The Neuroanatomy and Physiology of Emotion

 • Thalamus

 • Primary and Association Cortices

 • The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) - Processes higher order emotions that require recall, reason, and decision making (e.g., embarrassment) + Integrates sensory information from the viscera in response to the inciting environmental object or event with information from the amygdala

 • Hvpothalamus - major output of the limbic system

 • Hippocampus - key for memory consolidation and retrieval

 • Motor Endocrine and Visceral systems

 • Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) -> The ANS automatically and unconsciously responds to the emotional stimulus (e.g., Incr HR, blushing)



#Emotions #Neuroanatomy #pathophysiology #psychiatry #limbicsystem