Intro to Psychology - EXAM 1

define behavioral neuroscience

it is the application of the principles of biology to the study of behavior in human and non-human animals

the nervous system

it is divided into:

the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

what body parts correlate with the central nervous system (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

what body parts correlate with the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

all parts of the nervous system outside of the CNS

what is the peripheral nervous system (PNS) composed of?

the somatic division & the autonomic division

what is the somatic division composed of in PNS?

-afferent (sensory) nerves that run from the receptors to the brain

- efferent (motor) nerves that run to the glands and muscles

what does the autonomic division consist of in PNS?

- sympathetic division which mobilizes the body's resources

- parasympathetic division which returns the body to a normal state of homeostasis

what are some key neurotransmitters?

- acetylcholine (ACh)

- dopamine

- serotonin

- endorphins

- norepinephrine

- gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)

define acetylcholine (Ach)

a neurotransmitter which sends signal between motor neurons and muscles

ex. black widow spiders produce paralysis and death via Ach & curare which blocks Ach at the synapses and produces a "death-like" paralysis

dopamine

sometimes considered the "pleasure hormone"

- dopamine release in the forebrain produces a positive feeling (all addictive drugs have an effect on dopamine)

- overly active dopamine neurons is linked to schizophrenia

what is linked to overly active dopamine neurons?

schizophrenia

seratonin

mood regulation

- linked to mood disorders such as depression

- many anti-depressants such as tricyclics, MAO-I & SSRI increase serotonin levels in the brain

what is linked to mood disorders such as depression?

serotonin

endorphins

body's natural opiates

- "runner's high"

- chemically very similar to heroin

- powerful analgesics

- block pain signals

elaborate on the biological basis of drug abuse and addiction

nearly all abused and addictive drugs increase activity at the dopamine receptors in the brain

define stimulants

they are drugs that boost energy, heighten alertness, increase activity and produce a pleasant feeling

- cocaine and amphetamine are examples of powerful stimulant drugs

- the net effect of cocaine is to decrease brain activity, which in turn stimulates behavior

define depressants

depressants are drugs that largely decrease physiological arousal

- the most commonly used and abused depressants are alcohol and tranquilizers

how do depressants work?

they facilitate the transmission of the neurotransmitter GABA

how does alcohol effect the brain?

it affects the brain following a reverse phylogenetic gradient

- it acts primarily as a relaxant when consumed in small amounts

- in greater amounts, it can increase aggressiveness and risk-taking behaviors

narcotics

drugs that produce drowsiness, insensitivity to pain, and overall decreased responsiveness to environmental stimuli

- opiates are one common type of narcotic

what do opiates do?

- create a feeling of euphoria

- increase the release of endorphins

marijuana

- it is classified as a narcotic, but it intensifies sensory experiences and in many ways is not like the opiates

- it has possible medical uses as a mild painkiller and nausea suppressant

how does THC work?

anandamide: naturally occurring cannabinoid neurotransmitter

- THC binds to the receptors on neuronal dendrites, eliciting the same effect as anadamide

hallucinogens

drugs that include sensory distortions and false sensory experiences

- peyote is an example of a naturally derived hallucinogen. it has played an important role in native american religious ceremonies

- LSD is a hallucinogen that is artificially manufactured.

the brain

- subdivisions

- represent the history of brain development

medulla

- brain stem

-basic life functions

- heart beat

- respiration

- vomit response

reticular formation

net-like fibers that extend from the hindbrain to the midbrain

the midbrain

tegmentum

- floor

- high density of dopamine neurons

tectum

- roof

- superior colliculi (basic visual processing)

- inferior colliculi (basic auditory processing)

what are the subcortical structures?

- hypothalamus

- hippocampus

- amygdala

hypothalamus

feeding, fleeing, fighting & mating

hippocampus

memory formation

amygdala

fear cognition & behaviors

frontal lobe

- planning and judgement

- decision making

- personality

- ex. Phineas Gage

cortex

processing sensory information from across the body

- touch, temperature, and pain

- cortical map --> homonculus

occipital lobe

visual cortex

- advanced visual processing

temporal lobe

auditory cortex

- advanced auditory processing (Broca's: speech production & Wernicke's: speech comprehension)

consciousness

our awareness of internal and external stimuli

circadian rhythms

- "about a day"

- biological changes that occur on a daily ~24 hour schedule

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

- region of hypothalamus that keeps track of time

- ~25 hour day

jet lag

symptoms caused by difference between internal clock & external cues

- phase advance (wake/sleep shift earlier)

- phase delay (wake/sleep shift later)

the study of sleep

polysomnography

- "many sleep drawings"

- measure electrical activity in the brain during sleep

what are the two sections of polysomnography?

amplitude & frequency

define amplitude in polysomnography

- measures the voltage produced in a brain region

- high voltage indicates synchrony

- quiet brain

define frequency in polysomnography

- measures the rage of activity in a brain region

- high frequency indicates desynchrony

- active brain

alpha activity in the brain

EEG: 8-13 cps

Occipital region

theta activity in the brain

a frequency of 3-7 cps

produced in the central vertex region

the most common sleep frequency

delta activity in the brain

frequency of .5-2 cps

seen predominantly in the frontal region

high amplitude of >/= 75mn

how many stages of sleep are there?

5 stages

describe stage 1 of sleep

- >= 50% of the epoch contains Theta activity (3-7 cps.)

- there may be Alpha activity within <50% of the epoch

describe stage 2 of sleep

- background EEG is Theta (3-7 cps.)

- K Complexes and Spindles occur episodically

describe stage 3 of sleep

- 20% to 50% of each epoch and must contain Delta activity

describe stage 4 of sleep

- >50 of the epoch will have scorable Delta EEG activity

describe REM stage of sleep

- rapid eye movement

- mixed frequency EEG

- low tonic submental EMG

Define REM sleep

- Rapid eye movement sleep (REM) are periods characterized by rapid eye movements during sleep

- also known as "parodical sleep" & "active sleep". EEG waves are irregular, low-voltage and fast. Postural muscles of the body are more relaxed than other stages

- REM is strongly associated with dreaming, but people also report dreaming in other stages of sleep

sleep apnea

- people with sleep apnea may fail to breathe for a minute or longer, and wake up gasping for breath, or die

- snoring is closely associated with this disorder

- many suffers from sleep apnea are obese middle-aged or elderly men

what are the different types of sleep apnea and describe them

- obstructive (OSA): airflow stops; related to obesity

- central (CSA): cessation of respiratory activity

- mixed sleep apnea: combination of OSA and CSA

what percentage of college students experience sleep deprivation?

25%

what are the psychological symptoms of sleep deprivation

- impulsive behavior

- depression

- paranoia

- suicidal thoughts

- hallucinations

what are the physical symptoms of sleep deprivation

- risk of diabetes

- hypertension

- endocrine dysfunction

- immune system depression

define narcolepsy

- sudden attacks of extreme and irresistible sleepiness during the day

- associated with these attacks are muscle weakness or paralysis and vivid dreams

- it is as if they are having a sudden burst of REM sleep in the middle of a waking period

define night terrors

sudden awakening from sleep, persistent fear or terror that occurs at night, screaming, sweating, confusion, rapid heart rate, inability to explain what happened, usually no recall of "bad dreams" or nightmares, may have a vague sense of frightening images

define REM behavior disorder

- act out dramatic and/or violent dreams during REM stage sleep

- usually seen in men 60 years old or older, but also occurs in younger people and in women

- unlike sleep walking, this occurs during REM

What is psychology?

the scientific study of the mind and behavior

what are the mental health professions?

- clinical psychologist

- psychiatrist

- psychoanalyst

- psychiatric nurse

- clinical social worker

- counseling psychologist

- forensic psychologist

what does a biopsychologist study?

the relationship between the brain and behavior

ex. what body signals indicate hunger and satiety?

what does a clinical psychologist study?

emotional difficulties

ex. how can people be helped to overcome severe anxiety?

what does a cognitive psychologist study?

memory, thinking

ex. do people have several kinds of memory?

what does a community psychologist study?

organizations and social structures

ex. would improved job opportunities decrease psychological distress

what does a counseling psychologist do?

helping people make important decisions

ex. should this person consider changing careers

what does a developmental psychologist study?

changes in behavior over age

ex. at what age can a child first distinguish between appearance and reality?

what does a educational psychologist study?

improvement of learning in school

ex. what is the best way to test a student's knowledge?

what does a environmental psychologist study?

how factors such as noise, heat, and crowding affect behavior

ex. what building design can maximize the productivity of the people who use it?

what does a evolutionary psychologist study?

evolutionary history of behavior

ex. how did people evolve their facia expressions of emotion?

what does a human factors psychologist study?

communication between person and machine

ex. how can an airplane cockpit be redesigned to increase safety?

what does a industrial/organizational psychologist study?

people at work

ex. should jobs be made simple and foolproof or interesting and challenging?

what does a learning and motivation specialist study?

learning in humans and other species

ex. what are the effects of reinforcement and punishment?

what does a personality psychologist study?

personality differences

ex. why are certain people shy and others gregarious?

what does a psychometrician do?

measuring intelligence, personality, interests

ex. how fair are current IQ tests? can we devise better tests?

what does a school psychologist study?

problems that affect schoolchildren

ex. how should the school handle a child who regularly disrupts the classroom?

what does a social psychologist study?

group behavior, social influences

ex. what methods of persuasion are most effective for changing attitudes?