Chapter 13 Flashcards
What is the difference between an exogeneous vs an endogeneous hormones?
Endogenous = naturally produced by the body.
Exogenous = introduced from outside (e.g., anabolic steroid)
What are the psychological effects of anabolic steroids?
Roid rage-> extreme aggression following use
- Increased hostility, erratic behavior, delusional thinking, and dependence
What are the reasons behind the use of steroids?
- Belief in a competitive edge
- Belief that others are using them.
- Desire to increase body size, strength, and muscle mass.
What are the major health risk of steroids?
Major Organ Systems Affected:
- Liver
- Kidneys
- Cardiovascular: high blood pressure, heart disease
- Immune System
- Endocrine System: hormonal disruption
Sex-Specific Effects:
- Men-> testicular shrinkage, infertility, gynecomastia (breast growth), prostate issues.
- Women-> deepened voice, menstrual irregularities, clitoral enlargement, facial/body hair growth
Reversible-> acne, mood swings
Irreversible-> heart damage, infertility, liver problems
–>increased mortality
What were the founding of the effects of steroids on mood?
Positive effects:
- Euphoria
- Increased energy
- Sexual arousal
Negative effects:
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Violence and hostility
- Distractibility and memory issues
- Incidence: 5% acutely manic, 5% hypomanic
What are the criteria for an addiction to anabolic steroids?
Longer use than intended
Failed attempts to quit
Significant time spent on use/recovery
Continued use despite harm
Withdrawal symptoms
Reuse to relieve withdrawal
–>may work like other addictive drugs
What are the brain regions imapired by testosterone use?
Prefrontal cortex and amygdala
- fronto limbic and fronto parietal
- may explain emotion dysregulation and increased aggression
What is a link between Thyroid hormones and mood?
HPT Axis involvement-> TRH → TSH → Thyroid hormones (T3/T4)
Thyroid releasing hormone-> show improvement in mood
By which mechanisms do thyroid hormones influence mood?
T3 influences serotonin pathways
- T3 used to augment SSRI therapy
- speed up antidepressant effects
What hormones play a role in depression?
Growth hormone (GH)-> normal level but blunted responses to serotonin and insulin stimulation
Prolactin-> might just be linked to stress
Cortisol-> MDD patients have elevated baseline cortisol and increased resistance to glucocorticoid feedback
Thyroid hormones
Estrogen-> improves mood in women with severe depression
What is the link between cortisol and MDD?
- 50% show excessive cortisol
- peak 3-4 hours after sleep onset where stress should be low
- cortisol circadian rhythm disrupted
- cortisol cannot get glucose level up after hypoglycemia due to insulin
–> Chronic HPA axis dysregulation in MDD
What does a dexamethasone treatment show about depression?
Dexamethasone-> suppresses cortisol secretion via feedback inhibition
- BUT in depression often fails-> in ~46% of patient
- initial suppression but rebounds shortly after
What are Cushing and Addison syndrome?
Cushing syndrome: Excess cortisol → depression
Addison disease: Low cortisol → depression
–>inverted U shaped between cortisol and mood
What is the premenstrual syndrome?
PMS refers to a range of psychological and physiological symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle
- It occurs due to hormonal changes but can also involve cognitive and social factors
What are the potential explanation for PMS?
Women with PMS may experience greater “withdrawal” from progesterone or its metabolites
Ovarian hormones influence neurochemical systems involved in emotional control-> norepinephrine, DA, serotonin, glutamate, GABA
Blunted response to GABA receptor agonists
Estrogen-> physical symptoms (fluid retention
PMS may reflect a pathological response to chronic fluctuations in steroid hormone concentrations-> may develop a “dependence” on elevated steroid hormones during ovulation and the luteal phase
What are some of the main cognitive and emotional features of PMS?
Cognitive Enhancements-> improved cognitive performance during the perimenstrual phase (faster reaction times, better mental arithmetic, and enhanced perceptual motor skills
Mood and Energy Fluctuations-> minority of women report elevated mood and energy during this phase,
Sexual Interest-> Increased sexual desire due to hormonal changes and reduced pregnancy concerns
Cognitive Brain Changes-> Functional brain imaging studies show that hormonal fluctuations influence neural activation patterns, affecting mood and cognition. PMS may reflect impaired ovarian-hormone-mediated sensitivity in brain networks.
