TheLimbicSystemandCerebral

CircuitsforEmotions,Learning
andMemory

IntroductiontotheLimbicSystem
Anatomicallyreferstoareassurrounding
thediencephalon(limbus=border)and
borderingthecerebralcortex.
TheCshapedhippocampalformation
andincludestheamygdala,cingulateand
parahippocampalcortices.
Thekeytolearning,memory,andbehavior
(includingemotionalbehavior)of
paramountimportanceinpsychiatry.

I. AnatomicalLocation+discussionof
components.
II. Structureandfunctionofthehippocampal
formation.
III. TheAmygdaloidnucleuscomplexandthe
functionofits3components.
IV. Linksbetweenthelimbicsystemand
effector(behaviour)systems.
V. Linksbetweenneurotransmitterspecific
projectionsystemsandthelimbicsystem.
VI. RegionalAnatomyofthesestructures.

TheLimbicSystem

TheMedialTemporalLobe
andHippocampus

Anteriorsection:Amygdala
(Fig.1613)

Divisionsornucleiofamygdala

Posteriorsection:Hippocampus,Fornix
(Fig.1615)

Divisionsornucleiof
hippocampalformation

Midsagitalsection
(Fig.1619)

Notethemammillarybody,mammillothalamictract,andfornix(body).

Parasagitalsection
(Fig.1619)

Notethehippocampalformation,fornix,andamygdala

I. AnatomicalLocationandOverview.
A. Limbicassociationcortexsurrounding
diencephalon
medial+inferior(orbital)surface
cingulategyrus,parahippocampalgyrus,
orbitalgyrus,temporalpole.

Figs.162and3

LimbicSystem:CorticalAreas
Note:surrounding
diencephalon,medial+
inferior(orbital)surface
[cinglulategyrus,parahipp
gyrus,orbitalgyrus,
temporalpole].

Thesecorticesarenearother
associationcorticesandproject
to:

B.theHippocampalFormationandAmygdala(Fig.161).
NotetheCshape,alongwiththemajoroutputpathsforthe
hippocampus:thefornix.

Notethemammillarybody:itispartofwhatstructure?
RefertoTable161Listsallthecomponentsofthelimbicsystem.

Look!!

II.HippocampalFormation:
Components

Asubcorticalstructurecomposed
ofallocortex.
Acentralfunction:
ConsolidationofSTMsinto
LTMs(+manyotherlimbic
functionsthroughcomplex
interconnections).

Notethe3components

NeocortexandAllocortex
(Fig.1612)

Moreon
these3
layerslater

HippocampalFormation:
Circuitry(Fig.164).

A.Componentsandstructure
abananashapedstructurewithits
components(dentate,hipp,
subiculum)foldeduponone
anotherlikeajellyroll.
Inputsarefromentorhinal
cortex,whichcollectsinfo
fromotherassociationareas
dentategyrus
hippformation+subculum
outputtofornixand
alsobacktoentorhinalcortex
(SeeFig.166).

HippocampalFormation:
InputandOutput(Fig.166)
Afferent

Efferent

SerialandParallelProcessingofHippocampalCircuits(Fig.165)

Hippocampal Circuits
Contralateral
Hippocampus

3.
(septalhippocampalpathway)
AffectsThetarhythm(48Hz)

Afferents
Efferents

4.

(Hippocampalcommissure)

Cortex

ural
mis

iss
mm
co
(Pr
e

HIPPOCAMPUS

tcom

nc
Bra

Septalnuclei

(Corticoentorhinalprojections)

s
(Po

ura
l

bra
nc
h

Fornix

h)

MammillaryBody

(P
er
fo
ra
nt
&
al 1.&2.
ve
ar
p
at
h)

ERC/Sub
(PHG)

The Hippocampus Dentate Complex

(HC-DG)
Afferent Pathways
Septalnuclei

3.(septohippocampal
paththrufornix)

Pyramidalcell
(CA1,2)

(schaffercollaterals)

Pyramidalcell
(CA3)
(mossyfibers)

(Alsonote:thisefferentpath
closestheHCcircuitloop!)

2.(alvearpath)

Dentategyrus
(granulecells)

PHG(ERC,Sub)
1.(perforantpath)

1. PerforantPathway:PHG(ERC)>DG
Also.
2. AlvearPathway:PHG>CA1
3. Septohippocampalpath(viafornix):Septalnuclei>DG
4. Hippocampalcommissure(connectsbilateralhippocampi)

PapezCircuit:
Fornixmammillarybodies
Hippocampal
formation

mammillothalamic
tract

Thalamicnuclei

Entorhinalcortex
Cingulategyrus
Inputformemoryconsolidation

 KorsokoffsSyndrome:thiaminedeficiency
(i.e.,fromalcoholism)degenerationof
mammillarybodies.
Otheroutput:viaentorhinalcortextoa
numberofassociationareas,involvethe
prefrontalcortex(controlofmoodand
behaviours).

C.AnatomyandInformationFlowinGreater
Detail.
Cytoarchitechturedimensionsof
hippocampus(Ammonshorn):CA1,CA2,
CA3,CA4(hilus)[CA=coronus
ammonis].

Medial Temporal Circuitry

See Fig. 16-18 for Corresponding Anatomy Section
Pyramidalcells

Sub

PRC

CA 1

Pyramidalcells

ERC

PHC

Schaffer
collaterals

Granulecells

DG

Pyramidalcells
Mossy
fibers

CA 3

Hippocampus(HC)proper:

DentateGyrus(DG),CA3,CA1,andSubiculum(Sub)

AdjacentMTLcortices:

Entorhinal(ERC),Perirhinal(PRC)Parahippocampal(PHC)

Fornix

The Hippocampus
CA fields
A)Lateralventricle

B)Ependymalglia

C)Alvearlayer
(pyramidalaxon)
(pyramidalcellbody)

(pyramidaldendrite)

1.PolymorphLayer
2.PyramidalLayer
3.MolecularLayer

A)LateralVentricle,B)ependymalglia(ventricularsurface),C)AlvearLayer,(pyramidalaxons)

3layersofhippocampus(archicortex):
1. PolymorphLayer(pyramidalaxons&basketcells())
2. Hippocampalpyramidallayer(pyramidalcellbodies)
3. MolecularLayer(pyramidaldendrites)

Imaging the Human Hippocampus is Challenging

HippocampalFormation
(Fig.1618)

AnatomyofHippocampalFormation
(Fig.1618)

Taxonomy of Long-term Memory Systems

Squire L, Zola S PNAS 1996;93:13515-13522

Adapted from Squire, Knowlton 1994

Patient H.M. and the Human MTL

Sufferedheadinjury@age9
Developedsevereepilepsy

Surgeonsurgicallyremovedthe
medialtemporallobebilaterally
HMsufferedsevereanterograde
andtemporallygraded
retrogradeamnesia
Sparedskilllearning
(Corkin,Amaral,Gonzalez,JohnsonandHymanJ.Neuro,1997)
(ScovilleandMilner,1957)

III.Amygdala
Almondshaped
Majorfunction:Respondingtostimuliwith
anemotionalcomponent.
3Nuclearcomponents:
A.Basolateralattachingemotional
significancetoastimulus.
Sensorycortices(higherorder)BL
limbicassociaationcortex,prefrontalcortex,
hippocampalformation(forlearning
emotionalsignificance).

B.CentralNucleusmediatesemotionalresponses.
Visuaosensoryinputfromsolitary,parabrachial
nucleiCNdorsalmotorn.ofX,other
parasympatheticn.reticularformationand
hypothalamusautonomicresponses.
C.Corticomedialnucleimediatesbehaviors
triggeredbyolfactorystimuli.
OlfactorybulbCMhypothalamus(lateral
zone)regulationofappetitivebehaviours;
i.e.,eatinginresponsetosmells.

Amygdala
(Fig.167A)

Amygdala
(Fig.167B)

Amygdala
(Fig.167C)

IV.LinksBetweenLimbicSystemand
Effector(Behavioural)Systems
A. Neuroendocrinebyamygdala(centralandCM)
viaparaventricularn.ofhypothalamus.
B. Autonomicbyamygdala(centraln.?)lateral
hypothalamusdescendingpathwaysvia
autonomicnuclei.
C. SomaticMotorbyseverallimbiccomponents
reticularformationstereotypicbehaviour
viareticulospinaltract.

Fig.169:LinksbetweenLimbicSystemandEffectorSystems

V.LinksBetweenNeurotransmitterSpecific
ProjectionSystemsandLimbicSystems
Thisprojectionappearstobevitalfornormal
thoughts,moods,andbehaviours.
Wehaveknownthisempiricallybecauseof
knownbehaviouraldisturbancesinanimals
withlesionsofthesesystemsand
neurotransmitteractivatingorblocking
drugsseemtohelphumansmanage
behaviouralaberrationstosomedegree.

Dopamine:Excessivetransmissioninlimbic
structuresmaycontributetoschizophrenia.
5HT:Ascendingprojectionscontrolmood;increase
appearstohelpinmanyformsofanxietyand
depression(mooddisorders).
Norepinephrine:Excessivetransmissionmay
contributetoanxietyandaggression.Under
reaction,alongwiththatof5HT,maycontribute
todepression.
Acetylcholine:Importantincognition,activatinga
numberofneocortical,aswellaslimbicareasthe
1stsystemtodegenerateinAlzheimersDisease.

CholinergicSystem
(Fig.22)

DA

5HT

NE

Fig.22

VI.RegionalAnatomy
Seeoutlineandstainedsectionsofstructures
(Figs.1613,15,19).