The amygdala, hippocampus and your emotions, drugs too.
January 18th 2009 11:23
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The amygdala and the hippocampus have been mentioned in my posts lately so I thought you may like to learn just a little more about them.
The amygdala is an almond-shaped mass of gray matter in the anterior portion of the temporal lobe. Also called amygdaloid nucleus.
Positron emission tomography has been used to study neural mechanisms underlying intensely pleasant emotional responses to music. Subjective reports were accompanied by changes in heart rate, electromyogram, and respiration. Cerebral blood flow increases and decreases were observed in brain regions thought to be involved in reward/motivation, emotion, and arousal, including ventral striatum, midbrain, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and ventral medial prefrontal cortex. These brain structures are known to be active in response to other euphoria-inducing stimuli, such as food, sex, and drugs of abuse. This finding links music with biologically relevant, survival-related stimuli via their common recruitment of brain circuitry involved in pleasure and reward.(from a report prepared by the researchers)
Emotions are multifaceted, and include such things as anger, not just pleasure and the amygdala has been dubbed the primitive brain. As with the brain itself the amygdala is divided into sections which makes the study of such emotions difficult. There are different types of reaction to the various stimuli with which a person is presented.Arousal and response act upon different areas, both normal and abnormal ability of animals to choose rewards that are delayed. Besides allowing normal responses it can also prevent inappropriate responses.
The diagrams illustrate different areas and the range of responses which can ensue, including Donald's well known reactions to anger.
At least next time these things are mentioned you'll have some idea of what and where they are.
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