Brain structure and functioning as an explanation of aggression + brain scanning (pack 3)(

Question 1

what is the role of the hypothalamus?

Answer 1

to maintain homeostasis

Question 2

How does the hypothalamus maintain homeostasis?

Answer 2

it keeps the body in balance by regulating physical experiences like hunger thirst and temp

regulates behavioural responses such as pain, threat and sexual satisfaction and it does this by controlling hormonal levels in the body

Question 3

what is the definition of homeostasis

Answer 3

the tendency to maintain stability or equilibrium in the human body in response to external condition

Question 4

what causes our amygdala to be activated?

Answer 4

when we are exposed to threatening stimuli, our amygdala is activated and results in increased emotional arousal

Question 5

what happens after our amygdala is activated?

Answer 5

we either take flight or fight (aggressiveness)

Question 6

what happened in the case study of Charles Whitman

Answer 6

brain tumour in the hypothalamus and near the amygdala

caused him to shoot up his uni

Question 7

what did supporting research beginning with C find after doing FMRI scans

Answer 7

coccaro
studied people with IED…to show that an overactive amygdala is associated with high levels of aggression

Question 8

What do FMRI scans detect?

Answer 8

detect the rate at which oxyhaemoglobin becomes deoxyhaemoglobin (BOLD imaging)

Question 9

How does FMRI work?

Answer 9

MRI scanner produces a strong magnetic field around ppt
magnetic field causes molecules in the body to move in a slightly different way and release radio waves which the scanner detects
different tissues and molecules release different radio waves
FMRI detects difference between radio waves emitted from OXY or DEOXY

Question 10

2 advantages of FMRI

Answer 10

provides exact locations of increased neural activity during tasks as sensitivity to blood flow changes is very precise, therefore increasing validity and reliability

non-invasive as it does not involve exposure to radiation like PET and CAT so more ethical

Question 11

3 disadvantages of FMRI?

Answer 11

unable to detect activity of individual neurones so gives limited info on functioning

interpretation can be subjective so lowers validity

scanning’s on people with metal implants due to magnetic field and they need to remain very still.

Question 12

how does the PFC allow us to regulate our aggression

Answer 12

allows us to control reactive aggressive impulses that stem from the amygdala

this inhibits our impulse and allows us to think before we act

Question 13

what is controlled aggression

Answer 13

when we stop and think and still decide to act aggressively

Question 14

what research beginning with G used CAT scanning

Answer 14

Grafman et al
studied veterans of the Vietnam war
showed V’s with damage to PFC were more aggressive than those with damage to other areas

Question 15

what do CAT scans detect?

Answer 15

any structural abnormalities

Question 16

how do CAT scans work?

Answer 16

rotating an X-RAY machine around the axis of a person’s body…the series of pictures are like hundreds of slices through the brain
so, physicians can get a 3-dimensional image of the structure

Question 17

3 advantages of CAT scanning?

Answer 17

gives detailed structural images of the brain so we can detect structural abnormalities

less sensitive to movement (unlike FMRI)

scanning ppt with metal implants is fine and not as harmful as it does not involve injection of radioactive material

Question 18

what are the 2 disadvantages of CAT scans

Answer 18

not sensitive enough to detect precise details of soft tissue in the brain

ppt are exposed to radiation (small amount)

Question 19

what is a researcher beginning with R that used PET scans

Answer 19

Raine et al
brain function of 41 violent murderers
brain dysfunction in amygdala and PFC