1. NEUROANATOMY OF EMOTIONS Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience Beatrice Bloch

2. Outline Definitions of Emotions Contributions of the Amygdala Beatrice Bloch 2

3. Basic emotions relatively consistent across cultures Anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise Figure 1: Basic Emotions. https://managementmania.com/en/six-basic-emotions Beatrice Bloch 3

4. Dimensional theory of emotions Beatrice Bloch 4 Figure 2: Dimensional theory of emotions

5. Induction of emotions in experiemental settings Induction of emotional states by mentalizing/imagery Presenting emotional stimuli to volunteers Beatrice Bloch 5

6. Contributions of the Amygdala The role of the Amygdala: Fear conditioning Beatrice Bloch 6 Figure 3: Amygdala. http://www.memorylossonline.com/glossary/amygdala.html

7. Contributions of the Amygdala Implicit emotional learning and memory Attention to Salient Stimuli Inhibition and Regulation of Emotion Beatrice Bloch 7

8. Implicit emotional learning and memory Beatrice Bloch 8 Figure 4: Fear conditioning [2] CS – contidioned stimulus US – unconditioned stimulus LA – Lateral nucleus CE – Central nucleus

9. Implicit emotional learning and memory LA projects to CE both directly and indirectly over the basal ncleus Beatrice Bloch 9 Figure 5: Pathways in the Amygdala http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_04/i_04_cl/i_04_cl_peu/i_04_cl_peu.html

10. Amydgala facilitates attention to Salient Stimuli Emotional stimuli can influence attiention and persception Amygdala activation to fear faces does not depend on subjects‘ awareness of the presentation Patients with damage to the amygdaly fail to show the normal facilitation → Amygdala modulates attention and perception via rapid feedback to sensory-processing regions Uncertainty about neural pathways Not true for highly demanding-tasks Beatrice Bloch 10

11. Inhibition and Regulation of Emotion How do learned emotional responses can be diminished or controlled? Extinction of Emotional Learning Emotional Regulation and Coping Beatrice Bloch 11

12. Extinction of Emotional Learning A CS is presented without the US Conditioned emotional responses (CRs) are diminished, responses are inhibited rather than eluminated After complete extinction a number of situation can result in the reexpression of previously extinguished CRs Damage to the mPFC reduces the ability of rats to undergo extinction learning Facilation of NMDA-receptors through d-cyloserine enhances extinction Beatrice Bloch 12

13. Emotional Regulation and Coping Control of emotional reaction is important to behave in adapitve or appropriate way Teaching of active coping skills Rats can learn to run to another chamber to terminate or prevent the occurance of a fear arousing CS Damage to the basal amygdala prevents active coping Damage to the central nucleus prevents passive coping Damage to the lateral nucleus prevents both Beatrice Bloch 13

14. Summary Six basic emotions: Fear, Happiness, Sadness, Disgust, Anger and Surprise Two dimensions: arousal and valence Contributions of the Amygdala Implicit learning and memory (conditioning) Attention to Salient Stimuli Extinction of emotional learning is possible Emotional regulation and active coping Beatrice Bloch 14

15. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Beatrice Bloch 15

16. References [1] Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience. Iiro P. Jääskeläinen [2] Contributions of the Amygdala to Emotion Processing: From Animal Models to Human Behavior. Elizabeth A. Phelbs and Joseph E. LeDoux, October 2005. Beatrice Bloch 16