Brain and Behaviour

Question 1

What is neuroendocrinology and how does it regulate homeostasis?

Answer 1

How the brain and hormones interact in behaviour + through negative feedback loops

Question 2

Where is the anterior pituitary found and what are the 6 hormones it releases + where do they target?

Answer 2

Found at the base of the brain, outside the blood-brain barrier

• ACTH = acts on the adrenal cortex in the kidneys
• TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) = acts on the thyroid gland, regulates metabolism and temperature
• FSH = acts on ovaries/testes
• LH = acts on ovaries/testes
• GH (Growth hormone) = acts on skeletal muscle + bone, regulates growth and muscle growth
• Prolactin = promotes lactation in the mammary glands in females

Question 3

What is the inhibitory and excitatory neurons in the hypothalamus for the release of GH and where is GH released from?

Answer 3

Inhibitory = SST
Excitatory = GHRH
GH released from the pituitary gland

Question 4

What are the 7 key behaviours changed by hormones?

Answer 4

Stress
Reproduction
Social + maternal behaviour
Eating and drinking
Mood
Aggression
Biological rhythms

Question 5

What are the 2 neurons involved in the release of hormones from the posterior pituitary called and what part of them is located in the hypothalamus?
What hormone are these 2 neurons involved in the secretion of and where are the axon terminals located?

Answer 5

PVN (Paraventricular nucleus)
SON (Supraoptic nucleus)
Cell body is found in the hypothalamus

Oxytocin
In the posterior pituitary

Question 6

What does 2 things does oxytocin secretion activate in pregnant women and how?

Answer 6

• Uterine contractions during pregnancy - oestrogen promotes expression of oxytocin receptors on uterine smooth muscle, allowing oxytocin to promote uterine contractions. Oxytocin also promotes placental prostaglandin secretion which also promotes uterine contractions
• Lactation (release of milk) - Oxytocin secreted into the blood by electrical activity, suckling activates sensory receptors in the nipples which activate the hypothalamus to secrete oxytocin. Oxytocin is carried to the mammary gland, where it acts on myoepithelial cells causing milk to be let down (released)

Question 7

What is a nulliparous and a multiparous rat and how does this affect their maternal behaviour?

Answer 7

Nulliparous = hasn’t reproduced yet, doesn’t show much maternal behaviours
Multiparous = has reproduced, so shows maternal behaviours

Question 8

What kind of voles are monogamous and what kind are non-monogamous?

Answer 8

Prairie voles = monogamous, spend more time with partner than strangers
Montane voles = non-monogamous, spend equal time with partner and strangers (no partner preference)

Question 9

How does alcohol consumption affect partner-preference in female and male prairie voles?

Answer 9

Females = enhances the partner preference (spend even more time with partner)
Males = partner-preference is lost

Question 10

What emotions are related to 22kHz and 50kHz UVs in rats? And what hormone is released as a result of the positive emotion?

Answer 10

22kHz = negative emotions e.g. aggression
50kHz = positive emotions e.g. play, dopamine released