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Disorders of emotional behaviour
1Neuropsychology Service, Universita Cattolica/Policlinico Gemelli, Rome, Italy.
Journal of Neurology
|October 13, 2001
Summary
Emotions form a general adaptive system, distinct from but interacting with cognition. Understanding its components and brain structures is crucial for studying emotional disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Distinguishes general adaptive systems from specific functional systems.
- Proposes emotions as a general adaptive system interacting with the cognitive system.
- Highlights the componential nature and hierarchical organization of the emotional system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the neuropsychological underpinnings of emotional disorders.
- To detail the components and hierarchical levels of the emotional system.
- To identify key brain structures involved in emotional processing.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on emotional systems and brain structures.
- Analysis of emotional components: evaluation, response (expressive-motor, autonomic), and inhibition.
- Examination of hierarchical levels: automatic functioning and conceptual processing.
Main Results:
- Identifies the amygdala for stimulus appraisal, insula/hypothalamus for autonomic response, ventral striatum for action patterns, and ventromedial frontal cortex for inhibition.
- Describes two hierarchical levels: automatic and conceptual processing of emotions.
- Discusses hemispheric differences in emotional processing and effects of brain injury.
Conclusions:
- Emotions represent a fundamental adaptive system with distinct components and hierarchical organization.
- Neuropsychological study of emotional disorders requires consideration of these features and associated brain structures.
- Brain structures like the amygdala, insula, hypothalamus, striatum, and frontal cortex are critical for emotional regulation.