Neurotransmitters and Genetics Flashcards

Flashcards about Neurotransmitters and Genetics

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that relay electrical signals from one neuron to the next.

Synapse

The space between neurons where neurotransmitters travel to trigger the second neuron.

Behavioral Genetics

The study of the relationship between genetics and environment in determining individual differences in behavior.

Human Genome

The collection of DNA that exists in humans.

Alleles

Different forms of genes that create variation in species risk.

Family Pedigree Studies

Studies that examine whether the family members of someone with a particular disorder are more likely to have that disorder than are family members of people without.

Proband

Someone with a particular disorder

Familial Aggregation

When a disorder is more commonly found among the proband's family.

Shared Environmental Factors

Environmental factors that family members share.

Adoption Studies

Studies where similarities between biological parents and their offspring who have been adopted are assumed to represent the genetic contribution to a given trait or behavior.

Twin Studies

Studies that examine the similarities and differences between monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) twin pairs to identify genetic and environmental contributions to psychological disorders.

Monozygotic (MZ) Twins

Identical twins that start out as a single fertilized egg and are genetically identical.

Dizygotic (DZ) Twins

Fraternal twins that result from the fertilization of two eggs by different sperm and share on average one half of their genes.

Molecular Genetics

Research that drills down to the molecular level to identify risk genes.

Genome Wide Linkage Analysis

Allows researchers to narrow the search for genes from the entire genome to specific areas on specific chromosomes.

Candidate Gene Association Study

Scientists compare specific genes in a large group of individuals who have a specific trait or disorder with a well-matched group of individuals who do not have that trait or disorder.

Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS)

Hundreds of thousands of possible genetic variants scattered across the genome are tested for association in the same study.

Genotype

A collective term for the genes in our DNA that are responsible for a specific trait.

Phenotype

The observable, physical expression of a trait.

Epigenetics

Focuses on heritable changes in the expressions of genes, which are not caused by the changes in actual DNA sequence, rather by environmental exposures.

Case Study

A comprehensive description of an individual or group of individuals using clinical data typically drawn from the clinician's practical experience.

Single Case Designs

Experimental studies conducted at the individual level that incorporate control conditions to allow clearer demonstration of causal relationships in a single individual.

ABAB Reversal Design

A single case design in which A represents a baseline phase and B represents a treatment phase, and the two phases are alternated to examine their impact on behavior.

Multiple Baseline Design

A single case design that applies only one AB sequence, but the sequence is repeated across individuals, settings, or behaviors.