Biological Basis of Behavior

Question 1

what are neurotrophins

Answer 1

large molecules secreted in brain that are important in development and plasticity such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or nerve growth factor (NGF)

Question 2

name two things that cause increase in neurotrophins

Answer 2

antidepressants and exercise

Question 3

what receptor plays a role in the genetics of depression

Answer 3

serotonin receptor (mutations in transport gene increase risk of depression, lower the threshold for adversity to cause depression)

Question 4

job strain can be operationalized as a ratio of…

Answer 4

job demand to job controllability

Question 5

true or false: for all stressors, ACTH levels lead to directly proportional increases in cortisol and NE

Answer 5

false: for different stressors the cortisol and NE levels compared to ACTH levels can be quite different. NE shows the greatest deviation from ACTH levels

Question 6

true or false: CRH has receptors throughout the brain and is important for stress and fear functions in the brain

Answer 6

true: CRH agonists and antagonists can be used to modulate stress and anxiety disorders

Question 7

mice over-expressing CRH show ________ and knockout mice for CRH show_________

Answer 7

mice over-expressing CRH show increased stress-related behavior, knockout mice for CRH show reduced stress-related activity

Question 8

In addition to stimulating ACTH release and increasing behavior arousal, CRH stimulates the ______ nervous system (sympathetic or parasympathetic)

Answer 8

sympathetic

Question 9

what are the behavioral effects of centrally administered CRH agonists

Answer 9

suppressed exploration of the unfamiliar, decrease response to operant conflict, increased behavioral sensitization, altered learning/ memory, enhanced freezing and burying behavior, acoustic startle, decreased sex drive and appetite

Question 10

does short term potentiation involve synthesis of new proteins?

Answer 10

no, only longer term potentiation does (via CREB to produce BDNF and NGF)

Question 11

name some orexigenic molecules

Answer 11

Neuropeptide Y, Melanin-Concentrating Hormone (MCH), Agouti-Related Protein (ARP) and Orexin

Question 12

name some anorexigenic molecules

Answer 12

leptin, PYY, alpha MSH, Cocaine and Amphetamine Related Transcript (CART), CRH, Glucagon-like peptide 1

Question 13

what’s the difference between melanocortin 1 receptor and melanocortin 4 receptor

Answer 13

melanocortin 1 receptor is involved in release of melanin to darken the skin while melanocortin 4 receptor is involved in satiety

Question 14

is the agouti-related peptide a melanocortin receptor agonist or antagonist?

Answer 14

antagonist, therefore it is orexigenic

Question 15

define delirium

Answer 15

disorientation to person, place and time; acute onset, fluctuating attentiveness; usually reversible

Question 16

define dementia

Answer 16

slow onset disorientation; attentive, but aphasic, apraxic and agnosic; usually irreversible

Question 17

define psychosis

Answer 17

inability to differentiate reality from unreality

Question 18

define catatonia

Answer 18

holding an inappropriate posture

Question 19

define avolition

Answer 19

decreased spontaneous goal-directed behavior

Question 20

name the 5 characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia

Answer 20

1. delusions
2. hallucinations
3. disorganized speech
4. grossly disorganized behavior/ catatonia
5. negative behavior (blunted behavior)

Question 21

which part of the brain is involved in reducing learned helplessness following a controllable stresssor

Answer 21

ventral medial prefrontal cortex