolutionary perspective: Emotional responses evolved to offer advantages, such as responding to threats (e.g., feeling fear when faced with danger like a lion) or social bonding (e.g., feelings of love).

Components of Emotional Biology

• Emotional stimuli processed by sensory systems trigger emotional systems (e.g., the hypothalamus).

• Responses involve complex interactions between somatic responses (behaviors) and autonomic systems regulating physiological changes (e.g., heart rate).

Diencephalon's Role in Emotion

• Studies identify the diencephalon as central to emotional expression, evidenced by transection experiments showing the effects on emotional responses.

Higher Brain Regulation of Emotions

• Higher regulatory centers in the brain coordinate voluntary movement and emotional expression via sensory and emotional pathways, influencing motor neurons that control bodily expressions.

Overview of the Limbic System

• The limbic system, historically known as the limbic lobe, includes structures like the cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, and amygdala, involved in processing emotional responses.

Conditioned Fear and Emotional Expression

• Conditioning demonstrates how emotional responses can be learned through associations between different sensory inputs (e.g., sound associated with an electric shock) that strengthen synaptic pathways.

The Subjective Nature of Emotions

• Emotions depend on context and can change dynamically, influenced by immediate experiences shaped through memory and associative learning.

• The amygdala and hippocampus play critical roles in managing emotional recollections and reactions based on stimulus triggers.

Positive Emotions: Love and Brain Imaging

• Beyond fear, positive emotional experiences (e.g., love) are illustrated through brain imaging studies showing differences in brain activity when viewing familiar loved ones.

Glutamate Receptors

• Composed of four subunits, glutamate receptors are pivotal in excitatory synaptic transmission.

• Glycine receptors (anions) also play a role in neurotransmission; both are essential in modulating emotional states.

Addressing Dysfunctional Emotions

• Affective disorders such as anxiety and depression represent dysfunctional emotional states that can be targeted for treatment.

• Therapeutic approaches focus on normalizing emotional responses by modifying pathways affecting fear and anxiety, impacting the amygdala and associated circuits.