limbic system

Examples of limbic system in the following topics:

• Limbic System

  • The limbic system makes up the inner border of the cortex and is vital for emotion, motivation, and memory.
  • The term "limbic" comes from the Latin limbus, for "border" or "edge," because the limbic system forms the inner border of the cortex.
  • The limbic system operates by influencing the endocrine system and the autonomic nervous system.
  • The limbic system is also tightly connected to the prefrontal cortex.
  • This diagram of the limbic system delineates components of the diencephalon and cerebrum.

• Epithalamus and Pineal Gland

  • The epithalamus connects the limbic system to other parts of the brain.
  • The epithalamus acts as a connection between the limbic system and other parts of the brain.
  • It is wired with the limbic system and basal ganglia.

• The Limbic System

  • The limbic system combines higher mental functions and primitive emotion into one system.
  • The limbic system is a complex set of structures found on the central underside of the cerebrum, comprising inner sections of the temporal lobes and the bottom of the frontal lobe.
  • There are several important structures within the limbic system: the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and cingulate gyrus.
  • The thalamus, which is a sensory "way-station" for the rest of the brain, is primarily important due to its connections with other limbic-system structures.
  • All the components of the limbic system work together to regulate some of the brain's most important processes.

• Biology of Emotion

  • The limbic system, autonomic nervous system, and reticular activating system interact in the processing of emotion.
  • The limbic system, autonomic nervous system, and reticular activating system all interact to assist the body in experiencing and processing emotions.
  • The limbic system is the area of the brain most heavily implicated in emotion and memory.
  • The processes of the limbic system control our physical and emotional responses to environmental stimuli.
  • The limbic system is the area of the brain involved with emotion and memory.

• Brain: Midbrain and Brain Stem

  • The hypothalamus controls the endocrine system by sending signals to the pituitary gland, a pea-sized endocrine gland that releases several different hormones that affect other glands as well as other cells.
  • The limbic system is a connected set of structures that regulates emotion, as well as behaviors related to fear and motivation .
  • One important structure within the limbic system is a temporal lobe structure called the amygdala (Greek for "almond").
  • The limbic system regulates emotion and other behaviors.

• Lower-Level Structures

  • It is home to the limbic system, which is considered the seat of emotion in the human brain.
  • The thalamus is part of the limbic system.
  • However, the importance of this structure on the regulation of emotional behavior is not due to the activity of the thalamus itself, but to the connections between the thalamus and other limbic-system structures.
  • When external stimuli are presented (for example, a dangerous stimuli), the hypothalamus sends signals to other limbic areas to trigger feeling states in response to the stimuli (in this case, fear).
  • An image of the brain showing the limbic system in relation to the brain stem and spinal cord.

• Repressed Memories

  • The limbic system is the part of the brain that is in charge of giving emotional significance to sensory inputs; however, the limbic system (particularly one of its components, the hippocampus) is also important to the storage and retrieval of long-term memories.
  • Supporters of the existence of repressed memories hypothesize that because the hippocampus is sensitive to stress hormones and because the limbic system is heavily occupied with the emotions of the event, the memory-encoding functionality may be limited during traumatic events.

• Control of Autonomic Nervous System Function

  • The medulla oblongata, in the lower half of the brainstem, is the control center of the autonomic nervous system.
  • The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of the peripheral nervous system which acts to control involuntary functions which are critical for survival.
  • The hypothalamus acts to integrate autonomic functions and receives autonomic regulatory feedback from the limbic system to do so.
  • The sympathetic division of the ANS is often referred to as the sympathetic nervous system (SNS).
  • The medulla is a subregion of the brainstem and is a major control center for the autonomic nervous system.

• Autonomic Reflexes

  • The autonomic nervous system (ANS or visceral nervous system or involuntary nervous system) is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system.
  • The hypothalamus, just above the brain stem, acts as an integrator for autonomic functions, receiving ANS regulatory input from the limbic system to do so.
  • The ANS is classically divided into two subsystems: the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which operate independently in some functions and interact co-operatively in others.
  • A more modern characterization used is that the sympathetic nervous system is a "quick response mobilising system" and the parasympathetic is a "more slowly activated dampening system"; but even this also has exceptions, such as in sexual arousal and orgasm where both play a role.
  • The enteric nervous system is also sometimes considered part of the autonomic nervous system, and sometimes considered an independent system.

• Development of the Human Brain

  • The mental processes and behaviors studied by psychology are directly controlled by the brain, one of the most complex systems in nature.
  • The human brain is one of the most complex systems on earth.
  • The brain and the spinal cord make up the central nervous system, which alongside the peripheral nervous system is responsible for regulating all bodily functions.
  • The forebrain is the most anterior division of the developing vertebrate brain, containing the most complex networks in the central nervous system.
  • The diencephalon is lower, containing the thalamus and hypothalamus (which together form the limbic system); the telencephalon is on top of the diencephalon and contains the cerebrum, the home of the highest-level cognitive processing in the brain.