Biology of the Brain and Mental Illness

Question 1

1. What are the functional Areas of the Cerebral Cortex?

Answer 1

The three types of functional areas are:

1. Control voluntary movement
2. Conscious awareness of sensation
3. Integrate diverse information

Question 2

2. What is a neurotransmitter?

Answer 2

Neurotransmitter is a substance that carries a message between brain cells (neurons)
• It is molecules that are secreted by one neuron and detected by receptors in
adjacent neurons.

Question 3

3. What some example of neurotransmitters and their function?

Answer 3

1. Dopamine is associated with drive and motivation
2. Serotonin is associated with mood , wakefulness and its dysregulation
   with sleep disturbance
3. Noradrenalin is associated with arousal and vigilance

Question 4

4. Explain the effects the following neurotransmitters have.
   a. Serotonin
   b. Dopamine
   c. Noradrenaline

Answer 4

1. Serotonin
   Increased:
   - Mania
   - Schizophrenia

Decreased:
- Mania

2. Dopamine
Increased:
- Schizophrenia
- Mania 
- OCD
- Addictive Disorder

Decreased:

• ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder )
• Parkinson’s disease
• Depression

3. Noradrenaline:
Increased: 
- Anxiety 
- Mania 
- Schizophrenia

Decreased:
- Depression

Question 5

5. Explain the effects the following neurotransmitters have.
   a. Acetylcholine
   b. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
   c. Glutamate

Answer 5

1. Acetylcholine
Decreased:
- Dementia 
- Alzheimer's disease 
- Parkinson’s disease

2. GABA
   - Decreased:
   - Anxiety
   - Epilepsy
   - Schizophrenia
3. Glutamate:
   Increased:
   - Dementia
   - Epilepsy

Decreased:
- Schizophrenia

Question 6

6. What is addiction?

Answer 6

A state in which an organism engage in compulsive behavior;
behaviour is reinforcing (rewarding or pleasureable0
loss of control in limiting intake

Question 7

7. What is tolerance?

Answer 7

A state in which an organism no longer responds to a drug hence a higher dose is required to achieve the same effect

Question 8

8. What is dependence?

Answer 8

A state in which an organism functions normally only is the presence of a drug;
this is manifested as a physical disturbance when the drug is removed (withdrawal)