limbique

Limbique, commonly referenced as the limbic system in English, denotes a set of interconnected brain structures situated along the border between the cerebral cortex and deeper brain regions. It is traditionally linked to emotion, motivation, learning, and memory, as well as the regulation of autonomic and endocrine responses to emotional stimuli.

Key components often included are the amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, fornix, mammillary bodies, the hypothalamus, and certain thalamic nuclei. Some definitions extend the limbic system to encompass parts of the limbic lobe and other subcortical structures forming a ring around the brainstem. The hippocampal formation and mammillary bodies play central roles in memory, while the amygdala is crucial for emotional evaluation, particularly fear and reward learning.

Functionally, these structures support emotional processing, reward and motivation, memory consolidation, olfactory processing, and autonomic and endocrine regulation through connections with the hypothalamus and brainstem. The limbic system interacts with broader networks, including the prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and basal ganglia, to influence behavior and physiological states.

History and perspective: the term limbic system was introduced by Paul MacLean in the 1950s to describe a ring-like arrangement around the brainstem that integrates emotional and visceral information. Contemporary neuroscience emphasizes that emotions arise from distributed networks beyond a single system, but the limbic concept remains a useful framework for understanding emotion-related brain function.

Clinical relevance: disruptions of limbic circuits are linked to mood disorders, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and temporal lobe epilepsy. damage to the hippocampus can cause anterograde amnesia, while amygdala dysfunction can alter fear processing and social behavior.