Biological Approaches to Personality

What are the two ways we study the brain

structurally and functionally

How do we study the brain structurally

examine the physical components of the brain

How do we study the brain functionally

examine what the brain is doing - where and when

What is psychosurgery

purposefully causing damage to the brain allows us to ask questions like: What changes happened from before and after, how is their functioning different from that of people without brain damage

What is a leucotomy

surgically cut connections in the brain

What is a lobotomy

remove portions of the brain

What is brain stimulation

insert electrodes into the brain

What is transcranial magnetic stimulation?

we use it to turn off neurons to see what they usually do and turn on neurons that don’t seem active enough

What is a CT scan

produces a series of very thin X-ray images of the brain

Is a CT looking at the structure or function of the brain

structure

What is a PET scan?

uses radioactive dye to trace activity in the brain

Is a PET scan looking at the structure or function of the brain

function

What is a fMRI

uses blood flow as an indicator of brain activity

is an fMRI looking at the structure or function of the brain

functional

Is the signal electrical or chemical when traveling down the axon

electrical

Is the signal electrical or chemical when traveling across the synapse

chemcial

What are information do afferent nerves carry

sensory information

What information do efferent nerves carry

info from the bran back to the body (motor)

What is the purpose of interneurons

organize and regulate messages

Where are neurotransmitters released from

neurons

How do neurotransmitters travel

neuron to neuron

What are hormones released from

glands

How do hormones travel

through the blood stream

What are the two primary actions of dopamine

body movement and motivation to engage in approach behavior

What disease is associated with low levels of dopamine

parkinsons disease

what neurotransmitter has been found to have a relationship to manic states

dopamine

Which neurotransmitter is associated with features of extraversion

dopamine