WEEK SIX REVIEW AND PROSPECTIVE MASLOW DARWIN FREUD

WEEK SIX REVIEW AND PROSPECTIVE MASLOW DARWIN FREUD SKINNER If these guys were right in their insights on human behavior and emotion THEN IT MUST SHOW UP IN THE BRAIN NEUROSCIENTISTS MUST DISCOVER THE NEURAL CIRCUITS TO EXPLAIN OUR HUMANITY

This reflex circuit is wired up with powerful synapses from birth(what does this have to do with Darwin and Natural Selection? ) PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND PAIN DETECTOR NEURON in Cerebellum HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE

Counter OCCIPITAL CORTEX Ceiling Oven Rack Towel Reach for rack Scratch Nose SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX Step PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND PAIN DETECTOR NEURON in Cerebellum HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE Cortical neurons provide weak inputs to report on everyday sensations and actions

MOTOR CORTEX SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX VISUAL (OCCIPITAL) CORTEX PAIN RECEPTORS

OCCIPITAL CORTEX Ceiling Counter Oven Rack Towel Reach for rack Scratch Nose SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX Step PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND PAIN DETECTOR NEURON in Cerebellum HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON One day, a child LOOKS at the HOT OVEN RACK and REACHES OUT TO TOUCH it: CELLS THAT FIRE TOGETHER WIRE TOGETHER PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE

OCCIPITAL CORTEX Counter Ceiling Oven Rack Towel Reach for rack Scratch Nose SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX Step PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND PAIN DETECTOR NEURON THIS HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON MEANS THAT FROM NOW ON, JUST THE SITE OF THE HOT RACK AND THE ACT OF REACHING FOR IT WILL CAUSE A WITHDRAWA BECAUSE THE VISUAL AND SOMATOSENSORY CELLS ARE NOW STRONGLY CONNECTED TO THE PAIN DETECTOR PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE

Counter OCCIPITAL CORTEX Ceiling Oven Rack Towel Reach for rack Scratch Nose SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX Step PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND PAIN DETECTOR NEURON in Cerebellum HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON FOR THE REST OF THIS CHILD’S LIF THE COMBINATION OF HOT OVEN RACK AND REACHING OUT TO TOUCH WILL RESULT IN A SUBTLE, UNCONSCIOUS WITHDRAWAL PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE

Oven Rack Reach for rack PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND PAIN DETECTOR NEURON in Cerebellum HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON THIS ONE EARLY CHILDHOOD EVENT: Creates a lifelong habit of avoidance This habit is largely unconscious We are not usually aware of being afraid of the oven PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE

Oven Rack Reach for rack PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND PAIN DETECTOR NEURON in Cerebellum HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON SIGMUND FREUD SAID: Early childhood events are critical for shaping our emotions and behaviors as adults Our behaviors are guided by past events, beliefs, and emotional reactions of which we are largely unaware, because they reside in the Unconscious PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE

Oven Rack Reach for rack PAIN DETECTOR NEURON from HAND SIGMUND FREUD SAID: We have DEFENSE MECHANISMS PAIN DETECTOR NEURON in Cerebellum HAND WITHDRAWAL MOTOR NEURON (Patterns of behavior which protect us from harm, but which we do not even know we have. ) PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE HOT STOVE

Have you ever known a mother (or father) who seems to constantly fear the very worst for her (or his) children? Fusses incessantly over mittens, car seats, food safety, etc. ? FREUD MIGHT SUSPECT THAT THIS OBSESSION WITH CHILD SAFETY IS A DEFENSE MECHANISM PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE CASE OF THE OVERPROTECTIVE MOTHER

It is essential that we (especially women) protect and nourish our offspring Mothers who protect their children successfully will have children who grow up to again reproduce All these descendants will likely also be people who protect their children (due to inheritance of this trait) This idea is NATURAL SELECTION Given to us by DARWIN PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE CASE OF THE OVERPROTECTIVE MOTHER

But, we also have instincts to protect OURSELVES And, children can be very demanding, stressful, insulting, taxing So, we may tend to lash out at them FREUD SAID THAT THE HUMAN CONDITION OFTEN INVOLVES CONFLICT BETWEEN POWERFUL OPPOSED EMOTIONS THESE CONFLICTS ARE OFTEN WORKED OUT IN THE UNCONSCIOUS PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE CASE OF THE OVERPROTECTIVE MOTHER

IRRITATION WITH AND VIOLENT IMPULSES TOWARD CHILD This reflex circuit is wired up with powerful synapses from birth(what does this have to do with Darwin and Natural Selection? ) SHAME AND SELF-HATRED in CINGULATE/INSULAR CORTEX SOLICITOUS AND OVERPROTECTIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD CHILD PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE OVERPROTECTIVE MOTHER

Child’s Face Child’s Hair Child’s Voice Child Jumping IRRITATION WITH AND VIOLENT IMPULSES TOWARD CHILD Sensory Cortex Child Demanding SHAME AND SELF-HATRED in CINGULATE/INSULAR CORTEX THE SHAME/GUILT REGION OF CORTEX IS ALSO (HYPOTHETICALLY) HOOKED UP TO SENSORY NEURONS SOLICITOUS AND OVERPROTECTIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD CHILD PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE OVERPROTECTIVE MOTHER

Child’s Face Child’s Hair Child’s Voice Child Jumping IRRITATION WITH AND VIOLENT IMPULSES TOWARD CHILD Sensory Cortex Child Demanding SHAME AND SELF-HATRED in CINGULATE/INSULAR CORTEX SOLICITOUS AND OVERPROTECTIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD CHILD PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE OVER-PROTECTIVE MOTHER ONE DAY THE CHILD IS JUMPING AROUND, YELLING, DEMANDING MOTHER IS TRYING TO DEAL MOTHER IS DEALING WITH REGRETS ABOUT HAVING GIVEN UP HER CAREER TO RAISE THE CHILD MOTHER HAS A MURDEROUS THOUGHT TOWARD CHILD

Child’s Face Child’s Hair Child’s Voice Child Jumping IRRITATION WITH AND VIOLENT IMPULSES TOWARD CHILD Sensory Cortex Child Demanding SHAME AND SELF-HATRED in CINGULATE/INSULAR CORTEX SOLICITOUS AND OVERPROTECTIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD CHILD PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE OVER-PROTECTIVE MOTHER THIS MURDEROUS THOUGHT ACTIVATES THE SHAME NEURONS THIS CAUSES THE MOTHER TO OVERREACT WITH SOLICITATION AND PROTECTIVENESS IT ALSO CAUSES PAVLOVIAN CONDITIONING TO THE VERY SIGHT AND SOUND OF THE CHILD

Child’s Face Child’s Hair Child’s Voice Child Jumping IRRITATION WITH AND VIOLENT IMPULSES TOWARD CHILD Sensory Cortex Child Demanding SHAME AND SELF-HATRED in CINGULATE/INSULAR CORTEX SOLICITOUS AND OVERPROTECTIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD CHILD PAVLOVIAN (CLASSICAL) CONDITIONING AND THE OVER-PROTECTIVE MOTHER FROM NOW ON: ANY TIME THIS MOTHER SEES OR HEARS OR EVEN THINKS OF HER CHILD, SHE IS COMPELLED TO FUSS OVER THE CHILD’S SAFETY YET, CONTINUED IRRITATION AND CAREER DESIRES MAY MAKE HER SOLICITATIONS SEEM A BIT HOLLOW

FREUD WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS MOTHER’S OVER PROTECTIVENESS IS A DEFENSE MECHANISM IT IS ORCHESTRATED UNCONSCIOUSLY – THE MOTHER HAS REPRESSED THE FACT THAT FOR ONE BRIEF MOMENT SHE WISHED TO KILL HER CHILD – SHE CANNOT ADMIT THIS INTO CONSCIOUSNESS SHE DOES NOT REMEMBER HAVING THIS THOUGHT, AND DOES NOT KNOW THE REAL REASON WHY SHE OBSESSES SO MUCH OVER HER CHILD’S WELLBEING SHE RATIONALIZES THIS OBSESSION AS APPROPRIATE, GIVEN THE DANGEROUS WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE FREUD’S DEFENSE MECHANISMS

FREUD AND HIS FOLLOWERS COULD BE VERY ANNOYING THEY ALWAYS SEEMED TO SUSPECT HIDDEN REASONS FOR THE THINGS WE DO THEY OFTEN SEEMED ACCUSING FREUD’S DEFENSE MECHANISMS

Child’s Face Child’s Hair Child’s Voice Child Jumping IRRITATION WITH AND VIOLENT IMPULSES TOWARD CHILD Sensory Cortex Child Demanding SHAME AND SELF-HATRED in CINGULATE/INSULAR CORTEX SOLICITOUS AND OVERPROTECTIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD CHILD FREUD POSTULATED THREE PARTS OF PSYCHE: ID SUPEREGO CAN YOU SEE THESE HERE?

THE BEHAVIORISTS, DOPAMINE, AND THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS THE BEHAVIORIST SCHOOL: Edward Thorndike --- JB Watson ---- BF Skinner DOGMA: By arranging the ENVIRONMENT properly anyone can be CONDITIONED (trained) to do anything. This is the way to make the world a better place. No need to consider GENES (inheritance), or INNER TURMOIL, or the BRAIN JUST LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE RESULTING BEHAVIOR

THE BEHAVIORISTS, DOPAMINE, AND THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS THE BEHAVIORISTS PROPOSED REINFORCEMENT (REWARD) LEARNING PROVIDE IMMEDIATE REWARD IN A GIVEN CONTEXT FOR THE RIGHT BEHAVIOR WE WILL ALL BE WELL-BEHAVED

THE BEHAVIORISTS, DOPAMINE, AND THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS REINFORCEMENT TRAINING WORKS IN MANY SITUATIONS SO – IT MUST HAVE AN EXPLANATION IN THE BRAIN…. . EVEN IF THE BEHAVIORISTS THEMSELVES WERE NOT INTERESTED IN THE BRAIN

THE BEHAVIORISTS, DOPAMINE, AND THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS THORNDIKE and the THORNDIKIAN STAMP If a given behavior in a given setting is immediately followed by reward, it will be stamped in Forevermore, the animal will be likely to perform that same behavior when again in that same context

(Midbrain) THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS RECEIVES INPUT FROM DOPAMINE NEURONS

(Midbrain) THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS ALSO RECEIVES WEAK INPUTS FROM SENSORY CORTEX

(Midbrain) THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS ALSO SENDS INPUTS TO PREFRONTAL COORTEX

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Nucleus Accumbens NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS RECEIVES RANDOM INPUT FROM SENSORY CORTEX

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Run Drink Pull Open Nucleus Accumbens NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS SENDS AXONS TO THE MOTOR CORTEX TO INFLUENCE WHAT WE DO

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Run Drink Pull Open Nucleus Accumbens THIS SYSTEM JUST PERKS ALONG THE ELEMENTS OF THE CONTEXT CONSTANTLY CHANGE ACCUMBENS NEURONS FIRE ACTION POTENTIALS DUE TO THESE INFLUENCES MOTOR CORTEX NEURONS ARE INFLUENCED BY MOMENTARY ACCUMBENS INPUT WE MOVE IN AND EXPLORE OUR ENVIRONMENT

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Run Drink Pull Open Nucleus Accumbens Midbrain THIS SYSTEM JUST PERKS ALONG…… UNTIL DOPAMINE CELLS

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Run Drink. Pull Open DOPAMINE DOES TWO THINGS: 1. IT CAUSES A CONSCIOUS EXPERIENCE OF HAPPY, GOOEY, LOVEY, SWEET, JOY 2. IT STRENGTHENS ANY RECENTLY-ACTIVE ACCUMBENS SYNAPSES

Dopamine can cause us to learn good habits or bad habits NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS, DOPAMINE, REWARD LEARNING AND THE CASE OF THE TEENAGE ALCOHOLIC

Brittany was a shy kid whose parents worked long hours. She was often alone at home, and she struggled with depression and boredom. Her parents were pretty good drinkers, and kept a good stock of alcoholic beverages around the house Brittany was a “good kid”, inclined to follow the rules. But, one day, walking past the liquor cabinet, she found herself idly inspecting the bottles.

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) Run Drink Pull Open WILD TURKEY JIM JACK BEAM DANIELS SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Nucleus Accumbens

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) WILD TURKEY Run Drink Pull Open WHISKEY SMELL JACK DANIELS SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Nucleus Accumbens Each glance activated its own set of visual cortex cells Brittany remembered her parents drinking and laughing She reached for one of the bottles, untwisted the cap, and took a whiff Olfactory cells were activated This caused a random activation of accumbens cells which fired prefrontal cells which caused Brittany to TAKE HER FIRST DRINK

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) WILD TURKEY Run Drink Pull Open WHISKEY SMELL JACK DANIELS SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Nucleus Accumbens She drank slowly and carefully One sip at a time UNTIL…….

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Run Drink Pull Open Nucleus Accumbens Midbrain DOPAMINE CELLS

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) Run Drink. Pull Open SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) Nucleus Accumbens Midbrain DOPAMINE CELLS DOPAMINE

PREFRONTAL CORTEX (controls our actions) Run Drink Pull Open WHISKEY SMELL JACK DANIELS SENSORY CORTEX (Codes the context) THIS CAUSED STRENGTHENING OF THE SYNAPSES BETWEEN THE SIGHT AND SMELL OF ALCOHOL AND THE ACT OF TAKING A DRINK

THE BEHAVIORISTS, DOPAMINE, AND THE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS THORNDIKE and the THORNDIKIAN STAMP If a given behavior in a given setting is immediately followed by reward, it will be stamped in Forevermore, the animal will be likely to perform that same behavior when again in that same context Brittany had begun a life-long conditioned habit of alcoholic consumption