NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

MOTOR SYSTEM :

LIMBIC SYSTEM.
• INTRODUCTION.

• Limbic system consists of brain structure that

lie in the border region between the
hypothalamus and its related structures and the
cerebral cortex.
• It consists of the entire basal system of the
brain that controls one’s emotional behaviour
and drive e.g. rage, fear, pleasure, sexual
behaviour, control of appetite, etc.
• The limbic system constitute a route whereby
emotional influences can produce autonomic,
endocrine or reflex changes.

• The limbic system is made of the following parts:

1. Limbic cortex
2. Subcortical structures
3. Hypothalamus
1. Limbic cortex: consists of the following:
 Temporal cortex.
 Orbitofrontal area.
 Cingulate gyrus.
 Parahippocampal gyrus.
 Pyriform area.
 Uncus.
2. Subcortical structures include:
 Preoptic Area.
Anterior Thalamic Nuclei.
Parts of the Basal Ganglia.
 Hippocampus.
Amygdala.
3. Hypothalamus includes:
Posterior.
Anterior.
 Lateral hypothalamus.
Each of these parts contain several nuclei.
Afferent and Efferent Connections of the Limbic System
(Papez Circuit):
• There is a closed system of information flow
between the limbic system and the
hypothalamus and thalamus, this is called the
‘Papez circuit’.
• In this circuit, the fornix connects the
hippocampus to the mamillary bodies which in
turn project to the anterior nuclei of the
thalamus which in turn sends fibres to the
cingulate gyrus which the completes the circuit
by sending fibers to hippocampus.
• . Through these connections, the limbic system
and hypothalamus control emotional
behaviour.

• The functions of various parts of the limbic

system have been obtained via electrical
stimulation, ablation or surgical removal or
destruction of such specific areas.
• Functions of specific parts of the limbic system.
1. Limbic cortex: Function as cerebral association
area for control of behaviour.
 Ablation of the temporal cortex: causes the
animal to develop consumatory behaviour, have
intense sex drive and looses all fear.
 Ablation of the orbitofrontal cortex: Bilateral
ablation of this area causes insomnia and motor
restlessness
 Ablation of the subcallosal gyri: Bilateral
ablation of this area releases the rage centre in
the septum and hypothalamus and produces fits
of rage in the animal.
Functions of the Amygdala:
• The amygdala receives impulses from all
portions of the limbic cortex.
• Because of its multiple connections, the
amygdala has been referred to as the window
through which the limbic system sees the place
of a person in the world.
• The amygdala in turn transmits signals to: same
cortical areas; hippocampus; septum; thalamus
and mostly to the hypothalamus.
• Amygdala patterns the behavioural response of
an individual so that is appropriate for each
occasion.
• Stimulation of the amygdala elicit the same
response as stimulating the hypothalamus plus
additional effects such as: Increase in BP,
Increase in HR, increase or decrease in GIT
secretion and motility, defeacation,
micturition, pupillary dilatation and secretion
of anterior pituitary hormones.
• Stimulation of the amygdala also elicits sexual
activities such as; erection, copulatory
movements, ejaculation, ovulation, uterine
activity and pre-mature labour.
 Bilateral ablation of the amygdala causes
Kluver Bucy Syndrome:
• This syndrome was described in 1939 by
Kluver and Bucy from studies done in
monkeys.
• It is associated with changes in behaviour
which include the following:
 Excessive tendency to examine objects orally
 Loss of fear
 Decreased aggressiveness
 Change in dietary habits e.g. hebivorous
animal can become canivorous.
 Sometimes psychic blindness that is inability
to distinguish between edible and non-edible
objects.
 Often excessive sex drive e.g. attempt to
copulate with immature animals, animals of
wrong sex or even of different species
Functions of the hippocampus:
• Hippocampus has numerous connections with the sensory
cortex and basic structures of the limbic system such as
the amygdala, hypothalamus, septum and mamillary
bodies.
• It responds to almost all sensory experiences.
• It sends its output through the fornix to the hypothalamus
and other parts of the limbic system.
• Stimulation causes rage, passivity, excess sex drive, etc.
• Weak electrical stimulation causes epileptic seizures.
• Bilateral lesion of the hippocampus causes inability to
learn something new but can perform previously learned
activities. New names and faces of people that they come
in contact with everyday cannot be remembered.
 Hypothalamus.
• This is the major control head quarters of the
limbic system.
• It has two-way communicating pathways with
all levels of the limbic system. In turn, it and
its closely allied structures send output signals
in three directions:
1. Backward and downward to the brain stem,
mainly into the reticular areas of the
mesencephalon, pons, and medulla and from
these areas into the peripheral nerves of the
autonomic nervous system.
2. Upward toward many higher areas of the
diencephalon and cerebrum, especially to the anterior
thalamus and limbic portions of the cerebral cortex.
3. Into the hypothalamic infundibulum to control or
partially control most of the secretory functions of
both the posterior and the anterior pituitary glands.
• In addition to their roles in behavioral control, these
areas control many internal conditions of the body,
such as body temperature, osmolality of the body
fluids, and the drives to eat and drink and to control
body weight.
• These internal functions are collectively called
vegetative functions of the brain, and their control is
closely related to behavior.