PSYC 132 Quiz 1 ( Chapter 1-3 )

Behavioral Endocrinology

The study of interactions among hormones, brain, and behavior

Hormone

An organic chemical messenger released from endocrine cells that travels through the blood systems to interact with cells that travels through the blood system to interact with cells at some distance away and causes a biological response

Endocrine Gland

A ductless gland from which hormones are released into the blood system in response to specific physiological signals

• ductless → not specific targeting

Testes

The male gonads, which produce steroids hormones and sperm

Castration

The surgical removal of the gonads

Eunuch

A man who has been castrated (testes removed)

• Eunuch from the Last Imperial Court of China

• Characterized by his lack of facial hair and long arms

• Lack of testes before maturation causes differences in appearance

• Arnold Adolph Berthold

• University of Göttingen

• Published in 1894 what is now recognized as the first formal experiment endocrinology

• Berthold’s experiment on rosters and different conditions for castration

• Shows the developmental differences between roosters who have no testes vs. had testes removed and reimplanted

• Frank Beach

• Published Hormones and Behavior in 1948

• Beginning of the formal study of behavioral endocrinology

• Regarded as the father of behavioral endocrinology

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that communicate between nerve cells (neurons)

Similarities between neurotransmitters and hormones

• both are chemicals

• They are messengers for action → meaning they tell parts of the body to initiate some kind of action/response

• Released and received by cells in similar ways (work in similar ways)

Differences between neurotransmitters and hormones

Neurotransmitters: shorter travel distances, rapid onset/offset (meaning they work fast and leave fast), more voluntary control (e.g., moving your arm causes the release of a neurotransmitter)

Hormones: longer travel distances, long lasting effects, less voluntary control

Dark-eyed Junco

• Have been used to understand the role of testosterone in behavior and physiology

Zebra Finches

• Used in the study of the hormonal and neural bases of birdsong

• Only the male zebra finches sing in nature

Levels of Analysis

The set of overlapping and interacting questions about behavior that span different types of approaches, including mechanistic, developmental, phylogenetic, and adaptive

Mechanistic Level

The physiological mechanism(s) underlying behavior

• Behavior is explained in terms of genes, neurotransmitters, hormones, etc.

Developmental level

The role of experience in individual behavior

• Behavior explained in terms of maturation, aging, learning, etc.

Phylogenetic level

The perspective(s) adopted by biologists who assume that evolutionary processes are central to issues in ecology, systematics, and behavior

• Behavior is explained in terms of its presence in closely related species and ancestral species

Adaptive level

The role of any structural, physiological, or behavioral process that increases an individual’s fitness to survive and reproduce as compared with other conspecifics

• Behavior is explained terms of how it helps survival and reproduction

• Stages of Behavioral Research

• Examines the levels of analysis that addresses either proximate (“How”) or ultimate (“Why”) questions

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

An enzyme immunoassay that is used to detect small amounts of specific proteins and other biological substances such as hormones or other chemical messengers

• A type of assay → used to study hormone measurements since hormones are too small and hard to measure on their own

Ablation

Removal, especially by cutting

Lesion

Damage to an area, such as a brain region, that is caused by accident, disease, or experimental procedure

Agonist (hormone)

A chemical substance that binds to receptors for a hormone or neurotransmitter and causes a biological response that is indistinguishable from the response elicited by the natural hormone or neurotransmitter

• produces a biological response

Antagonist (hormone)

A chemical substance that binds to receptors for a hormone or neurotransmitter, but does not cause a biological response

• Have opposing effects on a bodily function → used to maintain homeostasis

Cannulation

A technique in which hollow electrodes or fine tubes (cannulas) are inserted into specific brain regions or into specific blood vessels, so that substances can be introduces precisely into a particular place or a blood sample can be obtained from a specific location

• E.g., _____ may be used to administer hormones or drugs, or to have blood samples drawn form which hormones can be measured

Transgenic

Relating to an animal in which a gene has been inserted, altered, or deleted

Knockout

An individual, usually a mouse, in which a specific gene has been inactivated

Chimera

An animal whose tissues are composed of two or more genetically distinct cell types; also calles a mosaic

• we examine the relationship between gene and behavior by examining the behaviors of mice with different gene types

  • behaviors of mice with (+/+) vs. (+/-) vs. (-/-)

H-B principle #1

Hormones don’t cause behavior per se

• They instead increase the probability that a behavior will occur

  • For example, lower the threshold for the hormone to cause a certain behavior

H-B principle #2

The hormone-behavior relationship is bidirectional and multi factorial

• hormones affect behavior just as much as behaviors accept hormones

• Hormonal responses to viewing a soccer match: men vs. womeN

  • Men: elevated testosterone and cortisol levels

  • Women: some change but not as much as male

H-B principles #3

Hormone-behavior relationships are nonlinear

• consistent changes to one doesn’t mean consistent changes (changes in quantity) in the other

H-B principle #4

Hormones are less predictive of behavior in humans than in nonhumans

• humans don’t just rely on their hormone-influenced reflexes as nonhumans do → humans think, plan, and resist impulses

H-B principle #5

Hormone functions are evolving more than hormone structures

• the structure of hormones are the same but the functions can change

Intracrine

Peptide hormones or growth factors that bind and act inside cells either after internalization by the cells or retention in their cells of synthesis

Autocrine

Pertaining to a signal secreted by a cell into the environment that affects the transmitting cell

Paracrine

A form of cellular communication in which a cell releases a product that induces changes in a nearby cell

Ectocrine

A parahormonal chemical substance that is secreted (usually by an invertebrate organism) into its immediate environment (air or water) which alters physiology or behavior of the recipient individual

• Outside of body → like pheromones

Exocrine gland

A gland that has a duct through which its product is secreted into adjacent organs or the environment

• has a duct → specific targeting

• Another visual of how endocrine cells release hormones into the blood stream → the hormones FREELY travel to target cells and bind to cause some kind of affect (does not have a target cell)

• Another visual of how exocrine cells release hormones → releases some hormone from its gland (organ) onto adjacent organs/ environment to cause some kind of change

Carrier protein

One of several different plasma proteins that bind to hormones of low solubility (primarily thyroid and steroid hormones), providing a transport system for them

• a protein that binds to steroids to transport them

Vesicle

A secretory granule or sac within a cell in which hormone or neurotransmitter molecules are stored

Exocytosis

The extrusion or secretion of substances from a cell by the fusion of a vesicle membrane with the cell membrane

Hypothalamus

An endocrine structure that controls the release of pituitary hormones by secreting ‘releasing’ and ‘inhibitory’ hormones, all of which are called releasing hormones

• below the thalamus

Releasing hormones

One of several polypeptides released from the hypothalamus that increase or decrease the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)

Stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and beta-endorphins from the anterior pituitary

• Hypothalamic hormone

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)

Stimulates releas of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the anterior pituitary

• Hypothalamic hormone

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

Stimulates release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the anterior pituitary

• Hypothalamic hormone

Gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH)

Inhibits release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating (FSH) from the anterior pituitary

• Hypothalamic hormone

Prolactin inhibitory hormone (PIH)

Inhibits prolactin release from the anterior pituitary

• Hypothalamic hormone

Anterior pituitary

The front part of the endocrine gland that extends from the base of the brain and secretes a number of tropic hormones in response to hormonal signals from the hypothalamus

• Hypothalamus secretes peptide hormones to anterior pituitary → anterior pituitary reacts and produces & releases tropic hormones

• Communication via blood vessels

Posterior pituitary

The rear part of the endocrine gland that extends from the base of the brain and stores and releases oxytocin and vasopressin, which are produced in the hypothalamus

• Hypothalamus produces & stores hormones in posterior pituitary

• Communication via neurons

Tropic hormones

Hormones from the anterior pituitary that simulate various physiological processes, either by acting directly on target tissues or by causing other endocrine glands to release hormones

• ____ ____ trigger endocrine glands to release more hormones

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

Stimulates release of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex

• Anterior pituitary hormone

Beta-endorphins

Stimulates analgesic (pain killing) effects

• Anterior pituitary hormone

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

Stimulates release of thyroid hormones

• Anterior pituitary hormone

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Stimulates Leydig cell development and testosterone release in males; stimulates corpus luteum development and progesterone release in females

• Anterior pituitary hormone

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

Stimulates spermatogenesis in males; stimulates ovarian follicle development and estrogen release in females

• Anterior pituitary hormone

Growth hormone (GH)

Stimulates cell growth

• Anterior pituitary hormone

Prolactin

Stimulates lactation

• Anterior pituitary hormone

Oxytocin

Stimulates milk letdown and uterine contractions during birth

• Posterior pituitary hormone

Vasopressin

Increases kidney water absorption; increases blood pressure during serious blood loss

• Posterior pituitary hormone

Pineal gland

An endocrine gland that secretes melatonin, a hormone important in the regulation of daily seasonal cycles

• Melatonin affects reproductive functions, e.g., timing of puberty

Thyroid gland

A double-lobed endocrine gland located on or near the trachea or esophagus in vertebrates that secretes several hormones important in metabolism, including thyroxine and triiodothyronine

Know the location of the thyroid and parathyroid glands

Thyroxine (T4)

Increases oxidation rates in tissues

Triiodothyronine (T3)

Increases oxidation rates in tissues

Parathyroid gland

Separate endocrine tissues associated with the thyroid gland; produces hormones involved in calcium metabolism

Parathyroid hormone (PTH)

Regulates blood calcium levels

• PTH increases blood calcium when its low

Thymus gland

An endocrine and lymph gland located in the thorax

• The ___ ___ increases in size and activity until puberty and then begins in atrophy (decrease in size) and be replaced by fatty tissue

Endocrine system

Thymosin

Stimulates lymphocyte development

• Lymphocyte = a type of white blood cell → this hormone is important in immune system functioning

Thymostatin

Stimulates lymphocyte development

• Lymphocyte = a type of white blood cell → this hormone is important in immune system functioning

Pancreas

A composite vertebrate gland composed of both endocrine and exocrine functions

Islets of Langerhans

Islands of endocrine tissues nested throughout the exocrine tissue of the pancreas

Note the location of the pancreas

Insulin

Lowers blood glucose

• pancreatic hormone

Glucagon

Raises blood glucose

• pancreatic hormone

Growth hormone inhibitory hormone (GHIH)

Also known as somatostatin, inhibits release of growth hormone form the anterior pituitary, and inhibits pancreatic release of insulin and glucagon

• pancreatic hormone

Cholecystokinin (CCK)

Moderated food intake

• CCK decreases hunger and good intake when you’ve eaten

• GI Tract hormone

Ghrelin

Moderated food intake

• Ghrelin increases hunger and food intake when you’ve not eaten

• GI Tract hormone

Adrenal glands

Paired, dual-compartment endocrine glands in vertebrates consisting of a medulla and a cortex

Adrenal cortex

The outer layer(s) of the endocrine organ that sits above the kidneys in vertebrates and secretes steroid hormones

Adrenal medulla

The inner portion of the endocrine organ that sits above the kidneys in vertebrates and secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine

Know the structure/ orientation of the adrenal gland, adrenal cortex, and adrenal medulla in respect to each other

In order from outside to inside:

• Adrenal gland → Adrenal cortex → Adrenal medulla

Epinephrine

Mediates the physiological response to stress

• Also called adrenaline

• Adrenal medulla hormone

Norepinephrine

Mediates the physiological response to stress

• Adrenal medulla hormone

Glucocorticoids

Increase carbohydrate metabolism

• The primary glucocorticoid in humans is cortisol; in reptiles, birds, and rodents it’s corticosterone

• Adrenal cortex hormone

Gonad

An endocrine organ that produces sex steroids and gametes; the ovaries and testes are gonads

Ovaries

The female gonads, which produce estrogens, progestins, and ova

Placenta

A specialized organ produced by the mammalian embryo that is attached to the uterine wall and serves to provide nutrients, hormones, and energy to the fetus

• Ovum is released from the ovary

• Note that the ruptured follicle stays in the ovary and develops into the corpus luteum