3. Functions
✦ interoceptive awareness - senses within body
✦ motor control
✦ homeostasis - stability within body
✦ social emotions
✦ emotions
✦ self-awareness
✦ perception
✦ cognitive functioning
4. Studies
✦ Dr. Andrea Caria:
✦ generation of signals & if it supports the function of
emotions
✦ 3 groups: specific, unspecific or no feedback about extent
of activation
✦ assessed visual emotional stimuli (fMRI); used
specialized imaging technique (negative and neutral
pictures)
✦ results: specific - increased activity & perceived negative
pictures as more unpleasant; unspecific & no feedback -
not able to increase activity & showed no changes in
emotional response
✦ voluntary control of activity in emotionally important
brain systems is possible - clinical treatment of emotional
disorders
5. Studies
✦ Dreher & Sescousse
✦ verify hypothesis on desires being assessed
in same brain area
✦ game that rewarded 18 volunteers with
money or erotic images
✦ brain monitored with fMRI
✦ results: desires evaluated in cerebral region
(including insula); brain activity was
within that region - addiction (gambling)
6. Studies
✦ Rilling
✦ compare neurobiology of humans & other
primates - comparison of grey & white matter
✦ range of imaging and analytical techniques used
on chimpanzees & bonobos (voxel-based
morphometry - technique allows investigation in
brain)
✦ results: bonobos had more developed circuitry in
limbic system & pathway connecting amygdala
and cortex is larger - more emotional; empathy
✦ less developed insula - more aggression
7. Damage
✦ immunosuppression
✦ apathy
✦ loss of libido
