Emotions

I. General Overview

An emotional response consists of three types of components: behavioral, autonomic, and hormonal (controlled by the amygdala).

1. The behavioral component consists of muscular movements that are appropriate to the situation that elicits them.

2. Autonomic responses facilitate the behaviors and provide quick mobilization of energy for vigorous movement.

3. Hormonal responses reinforce the autonomic responses. The hormones secreted by the adrenal medulla— epinephrine and norepinephrine—further increase blood flow to the muscles and cause nutrients stored in the muscles to be converted into glucose. In addition, the adrenal cortex secretes steroid hormones, which also help to make glucose available to the muscles.

FEARThe amygdala plays a special role in physiological and behavioral reactions to objects and situations

that have biological significance, such as those that warn of pain or other unpleasant consequences or signify the presence of food, water, salt, potential mates or rivals, or infants in need of care.

We need concern ourselves with just three major regions: the lateral nucleus, the basal nucleus, and the central nucleus.

The lateral nucleus (LA) receives information from all regions of the neocortex, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the thalamus, and the hippocampal formation. The lateral nucleus sends information to the basal nucleus (B) and to other parts of the brain, including the ventral striatum (a brain region involved in the effects of reinforcing stimuli on learning) and the dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus, whose projection region is the prefrontal cortex. The LA and B nuclei send information to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the central nucleus (CE), which projects to regions of the hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, and medulla that are responsible for the expression of the various components of emotional responses.

Emotions

I. General Overview

An emotional response consists of three types of components: behavioral, autonomic, and hormonal (controlled by the amygdala).

1. The behavioral component consists of muscular movements that are appropriate to the situation that elicits them.

2. Autonomic responses facilitate the behaviors and provide quick mobilization of energy for vigorous movement.

3. Hormonal responses reinforce the autonomic responses. The hormones secreted by the adrenal medulla— epinephrine and norepinephrine—further increase blood flow to the muscles and cause nutrients stored in the muscles to be converted into glucose. In addition, the adrenal cortex secretes steroid hormones, which also help to make glucose available to the muscles.

FEARThe amygdala plays a special role in physiological and behavioral reactions to objects and situations

that have biological significance, such as those that warn of pain or other unpleasant consequences or signify the presence of food, water, salt, potential mates or rivals, or infants in need of care.

We need concern ourselves with just three major regions: the lateral nucleus, the basal nucleus, and the central nucleus.

The lateral nucleus (LA) receives information from all regions of the neocortex, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the thalamus, and the hippocampal formation. The lateral nucleus sends information to the basal nucleus (B) and to other parts of the brain, including the ventral striatum (a brain region involved in the effects of reinforcing stimuli on learning) and the dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus, whose projection region is the prefrontal cortex. The LA and B nuclei send information to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the central nucleus (CE), which projects to

regions of the hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, and medulla that are responsible for the expression of the various components of emotional responses.