Unit 0+1 test prep

Lesions

destroys tiny clusters of normal or defective brain cells to observe any effect on brain functions

EEG

measures electrical activity in the brain, uses electrodes

CT scan

uses x-ray to obtain detailed images of the body

PET scan

radioactive from of glucose injected, measures brain metabolism

MRI

radio-wave, strong magnets to measure structure of the brain

fMRI 

tracks blood flow (oxygen), measure brain activity 

serotonin

helps regulate mood, feel calm, focused, emotionally stable. Commonly used for depression and anxiety. Associated with htappiness and feeling good

too much serotonin

hallucinations

too little serotonin

depression, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder

dopamine

pleasure and rewards, causes to feel motivated, satisfied, excited. Enjoyable feeling that people will repeat behaviors. Addictive

too much dopamine

addiction, continue to engage in certain activities, schizophrenia

too little dopamine

parkinson’s disease, depression

norepinephrine

“fight or flight” response, alerts body to danger, increases bodily arousal, increases attention. Increases heart rate, breathing, blood pressure

too much norepinephrine

anxiety

too little norepinephrine

depression, mood disorders

gaba

calms and relaxes people, increases happiness, decreases anxiety, calms the CNS, reduces heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate

too much gaba

overly sleepy, sedated, normal function is impaired

too little gaba

insomnia, anxious

endorphins

alleviate pain, lower stress, improve mood, enhance sense of well being

too much endorphins

body ignoring signals of pain, risking injury

too little endorphins

feeling significant pain

glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter, important to memory, cognition, mood regulation

too much glutamate

overstimulate the brain, migraines, epileptic seizues

too little glutamate

insomnia, concentration problems, mental exhaustion

acetylcholine

motivation, arousal, attention, learning, memory, promote REM sleep, helps control certain physiological functions

too much acetylcholine

severe muscle spasms

too little acetylcholine

Alzheimer’s disease, dementia

subtance P

transmit pain signals to brain, help feel pain and react to it, regulate mood

too much substance P

chronic pain

too little substance P 

reduced sensitivity to pain

adrenaline

stimulates nervous system to prepare the body for a quick response

oxytocinq

social bonding, child birth

melatonin

make us sleepy at night

ghrelin

hunger hormone

leptin

full hormone

ethical principles

do no harm, confidentiality, right to discontinue, informed consent, debriefing

positive skewed

mean > median > mode

negatively skewed

mean< median < mode