Atypical - Exam 1

Which of the following would not be treated by a stimulant psychotropic medication?

a. narcolepsy

b. bipolar disorder

c. sleep/mood disorders

d. ADHD

B. bipolar disorder

What kind of psychotropic medication is prescribed if stimulants don't work?

non stimulants

Fill in the blank. ______________ are used to treat anxiety/panic disorder, MDD, bulimia, OCD and PTSD.

antidepressants

Which of the following mental disorders are anti-psychotic/neuroleptic medications not used for?

a. MDD w/ psychotic symptoms

b. anxiety

c. bipolar disorder

d. schizophrenia

B. anxiety

True or False: Neuroleptics are starting to be used on kids.

true

What mental disorders are mood stabilizers used to treat?

bipolar disorder, impulse control disorders, schizophrenia

List the psychedelic drugs that are used on a trial basis as medications, and what they are used for.

mdma/ecstasy: PTSD

ketamine: drug resistant depression

psilocybin: depression

Why might MDMD/Ecstasy be used in a therapeutic setting?

In a situation where a client has to unload painful emotional information, these drugs make it easier to talk about.

In what situation would anti-anxiety medications NOT be quick acting?

during panic attacks

Give some examples of anti anxiety medications

xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin (specifically for panic, but can also be used for epileptic seizures)

What are three classes of medications used for depression?

SSRIs, SNRIs, and Tricyclics

How long does a shot of ketamine given in a doctors office last?

about a month

Why might psilocybin be used for an older person with depression?

because the adult has developed a tolerance to traditional antidepressants overtime and has stopped working for them

What is epidemiology?

the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health, in this case mental disorders

What is comorbidity?

existence of 2 or more disorders within 1 person simultaneously

What's the difference between prevalence and incidence?

prevalence: rates of disorders within longer period, say a year (ALL cases of disease)

incidence: rates of disorders within shorter period, say a month (NEW cases of disease)

Explain how age might influence the prevalence of mental disorders.

symptoms that are congruent with disorders may not be of concern if the child is young, as some behaviors are more appropriate for young children. ex. a 5 yr. old vs. a 16. yr old having an imaginary friend

Explain how gender might influence the prevalence of mental disorders.

some disorders are more common in women than men or vice versa ex. depression

Explain how socioeconomic status might influence the prevalence of mental disorders.

not everyone has the money to pay for insurance/therapy to be diagnosed

Explain how ethnicity might influence the prevalence of mental disorders. In what ways do ethnicity contribute to mental illness?

- the understanding of mental illness varies across cultures

- some don't believe it exists and some stigmatize, mental disorders not recognized as having a physiological component

- some ethnic backgrounds more vulnerable to low SES

-some cultures put more emphasis on compliance and are more authoritarian

- in moving to an area where the culture differs from what the person is used to, they might not know where to find mental health services

How do we identify a mental disorder?

- degree of impairment

-psychological distress

-cultural deviancy - behavior is outside of cultural norm

- chronicity - how long behavior has been a problem

- intensity of dysfunction

- harmful dysfunction

- behavioral rigidity

Define behavioral inhibition

a restraint in engaging with the world, a tendency to look around for threats, and a freezing avoidance/withdrawal from unfamiliar situations

ex. baby is anxious around new people and unsettled by new toy

Is behavioral inhibition developed over time, or is it something a person is born with?

it's a trait, something you're born with

The professor gave an example of a mother coming home from a long day at work to her child crying, which frustrates the mother. Instead of the child behaving, they cry more, which causes the mother to be more frustrated and begins yelling at the child. Because the mother is yelling at the child, the child cries even more. What is this interaction an example of?

transactional factors - how child and parent dynamics go both ways

What is the diathesis stress model?

predisposition to disorder + prenatal trauma, childhood sexual and physical abuse, family conflict and significant life changes = psychological disorder. the stronger the predisposition, the less stress is necessary to produce a disorder

Where in the body is a neuron found?

brain and spinal column

What are the components of a cell that you need to be able to explain for the exam?

cell body + nucelus, vesicle, neurotransmitters, axon, myelin sheath, dendrites, axon terminal buttons, synapse, actional potentials, glial (schwann) cells

Within a cell, where are neurotransmitters and hormones produced?

in the nucleus

Dendrites

where cells receive input from other cells, where other cells " doc onto"

Axon

the route in which a message from one cell takes to get to another cell

Action potential

the message that the cell is sending to the next cell, sent along the axon causing release of neurotransmitter into synapse

Vesicle

tiny bags in the cell that store neurotransmitters

Synapse

space where NTs float across

Myelin sheath

jelly like substance that is wrapped around the axon, promotes speed of action potentials

*ppl with MS have less myelin insulation

Axon terminal buttons

small buttons at the end of axons that hold the vesicle, where synapses w other neurons are found

What do glial (schwann) cells do?

HELPER CELLS

-promote development of myelin

-destroys and removes dead neurons

-provides support to neurons

-maintains homeostasis in cell environment

Explain what SSRIs do at the cellular level.

inhibits reabsorption process so serotonin is forced to stay in synapse longer in hopes of being transmitted to the next cell

What are the functions of serotonin in the body?

-improves mood

-appetite, bowel function, produces nausea

-sexuality

-blood clotting

-bone density

Where can serotonin be found?

-raphe nuclei

-frontal lobe

-hippocampus

-amygdala

-digestive tract

What might low levels of serotonin cause?

depressive symptoms

What are the functions of dopamine in the body?

-experience pleasure

-addictions

-motivation

-movement

-alerts to salient (important) objects or events

Where can lots of dopamine be found?

-nucleous accumbens

-striatum

-hypothalamus

-basal ganglia

-VTA

What might high levels of dopamine cause?

psychotic symptoms in mood disorders

What are the functions of norepinephrine in the body?

-alerts body that life is in danger

-dispersed during fight or flight response/HPA axis along with cortisol and epinephrine

-stimulates emotions and learning

-regulates sleep

Where is norepinephrine produced?

in the adrenal gland

What are the functions of GABA in the body?

-calms system down

-regulates fear

-inhibitory action, meaning it blocks messages between cells

-works with glutamate to keep system balanced

-anti anxiety meds effect GABA amounts!

What might a GABA deficiency cause?

anxiety

What are the functions of glutamate in the body?

-excitatory effects, meaning it makes neurons more likely to fire

-causes action

-works with GABA to keep system balanced

What might an excessive amount of glutamate cause?

also anxiety

What is the peripheral nervous system composed of?

somatic and autonomic nervous system

What are the functions of the peripheral nervous system?

extremities, picks up sensory info

In the autonomic part of the peripheral nervous system, what does the sympathetic nervous system do?

rest and digest (after threat resolves)

-breathing slows

-sweating stops

In the autonomic part of the peripheral nervous system, what does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

fight or flight

-pupils dilate

-heart rate quickens

-peripheral vision lost

What does the pituitary gland do?

master gland, vessel of most hormones and some NTs

What is the brain stem composed of?

(in order of smallest to largest)

reticular formation, medulla, pons, cerebellum

What are the functions of the reticular formation?

-fine motor responses, CREATES HABITS

-consciousness

-modulates pain

-helps promote sleep/wake states ex. baby with vertebrae pressing on reticular formation constantly crying and couldn't sleep

-filter sensory info to pass thru thalamus

What is the function of the medulla?

autonomic responses such as nausea, vomiting, breathing

What are the functions of the pons?

-breathing

-sensation and motor function

-arousal

-rapid eye movements (REM sleep)

-activates signals from peripheral nervous system

-relay station between the forebrain and cerebellum that passses sensory information from the periphery to the thalamus

What are the functions of the cerebellum?

-gait (the way a person walks)

-balance and coordination

-emotions

*looks like a little brain, some discrepancies on whether or not it's part of the brain stem

What are the four lobes of the brain?

1. frontal

2. parietal

3. temporal

4. occipital

What are the functions of the frontal lobe?

executive functions

-planning

-sequential thinking

-impulse control

-judgment and problem solving

-attention

-PERSONALITY (front right)

*back of frontal lobe is motor strip/cortex

*where Brocha's area is located (speech articulation)

What are the functions of the parietal lobe?

-somatosensory info; sensations of hot and cold and textures

-interprets input from other lobes

*very front is sensory cortex

*proprioception, lesions can cause for ex. problems sitting in chair

*located in top of head

What are the functions of the temporal lobe?

-processes auditory and verbal info

-speech, definitions of words)

*located right above ear

*Wernicke area (for understanding and processing speech, dictionary for all words you know) located here and is strongly connected to Brocha's area

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

processing visual info

*small, in back of brain

What does caudal/posterior mean?

back of brain

What does rostral/anterior mean?

front of brain

What does dorsal/superior mean?

top of brain

What does ventral/inferior mean?

bottom of brain

What are the functions of the cerebral cortex?

where thinking occurs, what makes us human

-is informed by all subcortical structures and and makes decisions

-autism = "bad" connections between cerebral cortex and lobes

What is confabulation?

imaginary experiences as compensation for loss of memory

What is the main function of the basal ganglia?

brakes of the brain

voluntary movement

What structures are involved in the motor loop?

motor cortex > prefrontal cortex > basal ganglia

selects what muscles to be used

What is the limbic system composed of?

brain stem, amygdala, pituitary gland, PFC, hypothalamus, cerebellum, hippocampus

What is the main function of the limbic system?

the emotional brain, processes emotions

*very connected to prefrontal fortex and impulse control

What are the functions of the pineal gland?

produces melatonin, modulates sleep and wake cycles

What are the functions of the amgydala?

processes strong emotions like anger and fear, VERY connected to PFC

*alerted when someone is within your personal space

What are the functions of the hippocampus?

-GPS or cognitive map

-short term memory into long term memory

*first to go w/ dementia

What is the main function of the thalamus?

relay station for almost all sensory info

What are the functions of the hypothalamus?

-pleasure center

-consolidates all sensory, visual, auditory and feelings experiences

-asks what's going on right now for you?

-controls pituitary and endocrine gland (tells pituitary: spit out growth hormones! spit out sex hormones!)

What subcortical structure is known as the brain of the brain?

the hypothalamus

What brain scan involves x-ray photography with contrast?

CT

What brain scan is the most non evasive and risk free?

MRI

What brain scan is used to provide a picture of how the brain is functioning and metabolic changes in real time?

PET

*the one that's color coded

What brain scan makes a composite picture out of multiple pictures in different angles of the brain?

CT

What advantage does the CT have over MRI?

higher resolution and time to administer

With what brain scan is the subject injected with a radioactive substance?

PET

What brain scan is used to locate brain lesions and tumors?

MRI

What brain scan uses magnets and radiowaves in place of radiation?

MRI

What are John Bowlby's stages of attachment?

-pre-attachment (birth - 2 months)

-attachment in making (2 months - 6 months)

-clear cut attachment (6 months - 3 to 4 years)

In which stage of John Bowlby's attachment stages does the infant recognize their parents?

attachment in making

True or False: John Bowlby's clear cut attachment stage states that the infant is only connected to their parents.

False. Can be attached to more than one person.

During John Bowlby's pre attachment stage, the infant uses the behavioral system to connect with their caregivers. What does this mean?

crying, cooing and eye contact

True or False: Infants from birth to two months discriminate between caregivers and other adults.

False. do not discriminate.

What were Mary Ainsworth's contributions to psychology? Give examples.

Attachment styles:

-secure

-anxious resistant

-anxious avoidant

-disorganized

Which of the following attachment styles can also be referred to as ambivalent?

a. disorganized

b. insecure

c. anxious resistant

d. anxious avoidant

c. anxious resistant

You work at a daycare. A mother is dropping off their child, to which the child reacts with anger, and is still angry when she comes to pick them up. Which of the following attachment styles does this depict? What might this reveal about the mother's interactions with the child?

a. anxious resistant

b. anxious insecure

c. anxious disoriented

d. anxious avoidant

a. anxious resistant

*reveals the mom may be inconsistent

At this same daycare, when another mother comes to pick up their child, the child reacts with the defensive posture of laying on the floor and showing confusion on their face. Which of the following attachment styles does this depict? What might this reveal about the mother's interactions with the child?

disorganized

*reveals that the mother or some other adult in the child's life may be the perpetrator of abuse

If the mother is not at all interested in their child, what attachment style might this provoke?

avoidant, where the child learns to self soothe and is indifferent if she were to pick them up from daycare

In the assessment process, what does a clinican do?

gather info about child as well as their family

Why might a clinician have to be certain about their diagnosis?

this diagnosis will follow the patient for the rest of their life; other practitioners will be made aware of this diagnosis and will act accordingly