Fundamentals Of Human Neuropsychology. Kolb.- Emotion

Front 1

What is Circle of Papez based on?

Back 1

1) neuroanatomy, post-mortem neuropathology
2) clinical observation

Front 2

Kluver Bucy syndrome in monkeys. Three areas of damage?

Back 2

* Amygdala damage (linked with negative emotions) ->
Hypersexuality -> increased mounting behavior on other species
* Inferior temporal damage
* Hyperoral: put things in mouth to identify objects (use taste and touch)
* Psychic blindness (visual agnosia): cannot use vision to identify objects

Front 3

Kluver Bucy syndrome in humans

Back 3

* Frontal and temporal lobes at highest risk for brain injury during trauma b/c of ridges -> can develop Kluver Bucy
* Prominent affective disturbance (emotional disturbance) -> very flat affect, no emotions
* Loss of social position
* Hypersexuality
Secondary symptoms:
* Decreased memory
* Visual agnosia

Front 4

Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC):

Back 4

brain directly behind the eyes
* The orbitofrontal cortex is an important part of PFC that is thought to control emotions by controlling the amygdala

Front 5

Uncinate fasiculus

Back 5

connects OFC and amygdala
* Damaged regularly, especially in trauma

Front 6

Phineas Gage area of damage

Back 6

* Destroys OFC on both sides completely

Front 7

Phineas gage, what did he develop? What changed in him?

Back 7

* Developed “hernia cerebri”, swelling through skull

* Gage dies 12 years later from uncontrolled grand mal seizures
* Fundamentally changed the type of person he was… * profane, vulgar, impulsive, “No longer Gage”
* personality change, other mental faculties were fine

Front 8

Symptoms of OFC damage/impairment (symptoms vary b/w people – not homogenous) {11}

Back 8

* Emotional dysregulation (impaired ability to control emotions)
* Tendencies prior to the injury are exaggerated (not huge change in tendencies)
* Disturbed social behavior
* Disinhibited: cannot control behavior (when something comes to mind it comes to mouth -> immediately say what they are thinking w/o filter) -> constantly interrupting
* Poor decision making
* Impulsivity (don’t think about the consequences, very short sighted)
* Impaired goal-directed behavior (more distracted, unrealistic plans)
* Impaired theory of mind (understanding that other people think differently from you)
* Increased orienting response
* Normal fear conditioning
* Relationships are often degraded due to these conditions

Front 9

Reasons for emotional dysregulation in OFC damage

Back 9

OFC regulates amygdala, so damage = emotional experience is heightened (feel more emotional)
Set off very easily (angered easily)
10-20x greater risk of divorce

Front 10

Three theories of OFC function

Back 10

Somatic marker hypothesis:
Reward/punishment:
Disinhibition:

Front 11

Theories of OFC function :
Somatic marker hypothesis

Back 11

emotions influence decision making by creating somatic markers (or bodily markers)
Ex. Thought of killing someone leaves you with a disgusted feeling, makes your body feel that way, acts as a trigger that you shouldn’t do that (somatic markers drive us away from bad behavior)
If you damage this area may not have this feeling anymore, contributes to why individuals are more likely to do bad things

Front 12

Theories of OFC function :

Reward/punishment:

Back 12

has neurons that are capable of coding value -> important for decision making (by measuring activity in neurons can determine which option a monkey will pick)
Contributes to the process of decision making by coding the value of something

Front 13

Theories of OFC function :

Disinhibition

Back 13

can put the brakes on certain thoughts or certain behaviors (damage = inhibition/filter is gone -> comes to mind = comes to mouth)
Accounts for impulsivity, inappropriateness, etc

Front 14

The neural correlates of morality?

Back 14

When people make this decision not to push the man over the bridge the emotional areas are active (including OFC)  more engaged emotionally for pushing someone over the bridge vs pulling a switch

Front 15

OFC patient will have no problem pulling the switch or pushing the person over the bridge, why?

Back 15

(no somatic marker of disgust  more at ease engaging in this emotionally upsetting decision)