Biological explanations: dopamine hypothesis Flashcards
1
Q
what is dopamine ?
A
- a neurotransmitter
- that induces the feeling of pleasure
- and is involved in reinforcing particular behaviour as part of a reward pathway
2
Q
what does the dopamine hypothesis suggest?
A
- suggests that excessive amounts of dopamine in certain regions of the brain (sub cortex) are associated with positive symptoms
3
Q
what area of the brain may be responsible for auditory hallucinations (positive symptom) ?
A
- excess of dopamine in the broca’s area
4
Q
what area of the brain may be responsible for negative symptoms ?
A
- low levels of dopamine
- in prefrontal cortex
5
Q
what is meant by an agonist drug ?
A
- a drug that increases dopaminergic activity
6
Q
what are the 2 agonists drugs ?
A
- amphetamine
- L-dopa
7
Q
what does amphetamine do ?
A
- stimulates nerve cells containing dopamine
8
Q
what do people who take amphetamine recreationally experience ?
A
- may experience symptoms of schizophrenia
- positive symptoms
9
Q
what is parkinson’s disease characterised by ?
A
low levels of dopamine
10
Q
what is parkinson’s disease treated with ?
A
- L-dopa
11
Q
what can taking L-dopa lead to ?
A
- it can lead to the development of schizophrenia symptoms
12
Q
what is meant by antagonist drugs ?
A
- drugs that decrease dopaminergic activity
13
Q
what is an example of an antagonist drug to alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia ?
A
- anti-psychotic drugs
14
Q
what do anti-psychotic drugs do to the body ?
A
- they block activity of dopamine
- and so alleviate many of the symptoms of schizophrenia like hallucinations and delusions
