Limbic system (behaviour and emotion)

Anatomy: Limbic lobe Subcallosal gyrus Cingulate gyrus Hilum of cerebral Retrosplenial cortex hemispheres Parahippocampal gyrus Entorhinal and perirhinal cortex Other regions Amygdala Hippocampus Septal nuclei Limbic system is concerned with genesis and expression of emotions.

 Emotions:- mental/physical components. Cognition: Awareness of sensation and its cause Effect: feeling itself Conations: urge to take action Physical changes: Tachycardia, sweating hypertension e.t.c. Neuronal connections (Afferent/efferent) Fornix connects Hypocompus to mamillary bodies - Mamillary bodies connected to the thalamic nuclei via mammillo thalamic tract. Ant thalamic nuclei cingulated cortex Hypocampus papez circuit.

 Limbic system is connected to the neocortex, Neocortical activity modifys emotional behavior Limbic Functions: Olfaction Autonomic responses (B/P, respiration) Sexual behavior Emotions rage and fear Motivation Learning Sexual behaviour Complex event involving many parts of the nervous system. Reflexes integrated in spinal cord, low brain stem centres.

 Limbic system/Hypothalamus regulate urge to copulate and related events in males and females. Endocrine function: Testosterone: Male Estrogen: Female Gonad removal reduces sexes activity in both sexes. In non primate animals. In women, ovariectomy doesn't reduce lipido (sexual interest and drive) or sexual ability.

Neural control in male and females

Hypothalamus involved in control of sexual activity in males stimulation of specific area leads to penile erection. Bilateral amygdaloid lesions leads to hypersexuality in males. Sexual activity in females is cyclic. Spontaneous female initiated sexual activity occurs at time of ovulation.

Pheromones: Substance produced by an animal, acting from a distance to produce hormonal, behavioral or other physiological change in another animal of the same species. In women: Good friends, room-mates will tend to synchronize their menstrual cycles. Effect in infants Prefer towels form their own mother. Materials behavior Depressed behavior seen with lessions of cingulate/limbic cortex. (animal studies) Prolactin secreted during pregnancy and lactation facilitates maternal behavior.

Emotions of Fear, Anxiety, Rage etc

Fear: Function of hypothalamus Amygdaloid nuclei Amygdaloid nuclei concerned with the encoding of memories that evoke fear. Amygdaloid lessions / damage: fear response to auditory and visual stimuli is deficient. Anxiety: - Disabling in inappropriate situations function of the ant temporal lobe. - Mediated by 2 GABA receptors

Rage:/Placidity Balance usually maintained between rage and placidity Temper Function of the hypothalamus Gonadal hormones Androgens increase rage Rage is related to violence; violent criminals have lower activity in the prefrontal cortex.

Motivation and addiction Self stimulation/motivation Function of ventral tegmentum - Medial forebrain - Nucleus accubens - Frontal cortex

 Sensation evoked by stimulation of above centers leads to pleasure, relief of tension Opposite sensation fear or terror Brain systems involved Reward or approach system - Punishment or avoidance system Drugs blocking post synaptic D3 dopominergic receptors reduce rate of self stimulation Dopamine agonists reduce it Main site for receptors nucleus acumens at the base of striatum. Stimulation of the reward system provides motivation for learning.

Addiction: Def: Repeated compulsive use of a substance despite negative health consequences. Addiction is associated with reward system; nucleus accumbens Drugs that cause addiction - Morphine - Heroin - Cocaine - Amphetamine - Ethyl alcohol - Cannabinoids (marijuana) - Nicotine

Common:- Increase dopamine available to act on D3 receptors in the nucleus accumbers Stimulating the reward system in the brain.

BRAIN CHEMISTRY AND BEHAVIOUR Drugs modify human behaviour 1. Hallucinogenic agents: hallucinations / Psychoses 2. Tranquilizers: Ally anxiety / Psychatric symptoms 3. Antidepressants: Elevate mode increase interest and drive.

Aminergic system in the brain (serotonergic, noradrenergic, adrenergic and hystaminergic systems) Anatomically: The cell bodies are in few locations and have multiple branched axons projecting to all parts of the nervous system. Serotonin: Cell bodies in the brain stem Projection of axons to hypothalamus Limbic system Neocortex Cerebellum Spinal cord

 Activations via 5HT2 receptors in the brain The effect is hallucinogenic by drug e.g. estacy LSD (Lysergic acid drethylamide) Other functions of serotonin Excitatory in regulation of Prolalctin secretion Descending serotogenic fiber systems inhibit transmission in pain pathways in dorsal horns Regulation of circadian rhythm by the hypothalamus Low levels cause depression fluxetine (prozac) inhibit serotonin re-uptake.

 Nor epinephrine Cell bodies of neurones locus ceruleus, Pons, medullar Descend spinal cord - Cerebellum Ascend hypothalamus - Thalamus - Neo cortex etc. Increase Norepinephrine levels leads to mood elevation Decrease Norepinephrine levels leads to depression

Other functions Regulation/secretion of sopressin/oxytocin Co-ordinates secretion of hypophysiotropic hormones that regulate secretion of ant pituitary hormones. Norepinephrine and serotonin involved in body temp control Epinephrine Cell bodies medulla Project hypothalamus; thalamus; spinal cord periaqueductal gray Function: un-defined

Dopamine: Numerous dopaminergic system in the brain Projections Hypothalamus Walls of 3rd /4th ventricles Substantia nigra Nucleus aclumba

Limbic subcortical area

Through all these projections Dopanic system controls behaviour and addiction motor control etc.

 Defect can lead to schizophrenia D2 receptors are elevated in schizophrenia Histamine: Cell bodies:- post hypothalamus (tuberomamullary bodies) Projection of axons to all parts of the brain Function: unknown May be involved in Arousal Sexual behaviour Blood pressure regulation Pain thresholds Ant pituitary hormone regulation

Acetylcholine acetylcholine Distributed through the CNS / Acetylcholinestrase High conc in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, basal fore brain. Large projetions from the nucleus basalis, neocortex amygdala involved in motivation, perception and cognition Cell loss in this projection is significant in Alzheimer's disease.
Opiold peptides Opioid peptide precursor nulecules produced by opiod peptide secreting neurons in the brain.

 Proenkephaline producing neurons distributed throught the brain Proopiomelanocortin producing nuerons, cell bodies in arcuate nuclei Project to thalamus and brain stem Prodynorphin- producing neurons, located in the hypothalamus, limbic system and brain stem. Peptides produced involved in various functions e.g phenomenon of tolerance and addiction produced by morphine. Details yet to be known