BLA Flashcards
Localisation of Function
Refers to the idea that different behaviou, emotions and thoughs originate in the brain in specific locations. -Different parts carrying out different functions -Damage to a specific part of the brain results in a loss in its corresponding function Joseph Gall (1758-1828) Phrenology- bumps indicated brain functions
Bouchard et al (1990)
Twin study- Correlational! 88% 69% Mostly genetic inheritance/disposition
Correlational Study
Cannot establish a cause and effect as it is a gathering of information that seems to have concording information
Effects of Acetylcholine in brain
Martinez and Kesner (1991) -Rats in the maze -3 groups, 2 drugged one controlled one blocked the other delayed the reuptake -Rats with the delayed reuptake drug did better -Acetylcholine is a key factor in creating memory and development of memory formations Study shows that ACh is important in memory since the rats showed different memory capacity depending on ACh levels. -Laboratory experiment: ACh is one factor that address memory but the neurobiology of memory is very complex
Maguire et al (2000)
Supported the idea that dendritic branching takes place through experience The taxi drivers had a thicker prefrontal lobe/cortex than the bus drivers Brain Plasticity! •London Taxi drivers study
The Hippocampus**
The memory place The case study of HM indicated that the hippocampus is a temporary rather than a permanent memory store- short term memory
Melatonin- Sleep Hormone
-Produced in the pineal gland (epithalamus) -Hormone that makes us feel sleepy and lowers our body temperature (Turn off the body) -Plays an important role in the sleep/wake cycle -Its production is influenced bu the darkness(activates production) and light (deactivates it) -Messages inhibited by the retina and optical nerve at the light brightening -Melatonin Pills to feel sleepy common with people suffering from Jet Lag
Milner (1957) Case Study of HM
when HM was 27, neurosurgeon performed experimental surgery in order to stop the seizures. Tissue from the medial temporal lobe including the hippocampus was removed on both sides of his brain. After the operation HM suffered from amnesia, not being able to create new episode again semantic memories but he was able to learn a few procedural memories. this case study shows that the hippocampus is important in memory processing and particular in the storage of new memories
Schlagger (1994) SAD
Injected chemicals to block melatonin secretion- so people would be more awake and symptomps of SAD relieved
Tan’s case study (1861)
Paul Broca was working at an asylum- came to the case of a man with a head injury and the only word he could say was Tan, hence the name -post mortem autopsy -Lower part of the left frontal Lobe** -Broca studied 8 more brains and came to the conclusion that that part of the brain was responsible for speech/language abilities
Wernicke (1874)
Carl Wernicke, a german neurologist identified the opposite syndrome to Broca’s Aphasia. (Post mortem autopsies) -A lesion in the posterior portion of the left temporal lobe, producing speeck but often lacking meaning -Concluding that specific parts of the brain were responsible for human activities.
Neuroplasticity
In certain situations, the neurons in the brain can actually rearrange themselves- neuroplasticity examples: dendritic branching (dendritic sprouting) -Process in which dendrites grow and commect with other neurons -Dendrites become more dense -Connecting with more Neurons (neural connections) -Takes place by experience or after brain damage
Medial Temporal Lobe
Important for the forming, organization, consolidation and retrieval of memories
Low Ecological Validity
-How artificial is the experimental environment -Is it too artifical is interferes with the natual human behaviours (Fehr et al 2005- Trust investment game) Real money VS Fake money My money VS Their money
Avery et al (2001)
Suggested that dawn simulation is effective in treating SAD -95 medication free patients with SAD into 3 groups 1- received down simulation 2- traditional bright light therapy 3- placebo (red dim light) -Those in the 1st and 2nd group realigned sleeping patterns- appropriate inhibition of melatonin scretion. -Those in the 2nd and 3rd group experienced more side effects. Conclusion- Dawn simulation has more therapeutic benefits and thus more efficient
Baumgartner et al (2008)
Participants played a trust game: prisoner’s dilemma. Nasal oxytocin or placebo fMRI 49 participants Placebo: likely to show less trust after betrayal Oxytocin: similar rates fMRIs: decrease in response of amygdala (involved in emotional processing that has many oxytocin receptors). Associated with learning, memory and plays a role in reward-related responses and learning to trust. Giving oxytocin does not reflect the natural physiological processes. The function of oxytocin is very complex and it is too simplistic to say it is the “trust hormone”
Stimulating Environments
These types of environments encourage and contribute to dendritic branching -Rats having done more exercise Moreover their performance on learning exams was better -The cortex gets even thicker if rats are placed in company of other rats (part of a stimulating environment)
Kim and Hersch (1997)
Suggested that bilingual people use a larger part of the brain. **Neuroplasticity- refering to the abolity of the human brain to change as a result of one’s experience Neuroplasticity challenged the view of localisation of function. -The brain being very flexible and able to adjust physically -Recovering in Broca’s and Wernicke’s aphasia with clinical help
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
**
Fehr et al (2005) Investment Game
-Participants were 178 male college students -played investment game -Those given Oxytocin were investing 17% more than the placebo group this study cannot be generalized as it is males and college students Points to consider: -Trust is influenced by m”
Fessler et al (2005)
Study of disgust during the months of pregnancy Online survey Large Sample: 496 How to rate levels of disgust?
The Brain - Neuronal Network
Is the brain just a collection of parts that are each responsible for specific functions? Soon scientists began realizing the concept of localisation of function -Behaviour is caused bu neuronal networks- many areas of the brain working together simultaneously
Broca’s Aphasia
Following up from Tan’s case - Problems producinh speech but being able to understand. -Broca’s Aphasia
Oxytocin - Love Hormone
-Produced by the hypothalamus after being stimulated by the pituitary gland -Effective child labour (promotion of contractions) -Breast feeding releases oxytocin -This release creates the feeling of content, reduces anxiety and increases feelings of security -Oxytocin reduces activity in the amygdalae (processing of memory, decision-making and emotional reactions) -restore trust and be forgiving (relationships)
Ditzen (2009) Couple study- snorting intra nasally oxytocin
-47 adult heterosexual couples -two groups: placebo and oxytocin intra-nasally -Couples talked about topics that caused conflict -Reduced levels of stress hormone cortisol (in the saliva) Conclusion: Oxytocin reduced stress and promotes feelings of empathy
Functions of Hormones in humam behaviour
-Produced by glands that make up the endocrine(nervous) system -Conveyed by blood -Will take longer to produce changes in behavious than neurotransmitters -a chemical can be both a hormone and neurotransmitter Differences: -Hormones flow through the blood**
Reductionism
The attempt to explain complex behaviour in terms of simple causes The BLA is reductionist because it reduces the behaviour in terms of the physiological and genetical factors
Human behavior is to some extent genetically based
Genetic inheritance should be seen as genetic predisposition which can be affected by environmental factors- twin studies
Melatonin - Sleep hormone
**
Schneider (2002) Correlational Study Musicians
Studied the temporal cortex in the right hemisphere (area of the brain responsible for processing stimuli related to music) *MRI studies showed that musicians had this part 30% larger than normal people however we do now know if the participant’s brains were already born like that or became more denser through musical practice
**Rizzolatti et al (1996) Monkey see monkey do Mirror Neurons
Motor Cortex in monkeys accidental discovery- Monkeys performed the same actions Mirror Neurons when we do an action we trigger the same neuron in the person and create empathy
**Oxytocin for the treatment of Autism
…
Cortical Areas
important for long-term memory for facts and events (semantic and episodic of memories) and the use of that information in daily life
Low External Validity
How much we can generalize the results. How representative they are Credibility
Li Heu Tsai (2007) milky water rats
Rats were in milky water and a platform for them to swim to Rats were blocked and then by enriched environments they were able to find the platform
Dendritic Branching
Learning new things- forming more connections between dendrites Our brain actually changes- it reorganizes itself -Dopamine contributes to dendritic branching (when we do something we enjoy, our brain releases dopanine neurotransmitters; helping increase the dendritic branching in areas of the brain
Neurotransmitters
•Gamma aminobutyric acid- GABA (motor control, cortical functions-head, vision-regulates anxiety *epilepsy) •Acetocholyine (muscle contraction, cognition, emotion and memory) •Glutamate (longterm memory-Alxheimer’s) •Dopamine (learning, memory, modulates mood, movement *Parkinson’s) •Serotonin (sleep, mood, appetite and pain) •Norepinephrine (adrenaline- attentiveness, emotions and learning *mood disorder- Maniac Depression )
McGilly and Pryor (1998)
Testing the efficiency of SSRI’s in the treatment of eating disorders Bullimia -Drug therapy resulted in 45% reduction in binge eating & vomiting was reduced by 29% -Prozac (the SSRI) was approved for the treatment of bullimia, reducing bullimic symptoms.
Scarr and Weinber (1977)
Suggested the environment is more rather than genetic disposition Adoptive children had the same IQ as their adoptive parents
Nature and Nurture
The environment can influence our brain/nervous system Seed Metaphor we need good/healthy things in order to grow properly Our body/brain interact with our environment -Optimal condition in our sureoundings will allow our body/brain to develop in the best way possible (education, healthy food, not too much stress, good sleep etc)
Education is a key stimulating factor
Jacobs et al (1993) Observed that people with extensive academic education had longer and more widely branched dendrites than people with leas formal education **Did education cause the wider dendrites or wider dendrites cause people to become more interested in education
**Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (Anti-depressants) SSRI
-For Clinical depression or eating disorders -Drugs that enhance the retention of Serotonin in brain synapses by delaying its reuptake -
Rosenzweig & Bennet (1972)
Researching how different environments affect the Rat’s brains -Enriched environment: Rats with stimulatinh environments (toys and ramps) -Stimulating environments: Rats had simple toys -Deprived environment:simple cage with no toys -Rats spent 1~2 months in these cages -Sacrificing the rats- Post Mortem autopsies revealed that rats woth enriched environments had a thicker cortex in the frontal lobe (the oart responsible for thinking planning and decision making -Controlled laboratory trial so it is possible to establish a cause and effect relationship -Animals are used -Shows how the brain can change and adapt to new situations. -The brain can be affected by environmental factors and social stimulation
What is a principle?
-A key assumption -These (main ideas) help us to understand how these influence human behaviour
Evolutionary Psychology
Any behaviour that helps/aids in our survival will be coded in our genes :)
Predisposition
There will be the need of a particular environmental stimuli for the behaviours to manifest
Neurotransmitters are hard to study…
Cannot establish a cause and effect as they cannot be measure directly brain chemistry Versus affecting of our behaviour
Endocrine System is…
the NERVOUS SYSTEM!
Keyser & Wicker (2003) Butryic Acid
Used fMRI Participants smelled Butryic acid and where then filmed and this was shown to other participants. -the same exact neural structure were activated - People can experience an emotional state by simply observing someone else ** people with autism may have a dysfunction in this system
Diathesis Stress Model
Our behaviour is influenced by both nature and nurture :) Predispositions and triggers 1. Psychological (the way we think) 2. environmental (nutrition, school etc) 3. Biological factors (genetic makeup)
Scarr and Weinberg (1977)
Counter study for Bouchard (1979)
Genetics’ Ethical Guidelines*
Social stigmas -The fact that people will remain stupid (hopelessness)
Oxytocin - Trust
Evolutionary psychology: trust is an important social tool in the relationships between humans. Trust is an adoptive mechanism that helps humans establish meaningful relationships.
