Biological Bases of Behaviour Flashcards
central nervous system
spinal cord
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brain (which includes the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem)
peripheral nervous system
somatic nervous system
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autonomic nervous system (which includes the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system)
somatic nervous system
sends and receives messages that control voluntary motor movements of the skeletal muscles
autonomic nervous system
controls automatic or involuntary bodily functions of the smooth muscles and glands (digestion, heart rate, breathing)
sympathetic nervous system
the “mobilizing” system, dominant during times of stress, controls the fight or flight response
parasympathetic nervous system
the “energy conserving” system, dominant when a person is relaxed, rest and digest
Biofeedback helps people decrease what?
decrease sympathetic arousal by increasing the parasympathetic
Neuronal direction
Afferent = ascend to the brain
Efferent = exit the brain
Spinal cord regions
Cervical: C1-C7
Thoracic: T1-T12
Lumbar: L1-L5
Sacral: S1
quadriplegia
- severing of the spinal cord anywhere between C1 and C5
- all 4 limbs are paralyzed
- reflexes remain intact
paraplegia
- severing of the spinal cord at C6 or C7 = paralyzed legs and partial paralysis in arms
- severing of the spinal cord at T1 or below = paralyzed legs only
- reflexes remain intact
major brain divisions
- cerebrum (cerebral cortex and subcortical areas)
- cerebellum
- brain stem
paresis
- incomplete severing of the spinal cord
- results in muscle weakness
- can be the result of stroke
left hemisphere
- dominant in about 97% of people
- responsible for rational, analytical, logical, and abstract thinking
- damage can result in aphasia, language problems, apraxia, and difficulties with the right side of the body
- damage here impacts the RIGHT side
right hemisphere
- responsible for perceptual, visuospatial, artistic, musical, and intuitive activities, maintenance of body image, understand/express emotions
- damage can result in left-side hemi-neglect, prosopagnosia, visual perceptual disturbances, impulsivity, abnormal sexual behaviour
- damage here impacts the LEFT side
Gyri
- folds of the brain
- they increase the surface areas of the brain without taking more space in the skull
corpus callosum
bundle of nerve fibres that serve as a bridge between the left and right hemispheres making it possible for the two to communicate
frontal lobes
- largest portion of the brain
- Broca’s area is here.
- 3 main divisions = prefrontal cortex, premotor area, motor area
- critical to personality, emotionality, inhibition, planning and initiative, abstract thinking, judgment, and higher mental functions
- damage (stroke, TBI, tumour) can result in loss of movement of various body parts, changes in personality, emotional lability, perseveration, inattention, difficulty with problem-solving, Broca’s aphasia. DOESNT impact IQ (bc damage only impacts divergent thinking NOT convergent thinking which IQ tests measure)
occipital lobes
- involved in sight, reading, and visual images
- damage can result in difficulty recognizing drawn objects, and achromatopsia (difficulty seeing colours/identifying colours, visual agnosia (hallucinations and illusions), and inability to recognize words / problems with reading or writing, prosopagnosia (inability to recognize familiar faces), cortical blindness (loss of vision)
- research: some people with cortical blindness experience blindsight= not consciously see things but reach for it or can feel/identify sad feeling when presented by a sad picture without seeing it (affective blindsight)
parietal lobes (and gertmans syndrome)
- processes somatosensory information (shape, size, weight, texture, pain, heat, movement of the body) bc somatosensory cortex is here
- right: directing attention, spatial skills
- left: motor and linguistics
Damage causes:
- asomatognosia (not aware of body parts)
- Anosognosia (denial of illness)
- hemispacial neglect (contra lateral neglect; neglect one’s side of body ie. dress only one side of body)
- ideomotor apraxia (can’t carry our movements if told to do something)
- ideational apraxia (can’t conceptualize sequences or steps involved in movements)
- Gretsmann syndrome (left parietal lobe damage with four primary symptoms: agraphia, acalculia, right left finger agnosia and disorientation)
The a—ia’s
aPRAXia - motor
aNOMia - name objects
aGRAPHia - write
aLEXia - reading
aCALCULia - math
aPHASia - language
- Broca’s - broken speech
- Wernicke’s - no comprehension
- conduction - split between expressive-receptive, cannot repeat
- global - everything
- anomic - names
- transcortical - motor is like Broca’s, sensory is like Wernicke’s, mixed is like global, but can repeat
aGNOSia - things
- PROSOPAGNosia - recognize faces
- ANOSOGNosia - lack awareness of illness
aMNESia - memory loss
- retrograde amnesia - past memories
- anterograde amnesia - new memories
temporal lobes
- contains the primary auditory cortex
- connected to limbic system
- also involved in emotional memory and behaviour
- damage can result in increased aggression, increase or decrease in sexual behaviour, problems with declarative memory, Wernicke’s aphasia also auditory agnosia (inability to recognize familiar sound).
- LEFT - verbal, language
- RIGHT - visual
- “temper temper” = emotions/aggression hearing
global aphasia
- most language functions are impaired (fluency, comprehension, repetition, naming)
proprioception
ability to sense position, location, and movement of the body
Wernicke’s aphasia
- located in the left temporal lobe
- involved in verbal memory and language comprehension
- damage results in an inability to comprehend speech
- fluent spoken language but sentences are nonsensical
conduction aphasia
- intact language comprehension, fluent speech but nonsensical
- cannot repeat verbal phrases
- can follow through with verbal commands because comprehension in not impaired (unlike Wernicke’s), no slowed speech like in Broca’s
Broca’s aphasia
- located in left frontal lobe
- controls muscles that produce speech
- damage results in an inability to express language
- speech is slow and effortful (short phrases and lengthy pauses)
Broca’s = broken speech
split-brain patients
- severed corpus callosum
- information cannot be shared with or transferred to the opposite hemisphere of the brain
- dichtonic listening task (language lateralization)
thalamus
- sensory relay center
- receives input from all senses (except smell), then processes and integrates it before projecting it to the appropriate other areas of the brain
Damage: schizophrenia, confabulation syndrome (Korsakoff), thiamine deficiency, anterograde amnesia, retrograde amnesia
Tha-Llamas feel hot (but don’t smell) so they tell the others.
hypothalamus
- major role in homeostasis
- regulates the five f’s: fever (temperature), feeding (hunger), thirst, eff’ing (sex), cyclic sex hormone secretion, fighting (aggression), falling asleep (the sleep-wake cycle) and involved in pituitary gland stimulation (important for oxytocin release)
- electrical stimulation: trouble regulating emotions
- suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) (body’s biological clock) is in the hypothalamus
To cool down Tha-Llamas that said they’re hot, you throw water on them to cool them down (hypo-thalamus = releases hormones that regulate homeostasis)
Kluver-Bucy syndrome
- first described in monkeys that had their amygdala’s removed
- results in placidity, apathy, hypersexuality, hyperphagia (overeating), and agnosias (problems with recognition), psychic blindness
A in amygdala for agression
septal rage syndrome
can be a result of damage to the septum (which moderates and or decreases aggression)
septum Simmers you down
cerebellum
- excitatory, smooth movements and balance
- responsible for maintaining smooth movement and coordinating motor activity
- damage: ataxia
pons & medulla
- involved in sleep, respiration, movement, and cardiovascular activity
- damage can lead to failure of bodily functions and death
- pons: connector and relays messages between cerebellum and cortex. Connects 2 halves of cerebellum and helps to coordinate movements on 2 sides.
- medulla: BP, swallowing, heart rate and breathing
reticular activating system (RAS)
involved in the sleep-wake cycle, serves as a filler for incoming sensory information, and mediates alertness
- inside the reticular formation, projects into the thalamus
A tickle would wake you up
all or none law
A neuron, if sufficiently stimulated, will fire an action potential to its fullest extent. If it is not sufficiently stimulated, it will not fire at all.
(a local potentials build it up, but if it doesn’t build it up enough it won’t cause an action potential)
inhibitory neurotransmitters
- decrease the likelihood of an action potential
- GABA, endorphins, serotonin
excitatory neurotransmitters
- increase the likelihood of an action potential
- acetylcholine, norepinephrine, glutamate
action potential
- involved in cell-to-cell communication
- how it works: when dendrites receive sufficient stimulation.. depolarization occurs as positive charged ions (NA+) enter neuron. When stimulation reaches minimum threshold, complete depolarization occurs and it triggers action potential. After this, neuron returns to resting state.
- sodium (Na+) outside of the cell membrane rushes into a cell, creating an action potential (electrochemical impulse)
- potassium (K+) moves outside the cell
Outside the cell - more sodium (Na+)
Inside the cell - more potassium (K+)
The banana is floating on the ocean
agonists
enhances the effect of a neurotransmitter
antagonist
inhibits the effect of a neurotransmitter
acetylcholine (Ach)
- two significant functions = voluntary movement and memory/cognition
- role in parasympathetic system
- in the hippocampus for memory consolidation
*Alzheimers (depletion of Ach)
catecholamines
- dopamine + norepinephrine
- Synthesized from dietary tyrosine and phenylalanine
role of dopamine in schizophrenia
- psychotic (positive) symptoms are a result of an excessive amount of dopamine or hyperactivity of the dopaminergic receptors
- revised dopamine hypothesis: hypersecretion of dopamine -> positive symptoms, hyposecretion-> negative symptoms
role of dopamine in Parkinsons
- decrease of available dopamine in basal ganglia from neuron degeneration in substantia nigra (basal ganglia includes substantia nigra)
- treatment for movement component (doesn’t heal it): L-Dopa or Levadopa
dopamine (DA)
- involved in personality, mood, sleep, thought/memory, movement, and emotion
- reward system of the brain
*linked to Tourette & Parkinson’s
norepinephrine (NE)
- significantly involved in mood, attention, dreaming, learning and certain autonomic functions
- also involved in pain perception and sleep
- in the brain it’s a neurotransmitter, in the blood it’s a hormone involved in fight/flight
- depression: - NE
- mania: + NE
serotonin (5HT)
- significantly involved in mood, sleep, appetite, aggression, sexual activity, temperature regulation, arousal, aggression, and pain perception
- from dietary tryptophan
- dysregulation: suicidality, impulsivity
Low 5HT + low NE = depression
Low 5HT + high NE = mania
*migraines, schizophrenia (high serotonin), anorexia
role of serotonin and norepinephrine in depression
- deficiency in both
role of serotonin and norepinephrine in mania
- low serotonin, excess norepinephrine
role of GABA in anxiety
insufficient levels of GABA
hypothyroidism
- UNDERsecretion of thyroxin
- unexplained weight gain
- sluggishness
- fatigue
- impaired memory / intellectual functioning
- sensitivity to cold
*sometimes mimics depression
hyperthyroidism
- EXCESSIVE secretion of thyroxin
- most common form: Grave’s Disease
- weight loss despite increased appetite
- heat sensitivity
- sweating
- diarrhea
- tremor / palpitations
- fatigue
- agitated depression
- insomnia
- impaired memory / judgment
- hallucinations / delusions
*sometimes mimics anxiety or manic episodes
corticosteroids
involved in the use of energy resources, inhibition of antibody formation, and inflammation
Addison’s disease
- undersecretion of corticosteroids or adrenal insufficiency
- symptoms = apathy, weakness, irritability, depression, gastrointestinal disturbance
ADD hormones to treat ADrenal insufficiency in ADDison’s.
Cushing’s disease
- oversecretion of corticosteroids
- symptoms = agitated depression, irritability and emotional lability, difficulties with memory and concentration, suicide, swelling of the face/neck/trunk
Theres too much cushioning from cushing’s = swelling, fattening
neurocognitive disorder
a decline in ONE OR MORE of 6 cognitive domains:
- complex attention
- executive function
- learning and memory
- receptive language
- perceptual-motor
- social cognition
mild to major NCD = level of interference with daily activities
Must specify the NCD cause disease: Alzheimer’s, vascular, Lewy body, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, multiple etiologies, HIV, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, prion, other medical condition, TBI, substance/medication use, unspecified.
mild vs. major neurocognitive disorders
- the distinction is based on the extent to which the cognitives symptoms interfere with daily functioning (how many domains or which domains are effected do not play a role)
- if they interfere with independence in everyday activities = major
- if they don’t interfere with independence in everyday activities = minor
delerium
- a disturbance in attention and awareness
- onset is rapid and course tends to fluctuate
- cognitive disturbance
- only diagnosed when symptoms have a physiological cause
- reversible (unlike neurocognitive disorders), benefits from stable and quiet environment with memory cues
- also called: acute confusional state
Alzheimer’s
- most common neurocognitive disorder (60-80% of cases), prevalence increases with age.
- symptom progression: memory, language, motor skills
- first symptoms = short term memory loss, anomia, loss of spontaneity, depression/anxiety, apathy (2-4yrs)
- progressive disease = anterograde/retrograde amnesia, hallucinations, sundowning, flat/liable mood, restless/agitation, sleep/language troubles (2-10yrs)
- final stage of disease = severe cog functioning, urinary/fecal incontinence, loss of basic motor skills and self care skills, abnormal reflexes, seizures and frequent infections
- high glutamate, low Ach in enthorial cortex/hippocampus
- amyloid plaques(beta amyloid), intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (tau). First signs in locus caeruleous, high risk for Down syndrome.
-Big 5= low concienciousness and high neuroticism - diagnosis: only can be confirmed by autopsy, brain biopsy. Can use molecular imaging, CF fluid protein test, CT/MRI, mental status exam, neuropsych testing.
vascular neurocognitive disorder
- second most common neurocognitive disorder
- first symptoms = impaired judgment / inability to make plans
- onset is usually younger than Alzheimer’s
- typically die within 2-3 years
- stepwise progression
Huntington’s disease (chorea, globe)
- fatal disease
- involuntary movements
- also known as chorea
- early symptoms = irritability, apathy, disinhibition (emotional symptoms)
- progressively deteriorating major NCD
- choreiform movements (frequent, discrete, brisk jerking movements) and athetosis (slow writhing movements), facial grimaces
- caused by autosomal dominant gene
- linked to GABA (low), glutamate (high), dopamine in the basal ganglia and Ach (low)
-degeneration in globus pallidus - it’s a form of subcortical dementia so it wouldn’t include apraxia, aphasia or agnosia* (which do occur in Alzheimer’s)
concussion vs. contusion
concussion = not hard enough to cause a cerebral contusion
contusion = bruising and bleeding of the brain
post-concussion syndrome
- headache, dizziness, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, hypochondriacal concern, hypersensitivity to noise, hypersensitivity to light, fatigue
open head injuries
penetration of the skull
don’t generally loose consciousness
closed head injuries
the skull is not pierced or cracked
pseudodementia vs. NCD
pseudodementia = people complain about symptoms more and symptoms are relieved once depression is treated
NCD = people lack insight to symptoms and symptoms cannot be relieved
Korsakoff’s syndrome
- common cause of alcohol-induced NCD
- results from a chronic thiamine deficiency
- retrograde amnesia and confabulation are common symptoms
- lack of insight, limited spontaneous conversation, problems with executive functioning, disorientation, apathy, and labile irritability
- short-term memory remains intact
retrograde amnesia
- you can’t recall memories that were formed before the event that caused the amnesia.
- recent memories typically more affected than remote memories from yrs ago
anterograde amnesia
- the loss of the ability to form new memories after accident
- information does not transfer from short-term memory to long-term memory
effects of bilateral vs. unilateral ECT
- bilateral causes greater memory impairment than unilateral
- some believe unilateral is less effective but if the dose of electricity is adequate it can be equally effective
gate control theory of pain
- neural gates in the spinal cord allow pain signals to continue to the brain… pressure stimulation closes the gates (this is why rubbing a hurt area can relieve pain)
- attitude/mood can affect the gates as well