Biological Approaches to Behavior

    The Limbic System

    1. The limbic system is a collection of structures on both sides of the thalamus that supports a variety of functions including epinephrine flow, emotion, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and olfaction.
      2. The figure shows the underside (ventral view) of a semi-transparent human brain, with the front of the brain at the top. The red blobs show the approximate location of the en:amygdala in the en:temporal lobes of the human brain. Note: the amygdala is covered by the ventral temporal cortex

    2. Among other functions, the hypothalamus links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.
    3. In neuroanatomy, a nucleus is a cluster of densely packed cell bodies of neurons in the central nervous system, located deep within the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem.
    4. The amygdalae are two almond-shaped groups of nuclei located within the temporal lobes which perform a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional reactions.
    5. The cingulate cortex, also called the limbic cortex, is involved with emotion formation and processing, learning, and memory. It plays an important role in linking behavioral outcomes to motivation.
    6. The hippocampus belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation.