Bio-Psych Exam 3

What three components are included in the definition of emotion?

Emotion includes physiological arousal, expressive behaviours, and conscious experience

Which theory of emotion argues that the body's physiological response produces our subjective feelings

James-Lange theory

Which theory of emotion suggests that physiological arousal and subjective feelings occur simultaneously and independently?

Cannon-Bard theory

According to Cognitive theory, what process occurs between physiological arousal and the experience of feeling?

The individual interprets or labels the arousal through thinking

Which hypothesis suggests that sensory feedback from our own facial expressions can affect our mood?

Facial feedback hypothesis

The _____ _____ is an area of interconnected brain regions where specific damage is associated with emotional and behavioural challenges.

Limbic system

Where is the amygdala located in the human brain?

the anterior medial portion of each temporal lobe

Which specific nucleus serves as the 'input zone' for emotional information entering the amygdala?

Lateral nucleus

Which specific nucleus in the amygdala projects to other brain nuclei to produce fear response components?

Central nucleus (CeA)

Why was Patient S.M. still able to experience a fear response despite having no amygdala?

The amygdala is not required when the threat originates from inside the body, such as suffocating on CO2​

Which brain regions are involved in generating, interpreting, and regulating emotions alongside the amygdala?

The insula, cingulate cortex, and prefrontal cortex (PFC)

How is 'stress' distinguished from 'stressors'?

Stress is the process of perceiving and responding to events (stressors) that are threatening or challenging

Which branch of the nervous system is responsible for the 'fight or flight' response during stress?

Sympathetic nervous system

Which researcher in the 1930s discovered that various adverse conditions in mice led to the same poor physiological outcomes?

Hans Selye

In the fast stress response, which gland does the hypothalamus trigger to release epinephrine and norepinephrine?

Adrenal medulla

What are the primary effects of norepinephrine (NE) when released during the fast stress response?

It acts on receptors concentrated in the brain to increase vigilance

What does the abbreviation 'HPA axis' stand for?

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis

In the HPA axis, which hormone does the hypothalamus release to signal the pituitary gland?

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)

Which hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland to stimulate the adrenal cortex?

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

Which glucocorticoid hormone is released by the adrenal cortex during a slow stress response?

Cortisol

How does the balance of brain control shift during periods of high stress?

(PFC) control decreases while amygdala control increases

PFC-Top down control

A mode of brain regulation that is flexible and reflective, dominant when an individual is calm

Amygdala-Bottom up control

A mode of brain regulation that is habitual and reflexive, dominant when an individual is under stress

What is a major physiological consequence of chronic stress on the brain's anatomy during ageing?

Accelerated neural degeneration, specifically the loss of the hippocampus

How does chronic stress affect the body's immune system?

It suppresses immunity and inflammatory responses, leading to impaired disease resistance

What is the difference between problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies?

Problem-focused strategies target the stressor directly with a plan, while emotion-focused strategies aim to self-soothe or distract

What is the 'free-running period' in the context of biological rhythms?

The period of time between two similar points of successive cycles that exists without external cues

Which cluster of cell bodies in the hypothalamus contains the primary biological clock?

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

Which specialised cells in the retina respond to light and project directly to the SCN?

Specialised ganglion cells containing melanopsin

The pathway that carries light information from the eyes to the hypothalamus to entrain rhythms is the _____ _____.

Retinohypothalamic pathway

What is the approximate duration of the human internal biological clock when not affected by light?

Around 25 hours

In the molecular clock of an SCN neuron, what happens after new proteins are produced that inhibit the 'dimer'?

The new proteins are degraded, completing a negative feedback loop

Which gland releases melatonin to help entrain circadian rhythms?

Pineal gland

Which specific wavelength of light is most effective at suppressing melatonin production?

Blue light

What are the three physical criteria used to differentiate the stages of sleep?

Neural activity, eye movement, and muscle activity

Which stage of sleep is characterized by 'slow-wave sleep' (SWS) and tall wavelengths on an EEG?

Stage 3

What happens to the duration of REM stages as the night progresses?

REM stages get longer as more time passes throughout the night

Which brain region is responsible for the generation of constant slow-wave sleep (SWS)?

Basal forebrain

Which neurotransmitter is released by the basal forebrain to promote SWS?

GABA

Which brainstem region is responsible for triggering REM sleep and motor neuron paralysis?

Pons

Which brain region acts as a 'sleep switch' by coordinating the other three regions involved in sleep states?

Hypothalamus (specifically the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus or VLPS)

What are the four main biological reasons proposed for why we sleep?

Energy conservation, niche adaptation, physical restoration, and memory consolidation

The _____ _____ is a brain cleaning system that removes 'junk' like beta amyloid plaque during sleep

Glymphatic system

How does the proportion of REM sleep change from infancy to adulthood?

Infant sleep is about 50% REM, which decreases to about 20% in adults

Which sleep disorder is characterized by extreme fatigue and sudden, inappropriate episodes of sleep?

Narcolepsy

What is cataplexy?

A sudden loss of muscle tone and subsequent collapse without loss of consciousness, often triggered by intense emotion

A deficiency in which neuropeptide, produced in the hypothalamus, is linked to narcolepsy?

Hypocretin (also called orexin)

How does the drug Zolpidem (Ambien) cause anterograde amnesia?

It interacts with GABA in the basal forebrain and disrupts the hippocampus

What causes the sensation of a 'sleep demon' or hallucinations during sleep paralysis?

The brain 'thinks' it is still dreaming while the pons maintains muscle paralysis as the person wakes

In which stage of sleep do night terrors typically occur?

In which stage of sleep do night terrors typically occur?

Which sleep disorder involves physically acting out dreams, such as punching or thrashing, due to a failure of the pons?

REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder