Biological Theories and TEACUP

Hormones.

What is the hormone we learned? Where is it produced? In which system? In response to what? What role does it play? By doing what? How does different levels of cortisol influence memory?

Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands, from the endocrine system, in response to stress. Plays a role in the flight or fight situations by increasing glucose to provide more energy, moreover it influences memory formation. Moderate levels of cortisol cause improved memory for stressful events. Prolonged high levels of cortisol causes impaired STM and LTM and hippocampal atrophy (cells in the hippocampus to die).

What are neurotransmitters? where is it produced and how long does it take effect for, by doing what? Which causes what? After being binded, what happens, by what? A neurotransmitter can be either … or … depending on…

Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals, produced in the body & take effect in the body for a short time by binding to receptors which causes message to either get blocked or carried on by another action potential. After being binded, they get released back into the synapses & reabsorbed by presynaptic neurons, but some are dissolved by enzymes. A neurotransmitter can be either excitatory or inhibitory depending on which receptor it binds to.

Teacup of neurotransmitters

T: can be tested using fMRI and antagonists. Experiments on animals can show cause and effect. Correlational research on humans does not show cause and effect.

A: Drugs stimulate increase of neurotransmitters levels or block receptors sites if there’s too much neurotransmitters. Alzheimer patients can take drugs to slow down the break down of ACh caused by eg enzymes

However, it is a redutionist approach to reduce complex behaviors to just a factor of neurotransmitters.

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