TEST 2 (Lectures 6-10) Review Biological Psychology

University of Houston Therese Kosten PSYC 2330 - Biological Psychology

Endocrine system

Network of glands that manufacture and secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

Hormones

Chemical messengers that regulate metabolism, growth, mood, and sexual characteristics.

Slower, bloodstream

Endocrine signaling speed is ______ than neurotransmission because hormones travel through the ________.

Hypothalamus

Neural AND vascular structure that controls endocrine activity by signaling the pituitary gland.

Pituitary gland

Master endocrine gland that releases growth hormone and hormones controlling other glands.

Anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis)

Portion of the pituitary that secretes hormones regulating other endocrine organs.

Stress (psychological definition)

The body's internal response to a demanding condition.

Stressor

A demanding environmental condition that triggers stress.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)

Measure used to evaluate stress from major life changes.

Pressure (stress source)

Feeling forced to speed up, switch focus, or change behavior.

Frustration

Stress that occurs when goals are blocked.

limited to life or death

stress is not-

anticipation of danger, happy occasions

Stress can be caused by __________

• but not always the same for everyone

• can be from ___________ that require us to adapt and change

Fight-or-flight response

Rapid physiological stress reaction preparing the body for action.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Three-stage model describing the body's response to prolonged stress. includes alarm stage, resistance stage, and exhaustion stage

Alarm stage (GAS)

Initial stress response when body recognizes it must fend off danger, involving sympathetic activation and hormone release.

Resistance stage (GAS)

Continued coping with stress where symptoms and strain appear.

Exhaustion stage (GAS)

Breakdown of defenses after prolonged stress.

Hypothalamus → pituitary → adrenal glands → brain.

Stress hormone cascade

CRF (corticotropin-releasing factor)

Hormone released by the hypothalamus to activate the pituitary.

ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone)

Pituitary hormone that stimulates adrenal cortisol release.

Cortisol

Glucocorticoid hormone providing sustained energy during stress.

Adrenaline (epinephrine)

Hormone increasing heart rate and energy availability during stress.

Norepinephrine

Hormone supporting arousal and cardiovascular activation.

fight or flight, tend and befriend

men primarily have ___ response to stress, while women have __ response to stress

tend and befriend

Stress response more common in females involving nurturing and social bonding.

Tend-and-befriend response

Stress response more common in females involving nurturing and social bonding.

Oxytocin

Hormone promoting bonding and calming effects during stress.

Estrogen

Hormone that enhances oxytocin effects and may buffer stress.

Testosterone

Hormone that can reduce oxytocin effects and is associated with aggression.

Sympathetic nervous system

Division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for mobilization and fight-or-flight responses.

• under hypothalamic control

HPA axis (Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis)

system regulating stress response.

• pathway 2, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, regulates mood, immune system, energy, digestion, sexuality

Parasympathetic nervous system

Division of the autonomic nervous system promoting calm and recovery.

Glucocorticoid

Steroid hormone (like cortisol) involved in energy mobilization during stress.

Psychoneuroimmunology

Study of interactions among stress, immune system, and nervous system.

Leukocytes

White blood cells involved in immune defense.

Macrophages

Phagocytic immune cells that ingest invaders and activate T cells.

T cells

Immune cells specialized to recognize and destroy specific pathogens.

B cells

Immune cells that produce and release antibodies.

Natural killer cells

Immune cells that destroy infected or cancerous cells.

Microglia

Immune cells of the brain and spinal cord.

• display invader cell's antigens to attract t-cells

Stress-related immune suppression

Reduced immune function caused by prolonged stress.

Stress and brain damage

Chronic stress can reduce hippocampal and cortical tissue.

Hippocampus

Brain structure involved in memory and stress regulation with many glucocorticoid receptors.

Stress-induced hippocampal changes

Reduced dendritic length and branching and decreased neurogenesis.

• hippocampus volume reduced in soldiers, abuse victims, disaster/terrorism survivors

Estrogen protection effect

Female hormones help protect hippocampal neurogenesis during stress.

Meta-analysis of stress

Acute stress enhances immunity, chronic stress impairs it.

Acute stress

Short-term stress that can temporarily boost immune function.

Chronic stress

Long-term stress that suppresses immune function.

NPY gene

Gene linked to appetite and stress resilience.

• low = greater stress

OXTR gene

Oxytocin receptor gene influencing social bonding and stress response.

• people with this G allele = less stressed

BDNF

Neurotrophic factor supporting neuron survival and plasticity.

COMT enzyme

Enzyme involved in some neurotransmitter metabolism.

Early-life stress

Childhood stress that alters long-term brain and endocrine function.

• more adaptive stress in adulthood

Stress dwarfism

Growth impairment caused by chronic early stress.

Neonatal isolation (animal model)

Early separation stress affecting later behavior and drug sensitivity.

Why is professor Kosten giving stressed rats cocaine?

Aggression

Behavior intended to cause harm.

Predatory aggression

Goal-directed attack used to capture prey.

Affective aggression

Emotionally driven defensive aggression.

Offensive aggression

Unprovoked attack.

Defensive aggression

Fear-motivated response to threat.

Reactive aggression

Impulsive, emotional aggression triggered by provocation.

• defensive or retaliation
• Ex: road rage

Proactive aggression

Planned, unemotional aggression.

• to fulfill a goal or need
• Ex: serial killers?

Premenstrual aggression

Increased aggression when estrogen and progesterone are low.

Allopregnanolone

Progesterone metabolite with calming effects.

Testosterone and aggression

Higher levels correlate with aggressive dominance but do not prove causation.

• violent crimes, robberies

Amygdala

Brain region central to emotional processing and aggression.

Periaqueductal gray

Brainstem region executing aggressive motor patterns.

Hypothalamus (aggression)

Coordinates aggressive behavior pathways.

Hypothalamic tumors

Can produce aggressive behavior.

Amygdala seizures

Associated with increased aggression.

Prefrontal cortex and aggression

Reduced activity linked to poor impulse control.

Antisocial personality disorder

Condition involving reckless behavior and social norm violations.

Psychopathy

Personality pattern marked by lack of remorse and reduced emotional response.

Serotonin (aggression)

Low ________ is linked to impulsive aggression.

• Likely due to less prefrontal cortex inhibition of amygdalar activity

Cortisol (aggression)

Lower _______ associated with proactive aggression.

• Particularly associated with proactive aggression (unemotional)

psychopathic)

Testosterone-to-cortisol ratio

High ratio predicts greater aggression risk.

Nature

Genetic influences on behavior.

Nurture

Environmental and learning influences on behavior.

Nature-Nurture Interaction

Behavior results from combined genetic and environmental factors, not simple addition.

Gene

Biological unit of heredity directing cellular processes.

Chromosome

DNA-containing structure carrying genes.

46, 23

Human Somatic Chromosomes are ___ chromosomes arranged in __ pairs.

Sex Cells

Gametes containing 23 chromosomes.

Sex Chromosomes

XX = female, XY = male.

Zygote

Fertilized egg containing 46 chromosomes.

Embryo

First 8 weeks of prenatal development.

Fetus

Development from 8 weeks to birth.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid

double-helix molecule storing genetic information.

Double Helix

Twisted ladder structure of DNA.

Nucleotides

DNA building blocks: A, T, G, C.

Base Pairing

A pairs with T

G pairs with C.

Genetic Code

Order of nucleotides directing protein production.

DNA Replication

Process of copying DNA into identical molecules.

Gene Expression

Process of turning DNA information into proteins.

Transcription

DNA → mRNA synthesis.