Lecture Objectives: Limbic System and Olfaction

Diagram olfactory pathways in the brain. Cell bodies are in olfactory epithelium, outside brain, in nasal cavity. Odorants dissolve in mucus. Cilia of olfactory receptors grab odorants (each cell has 1 receptor type for 1 odorant) and transmit through G proteins through cribriform plate onto olfactory bulb to the specific glomerulus for that odorant/receptor. Mitral cells live in the olfactory bulb glomeruli, which transmits to brain. Mitral cells project to the piriform cortex, corticomedial amygdala, and entorhinal cortex. Piriform cortex is 3-layered (primitive), then it connects to lateral orbitofronal cortex directly and also through dorsomedial thalamus. Corticomedial amygdala gets social/ sensory inputs for sexual, parental, aggressive behaviors, connects with hypothalamus and receives gonadal steroids. Projects to entorhinal cortex, so olfactory info goes to memory. Emotional response to memory through this pathway. Explain how the olfactory system differs from other sensory systems. The relationship among different odorants is unclear. We have no abstract terms to describe odorants. Olfactory projects directly to limbic regions, bypassing the thalamus. The receptor neurons last only 1-2 months, then die and are replaced by stem cells. Other sensory neurons last forever. Olfactory connections are ipsilateral, unlike other senses which are all contralateral. Its a more primitive sense. Categorize the connections and functions of the major amygdaloid nuclei. On inferior brain surface, on parahippocampal gyrus of temporal lobe, inside uncus, is the amygdala. It has two parts: Corticomedial and Basolateral. The corticomedial integrates smell input, endocrine signals, and ascending somatosensory info to modulate social behavior. It sends out to the hypothalamic nuclei via stria terminalis and a small ventral pathway. The basolateral is larger and more important part of amygdala, including basolateral, basomedial, lateral and central nuclei. It receives info from visual and auditory sensory cortex, hippocampus, cingulate, prefrontal, and parietal cortex, and projects to orbitofrontal cortex and hypothalamus. It is important in learned emotional responses to sensory stimuli, mainly negative emotions, and connects with autonomic responses in brainstem. It shapes motivation and emotion for threat, hunger, and social interaction. Its a major player in associative learning and memory and emotion. Damage to basolateral amygdala causes Kluver-Bucy syndrome (no emotions, puts everything in mouth, no visual recognition, hypersexuality). Anxiety, PTSD, and Autism may be related to this area. Describe the role of the hippocampus in memory. Formed of Dentate Gyrus, Ammons Horn, and Subiculum ( all 3 are hippocampus). Forms floor of inferior horn of lateral ventricle, posterior to amygdala. Afferents come in to dentate gyrus, goes through ammons horn then subiculum. Efferents leave subiculum through fornix to septum, thalamus, hypothalamus, mammillary bodies. Also gets input from temporal association areas for visual/auditory/multimodal senses. Hippocampus has high metabolic activity and neurogenesis, is easily damaged by ischemia, and has low seizure threshold. Its needed for declarative memory and new memory formation but not for storage of old memory. It degrades in alzheimers disease and korsakoffs (alcoholism). List the functions and connections of the septum. Septum lies between lateral ventricles, dorsal to hypothalamus and rostral to thalamus. Connects to hypothalamus, cingulate cortex, hippocampus, amygdala. Has receptors for testosterone and vasopressin in lateral septum. Important for aggression and pair-bonding. Medial septum part of cholinergic tract from ventral forebrain to regulate attention and arousal.