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Brain Structure & Function Dec 2019Evidence is provided for a new conceptualization of the connectivity and functions of the cingulate cortex in emotion, action, and memory. The anterior cingulate cortex... (Review)
Review
Evidence is provided for a new conceptualization of the connectivity and functions of the cingulate cortex in emotion, action, and memory. The anterior cingulate cortex receives information from the orbitofrontal cortex about reward and non-reward outcomes. The posterior cingulate cortex receives spatial and action-related information from parietal cortical areas. It is argued that these inputs allow the cingulate cortex to perform action-outcome learning, with outputs from the midcingulate motor area to premotor areas. In addition, because the anterior cingulate cortex connects rewards to actions, it is involved in emotion; and because the posterior cingulate cortex has outputs to the hippocampal system, it is involved in memory. These apparently multiple different functions of the cingulate cortex are related to the place of this proisocortical limbic region in brain connectivity.
Topics: Animals; Emotions; Gyrus Cinguli; Humans; Limbic System; Memory; Motor Activity; Neural Pathways; Reward
PubMed: 31451898
DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01945-2 -
Brain Topography May 2023The Papez circuit, first proposed by James Papez in 1937, is a circuit believed to control memory and emotions, composed of the cingulate cortex, entorhinal cortex,... (Review)
Review
The Papez circuit, first proposed by James Papez in 1937, is a circuit believed to control memory and emotions, composed of the cingulate cortex, entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus. Pursuant to James Papez, Paul Yakovlev and Paul MacLean incorporated the prefrontal/orbitofrontal cortex, septum, amygdalae, and anterior temporal lobes into the limbic system. Over the past few years, diffusion-weighted tractography techniques revealed additional limbic fiber connectivity, which incorporates multiple circuits to the already known complex limbic network. In the current review, we aimed to comprehensively summarize the anatomy of the limbic system and elaborate on the anatomical connectivity of the limbic circuits based on the published literature as an update to the original Papez circuit.
Topics: Humans; Limbic System; Gyrus Cinguli; Amygdala; Thalamus; Hippocampus; Neural Pathways
PubMed: 37148369
DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-00955-y -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2019Chronic pain is a condition in which pain progresses from an acute to chronic state and persists beyond the healing process. Chronic pain impairs function and decreases... (Review)
Review
Chronic pain is a condition in which pain progresses from an acute to chronic state and persists beyond the healing process. Chronic pain impairs function and decreases patients' quality of life. In recent years, efforts have been made to deepen our understanding of chronic pain and to develop better treatments to alleviate chronic pain. In this review, we summarize the results of previous studies, focusing on the mechanisms underlying chronic pain development and the identification of neural areas related to chronic pain. We review the association between chronic pain and negative affective states. Further, we describe the structural and functional changes in brain structures that accompany the chronification of pain and discuss various neurotransmitter families involved. Our review aims to provide guidance for the development of future therapeutic approaches that could be used in the management of chronic pain.
Topics: Affect; Animals; Biomarkers; Brain; Cerebral Cortex; Chronic Pain; Disease Management; Humans; Limbic System; Neural Pathways; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 31248061
DOI: 10.3390/ijms20133130 -
Human Brain Mapping Mar 2006The present study used pleasant and unpleasant music to evoke emotion and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine neural correlates of emotion...
The present study used pleasant and unpleasant music to evoke emotion and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine neural correlates of emotion processing. Unpleasant (permanently dissonant) music contrasted with pleasant (consonant) music showed activations of amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and temporal poles. These structures have previously been implicated in the emotional processing of stimuli with (negative) emotional valence; the present data show that a cerebral network comprising these structures can be activated during the perception of auditory (musical) information. Pleasant (contrasted to unpleasant) music showed activations of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG, inferior Brodmann's area (BA) 44, BA 45, and BA 46), the anterior superior insula, the ventral striatum, Heschl's gyrus, and the Rolandic operculum. IFG activations appear to reflect processes of music-syntactic analysis and working memory operations. Activations of Rolandic opercular areas possibly reflect the activation of mirror-function mechanisms during the perception of the pleasant tunes. Rolandic operculum, anterior superior insula, and ventral striatum may form a motor-related circuitry that serves the formation of (premotor) representations for vocal sound production during the perception of pleasant auditory information. In all of the mentioned structures, except the hippocampus, activations increased over time during the presentation of the musical stimuli, indicating that the effects of emotion processing have temporal dynamics; the temporal dynamics of emotion have so far mainly been neglected in the functional imaging literature.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Auditory Perception; Basal Ganglia; Brain; Cerebral Cortex; Emotions; Female; Functional Laterality; Humans; Larynx; Limbic System; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Music; Nerve Net; Neural Pathways
PubMed: 16078183
DOI: 10.1002/hbm.20180 -
The Journal of Neuroscience : the... Sep 2023Stimulation-evoked signals are starting to be used as biomarkers to indicate the state and health of brain networks. The human limbic network, often targeted for brain...
Stimulation-evoked signals are starting to be used as biomarkers to indicate the state and health of brain networks. The human limbic network, often targeted for brain stimulation therapy, is involved in emotion and memory processing. Previous anatomic, neurophysiological, and functional studies suggest distinct subsystems within the limbic network (Rolls, 2015). Studies using intracranial electrical stimulation, however, have emphasized the similarities of the evoked waveforms across the limbic network. We test whether these subsystems have distinct stimulation-driven signatures. In eight patients (four male, four female) with drug-resistant epilepsy, we stimulated the limbic system with single-pulse electrical stimulation. Reliable corticocortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) were measured between hippocampus and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and between the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, the CCEP waveform in the PCC after hippocampal stimulation showed a unique and reliable morphology, which we term the "limbic Hippocampus-Anterior nucleus of the thalamus-Posterior cingulate, HAP-wave." This limbic HAP-wave was visually distinct and separately decoded from the CCEP waveform in ACC after amygdala stimulation. Diffusion MRI data show that the measured end points in the PCC overlap with the end points of the parolfactory cingulum bundle rather than the parahippocampal cingulum, suggesting that the limbic HAP-wave may travel through fornix, mammillary bodies, and the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT). This was further confirmed by stimulating the ANT, which evoked the same limbic HAP-wave but with an earlier latency. Limbic subsystems have unique stimulation-evoked signatures that may be used in the future to help network pathology diagnosis. The limbic system is often compromised in diverse clinical conditions, such as epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease, and characterizing its typical circuit responses may provide diagnostic insight. Stimulation-evoked waveforms have been used in the motor system to diagnose circuit pathology. We translate this framework to limbic subsystems using human intracranial stereo EEG (sEEG) recordings that measure deeper brain areas. Our sEEG recordings describe a stimulation-evoked waveform characteristic to the memory and spatial subsystem of the limbic network that we term the "limbic HAP-wave." The limbic HAP-wave follows anatomic white matter pathways from hippocampus to thalamus to the posterior cingulum and shows promise as a distinct biomarker of signaling in the human brain memory and spatial limbic network.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Limbic System; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials; Epilepsy; Electric Stimulation; Anterior Thalamic Nuclei
PubMed: 37620159
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2201-22.2023 -
Molecular Brain Jan 2021The hypothalamus links the nervous system to the endocrine system and plays a crucial role in maintaining the human body's homeostasis. This study aims to investigate...
The hypothalamus links the nervous system to the endocrine system and plays a crucial role in maintaining the human body's homeostasis. This study aims to investigate the resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) changes of the hypothalamus in fibromyalgia patients. 24 Fibromyalgia patients and 24 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Resting state fMRI data were collected from the fibromyalgia patients and HC's. Fibromyalgia patients went through a second scan after 12 weeks of Tai Chi mind-body intervention. Data analysis showed that fibromyalgia patients displayed less medial hypothalamus (MH) rsFC with the thalamus and amygdala when compared to the functional connectivity in the HCs. After the Tai Chi mind-body intervention, fibromyalgia patients showed increased MH rsFC with the thalamus and amygdala accompanied by clinical improvement. Effective connectivity analysis showed disrupted MH and thalamus interaction in the fibromyalgia patients, which was altered by mind-body exercise. Our findings suggest that fibromyalgia is associated with altered functional connectivity within the diencephalon and limbic system. Elucidating the roles of the diencephalon and limbic system in the pathophysiology and development of fibromyalgia may facilitate the development of a new biomarker and effective treatment methods for this prevalent disorder.Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02407665. Registered: 3 April 2015, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02407665?term=NCT02407665&draw=2&rank=1.
Topics: Female; Fibromyalgia; Humans; Hypothalamus; Limbic System; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Net; Rest; Thalamus
PubMed: 33472674
DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00705-2 -
TheScientificWorldJournal 2011Throughout the centuries, scientific observers have endeavoured to extend their knowledge of the interrelationships between the brain and its regulatory control of human... (Review)
Review
Throughout the centuries, scientific observers have endeavoured to extend their knowledge of the interrelationships between the brain and its regulatory control of human emotions and behaviour. Since the time of physicians such as Aristotle and Galen and the more recent observations of clinicians and neuropathologists such as Broca, Papez, and McLean, the field of affective neuroscience has matured to become the province of neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists. It is accepted that the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and insula participate in the majority of emotional processes. New imaging technologies and molecular biology discoveries are expanding further the frontiers of knowledge in this arena. The advancements of knowledge on the interplay between the human brain and emotions came about as the legacy of the pioneers mentioned in this field. The aim of this paper is to describe the historical evolution of the scientific understanding of interconnections between the human brain, behaviour, and emotions.
Topics: Behavior; Emotions; History, 15th Century; History, 16th Century; History, 17th Century; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; History, Ancient; Humans; Limbic System; Nerve Net; Neuroimaging; Neuropsychology; Neurosciences
PubMed: 22194673
DOI: 10.1100/2011/157150 -
Postgraduate Medical Journal Dec 1973The limbic system can be considered to consist of a central ‘core’ from which three well-defined circuits emerge. These are the the and the The functions of the... (Review)
Review
The limbic system can be considered to consist of a central ‘core’ from which three well-defined circuits emerge. These are the the and the The functions of the primitive limbic brain are modulated by a higher order control—the frontal lobe. Emotional responses and physiological changes have been obtained by stimulation of fronto-limbic pathways and limbic circuits and these have been used for location of target sites in psychosurgery. For the relief of intractable depression and anxiety, lesions are generally made in the lower medial quadrant or posteroorbital part of the frontal lobe, where there is a concentration of fronto-limbic connections. In primary obsessional neurosis lesions at this site produce less satisfactory results, but these illnesses may be helped by lesions in the cingulate gyrus, which is part of the Papez circuit. Patients with epilepsy and aggressive outbursts may respond to temporal lobotomy, or to operations, such as amygdalotomy, where lesions are placed in the defence reaction circuit.
Topics: Amygdala; Animals; Anorexia Nervosa; Emotions; Epilepsy; Feeding Behavior; Frontal Lobe; Gyrus Cinguli; Humans; Limbic System; Memory; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Psychosurgery
PubMed: 4618902
DOI: 10.1136/pgmj.49.578.825 -
Schizophrenia Bulletin Jan 2008Studies of adults with schizophrenia provide converging evidence for abnormalities in the limbic system. Limbic structures that show consistent patient/control... (Review)
Review
Studies of adults with schizophrenia provide converging evidence for abnormalities in the limbic system. Limbic structures that show consistent patient/control differences in both postmortem and neuroimaging studies include the anterior cingulate and hippocampus, although differences in the amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus, and fornix have also been observed. Studies of white matter in children and adolescents with schizophrenia tend to show findings that are more focal than those seen in adults. Interestingly, these focal abnormalities in early-onset schizophrenia tend to be more localized to limbic regions. While it is unclear if these early limbic abnormalities are primary in the etiology of schizophrenia, there is evidence that supports a developmental progression with early limbic abnormalities evolving over time to match the neuroimaging profiles seen in adults with schizophrenia. Alternatively, the aberrations in limbic structures may be secondary to a more widespread or global pathological processes occurring with the brain that disrupt neural transmission. The goal of this article is to provide a review of the limbic system and limbic network abnormalities reported in children and adolescents with schizophrenia. These findings are compared with the adult literature and placed within a developmental context. These observations from neuroimaging studies enrich our current understanding of the neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia and raise further questions about primary vs secondary processes. Additional research within a developmental framework is necessary to determine the putative etiologic roles for limbic and other brain abnormalities in early-onset schizophrenia.
Topics: Adolescent; Brain; Child; Humans; Limbic System; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Nerve Net; Schizophrenia
PubMed: 17942479
DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbm110 -
Current Neuropharmacology 2021Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a chronic debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized mainly by emotional instability, chaotic interpersonal relationships,... (Review)
Review
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a chronic debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized mainly by emotional instability, chaotic interpersonal relationships, cognitive disturbance (e.g., dissociation and suicidal thoughts) and maladaptive behaviors. BPD has a high rate of comorbidity with other mental disorders and a high burden on society. In this review, we focused on two compromised brain regions in BPD - the hypothalamus and the corticolimbic system, emphasizing the involvement and potential contribution of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to improvement in symptoms and coping. The hypothalamus-regulated endocrine axes (hypothalamic pituitary - gonadal, thyroid & adrenal) have been found to be dysregulated in BPD. There is also substantial evidence for limbic system structural and functional changes in BPD, especially in the amygdala and hippocampus, including cortical regions within the corticolimbic system. Extensive expression of CB1 and CB2 receptors of the ECS has been found in limbic regions and the hypothalamus. This opens new windows of opportunity for treatment with cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) as no other pharmacological treatment has shown long-lasting improvement in the BPD population to date. This review aims to show the potential role of the ECS in BPD patients through their most affected brain regions, the hypothalamus and the corticolimbic system. The literature reviewed does not allow for general indications of treatment with CBD in BPD. However, there is enough knowledge to indicate a treatment ratio of a high level of CBD to a low level of THC. A randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy of cannabinoid based treatments in BPD is warranted.
Topics: Borderline Personality Disorder; Brain; Endocannabinoids; Humans; Hypothalamus; Limbic System
PubMed: 32351183
DOI: 10.2174/1570159X18666200429234430