1. MOTIVATION/EMOTION and the FRONTAL LOBES
left frontal lobe
may be most
involved in
processing
positive emotions
right frontal lobe
involved with
negative emotions
Keywords: brain-based theory of emotions, frontal lobes
Remember that the thalamus projects to both the amygdala ….and to sensory cortex areas.. Where it is eventually processed by the frontal lobes

2. The amygdala also projects to the frontal lobes mainly to the “Prefrontal cortex” …the frontal cortical areas found anterior to the 2nd and primary motor areas

3. Also to the Anterior Cingulate cortex (ACC) of the frontal lobes…(sometimes referred to as the “limbic lobe” )

4. The frontal lobes, esp.the prefrontal cortex also project to amygdala

5. Frontal lobes and the Amygdala
What role does the pathway from the prefrontal cortex to the amygdala play in emotion and motivation??

6. Evidence that the frontal lobes Regulate Subcortical Affective impulses
Phineas Gage-
Emotional lability emotional outbursts
irrationality
(Deficits in emotional Impusle control)

7. Prefrontal lobotomy
The effects of this procedure varied considerably

8. Perhaps due to differences in procedure- two general syndromes associated with frontal lobotomy (as well as naturally incurred frontal lobe damage)
-Pseudopsychopathy- (indicates loss of regulatory functions)
Immature impulsive behavior, aggressive outbursts, Inappropriate jocular affect , Poor judgment and insight , coarse language, promiscuity, general loss of social skills, euphoria, Emotional lability, Distractibility (see orbito-frontal cortex)
Pseudodepression – (loss of M&E influences of PFC)
Apathy, indifference, loss of initiative, loss of libido (see ventromedial ACC)

9. Orbito-frontal cortex (Frontal Poles)- regulation of amygdala

10. ORIBITO-FRONTAL CORTEX- counterfactual processing/ Regret?
Counterfactual processing -The consequence of a decision/behavior can lead to feelings such as: satisfaction, relief, or regret… evaluation of the potential outcomes of alternative decisions. Patients with orbitofrontal cortical lesions, however, did not report regret or anticipate negative consequences of their choices.

11. Damage to the orbito-frontal cortex
Damage to the orbito-frontal cortex? May partially account for the pseudopsychopathic syndrome
“Like pseudopsychopathy”-Emotional disturbance most often results from lesion of the orbital frontal areas.
superficial emotional expression like laughing, crying etc in situations inappropriate to the emotion. The patient usually has no awareness that their emotional response is incorrect or extreme.

12. The Frontal Poles (FPC) and goal directed behaviors
the most anterior part of the frontal lobes
Neuroimaging studies suggest critical involvement in Prioritization of Goals ( this logically would require the suppression of lower priority impulses…so the pseudopsychopathy like symptoms associated with damage here is logically consistent )
Very Active when there is competition between two concurrent behavioral plans or mental tasks (that may vary in respective reward expectations)
capacity appears highly limited, which suggests that the FPC may be especially important for protecting long-term high priority goals/plans from immediate environmental demands or temptations.

13. Pseudodepression suggests that the frontal Lobes may also produce emotional responses
The frontal lobes project to the amygdala

14. The Anterior Cingulate Cortex may be critical in frontal generation of emotion

15. lesion of the ACC
- patients described as apathetic and unconcerned when significant events occur, such as making mistakes (Eslinger and Damasio, 1985 ; Rylander, 1947 )…like pseudodepression

16. Even More Specificity! ACC neuroimaging studies
Dorsal ACC- cognitive and motor control, but the mechanisms of these functions remain unclear. (Posner and DiGirolamo, 1998 ).
Ventral medial ACC - involvement in depression (like pseudodepression?), also transient mood changes (Mayberg et al., 1999 ), and anxiety disorders (Mayberg et al., 2000 ; Brody et al., 2001 ) and the perception of pain (Rainville et al., 1997 ).
 decreased dorsal ACC activation and increased ventromedial ACC activation in induced sadness and depression (Mayberg et al., 1999 ).

17. Ventromedial ACC

18. VON ECONOMO NEURONS and the ACC
When we interact with another person we create a mental model of how that persons thinks and feels. We are likely to have initial, quick intuitions about the person, which are then followed by slower, more reasoned judgments.
Both intuition and deliberation are influenced by emotional value judgments.
Von Economo neurons (VENs) are a recently evolved cell type which may be involved in the fast intuitive assessment of complex situations.
VENs emerge mainly after birth and increase in number until age 4 yrs.

19. The Social Function of VENs?
Social bonding ?
More active when subjects view an image of a loved one compared with that of an acquaintance
Certainty
active when subjects make decisions under a high degree of uncertainty.
Pain?
Active when subjective experience of pain … which is powerfully magnified by uncertainty.
also active when subjects experience guilt, embarrassment and engage in deception
ACC also active in humor (Watson and Allman,
trust, empathy, and the discrimination
of the mental states of others
All of these social emotions are influenced by the degree of uncertainty involved.