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Biological Semester 2 > Attack and Escape Behaviours > Flashcards

Attack and Escape Behaviours Flashcards

1
Q

What makes males more aggressive and violent than women?

A

Higher levels of testosterone

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2
Q

What is serotonin turnover?

A

the balance between making and using up serotonin in your brain

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3
Q

What behaviour does low serotonin turnover result in?

A

increased aggressive behaviour in males

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4
Q

What happens if serotonin turnover is high or low? (2)

A

High - the brain is making and using serotonin a lot

Low - the brain isn’t making or using up serotonin as much

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5
Q

What is low serotonin activity observed in? (3)

A

Violent behaviour and crime
Violent suicides
Depression

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6
Q

What are the hormones involved in the Triple Imbalance Hypothesis?

A

Low cortisol levels
Low 5-HT (serotonin)
High testosterone

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7
Q

What does reduced serotonin and enhanced dopamine & norepinephrine result in? (3)

A

Cortical lesion (trauma or tumor)
Decreased cortical volume
Orbitofrontal cortex processing inefficiency

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8
Q

What does reduced GABA and enhanced glutamate & acetylcholine result in? (3)

A

Hyperactivity
Reduced amygdala volume
Emotional hypersensitivity

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9
Q

What is the amygdala’s role in aggressive behaviour?

A

when stimulated can trigger aggressive reactions

its dysfunction is associated with an increase in aggression

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10
Q

What are examples of humans’ psychological capacity for free will? (4)

A

Imagining a range of alternatives

Perceiving moral features of our actions

Making decisions that align with values

Controlling behaviour against competing impulses

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11
Q

What is free will?

A

Being authors of our actions and deserving credit/blame for them

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12
Q

Define fear

A

A response to one’s perception of immediate danger

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13
Q

Define anxiety (biological & psychological definitions) (2)

A

An increase in the startle reflex, followed by a sense of dread/apprehension/uneasiness

Excessive, exaggerated worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry

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14
Q

What are the clinical symptoms of anxiety? (4)

A

Excessive, ongoing worry
Unrealistic view of problems
Decreased self efficacy
Concentration and memory impairment

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15
Q

What is concentration and memory impairment caused by?

A

Prolonged effect of cortisol on the hippocampus

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16
Q

What are some physical symptoms of anxiety? (6)

A

Muscle tension
Sweating
Gastrointestinal problems
Fatigue or insomnia
Trembling
Nausea

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17
Q

What is preparedness?

A

A concept developed to explain why certain associations are learned more readily than others

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18
Q

Give an example to explain how the startle (moro) reflex works (4)

A
  1. Loud noise occurs
  2. Auditory information goes to the cochlear nucleus in the brain medulla
  3. The medulla stimulates the pons
  4. The pons commands tensing of muscles
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19
Q

How can the startle reflex be enhanced? (2)

A

If the person is already tense
In conditioned or learned fears

20
Q

Which organ is responsible for enhancing the startle reflex? How?

A

Amygdala

Axons extend from the amygdala to the nucleus in the pons - relaying information from pain/vision/ hearing circuits

21
Q

Explain the double pathway leading to the amygdala (6)

A

1st pathway:

Leads directly from a frightening sensory stimulus, to the amygdala
Quick
Activates the ANS

2nd pathway:

Travels to the higher cortex first, before reaching the amygdala
Slow
Can override 1st pathway and lead to conscious feelings of fear/no fear

22
Q

Explain the pathways to the amygdala in ANIMALS

A

Different pathways, each responsible for different aspects of fear

23
Q

What are some different aspects of fear in ANIMALS? (4)

A

Fear of pain
Fear of predators
Fear of aggression from others
Avoidance of unsafe places

24
Q

Compare the animal model of fear to generalized anxiety in humans (6)

A

Animals: decreased salivation, stomach ulcers, increased startle, urination & defecation, grooming

Humans: dry mouth, upset stomach, jumpiness, frequent urination, diarrhoea, fidgeting

25
Q

What are the short term and long term (3) effects of avoidance of anxiety?

A

Short term - provides relief

Long term - increases physical symptoms for anxiety, loss of confidence about coping, increased use of safety behaviours - hence contributing to anxiety

26
Q

What are the 3 distinct phases of avoidance?

A
  1. Fear conditioning (pairing of neutral stimulus with aversive stimulus)
  2. Avoidance learning (avoiding the aversive stimulus by responding to conditioned cue)
  3. Extinction (learning the conditioned cue doesn’t predict aversive stimulus - hence fear response diminishes)
27
Q

What does the dorsal striatum include? (2)

A

Caudate nucleus
Putamen

28
Q

What does the ventral striatum include?

A

Nucleus accumbens
Olfactory tubercle

29
Q

What are the roles of the dorsal and ventral striatum? (2)

A

Dorsal - habit formation
Ventral - reward center

30
Q

How is the cycle of anxiety reversed? (4)

A
  1. Confronting feared situation without safety behaviours
  2. Short term increase in anxiety, followed by a decrease in physical symptoms
  3. Use of coping skills - reduces anxiety
  4. Greater belief in ability to control own responses
31
Q

What are the effects of a damaged amygdala in humans? (4)

A

Impaired processing of emotional stimuli

Impaired ability to judge

Focus on irrelevant emotional stimuli

Impaired ability of recognizing emotions in faces/pictures

32
Q

What is Urbach-Wiethe disease?

A

Amygdala wastes away so no fear response is produced and traumatic events don’t leave bad memories

33
Q

What is Kluver-Bucy syndrome?

A

Loss of ability to recognize the emotional importance of events

34
Q

What was the result of removing temporal lobes of monkeys? (4)

A

No fear
Appetite for improper foods (e.g., rocks)
Sought intercourse with unusual partners
Placid when approached

35
Q

What are possible biological causes for anxiety? (3)

A

Enhanced amygdala response to fear

Impairment of ventromedial PFC - hence increase in release of CCK - excitatory neuromodulator

GABA deficiency - inhibitory neurotransmitter

36
Q

What is the medical treatment for anxiety?

A

Benzodiazepines (benzos)
SSRI’s

37
Q

What are the effects of benzodiazepines? (4)

A

Suppress influences that increase the startle reflex
Induce a state of relaxation
Drowsiness
Memory impairments

38
Q

Give examples of benzodiazepines (5)

A

Valium (diazepam)
Xanax
Klonopin
Librium
Lorazepam

39
Q

How do benzodiazepines work? (2)

A

Agnostic effect - benzos bind to GABA receptors and facilitate the binding of GABA to the receptors - especially in the amygdala

Allow more chloride ions to enter the postsynaptic neuron

40
Q

How do SSRI’s work?

A

SSRI’s block reuptake channels on the presynaptic neurons - so more serotonin is available at the synapse to enter the postsynaptic neuron

41
Q

Distinguish between an agnostic and antagonistic effect of drugs

A

Agnostic - bind to target receptor and produce a response (intrinsic efficacy)

Antagonistic - bind to target receptor but do not produce a response (no intrinsic efficacy)

42
Q

Where are the dorsal striatum and ventral striatum located?

A

Basal ganglia

43
Q

What are the 3 types of aggression?

A

Good aggression
Bad aggression
Ugly aggression

44
Q

What is good aggression?

A

fighting to counter a threat - often morally justifiable

45
Q

Distinguish between bad and ugly aggression? (4)

A

Bad: rob/hurt/kill to obtain status or material goods - instrumental aggression

Ugly: intrinsic enjoyment of violence - appetitive aggression

Biological Semester 2 (8 decks)

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