Chapter 2: biological foundations of mental health

Question 1

what is plasticity known as?

Answer 1

neurons that fire together, wire together
- ability to be modifiable and change

Question 2

What are two regions of the brain that are focused on in terms on mental health affecting them?

Answer 2

1. thought, emotion, memory
2. personality and patterns and behaviour

Question 3

What is the function of “thought” in thought, emotion, and memory region?

Answer 3

• logical reasoning –> cognitive pathway
  -uses stored knowledge

Question 4

What is the function of “emotions” in thought, emotion, and memory region?

Answer 4

limbic system
- connection witth thoughts or ideas (sensory input and memories)
- more fleeting
- can also be mood apart of limbic system –> long term

Question 5

What is the function of “memory” in thought, emotion, and memory region?

Answer 5

• cognitive pathway
• store, retain, and retrieve information
• short or long term –> good capacity = good mental health

Question 6

what is long term potentiation in memory?

Answer 6

enhancing interconnections among neurons through repeated stimulation

Question 7

What 2 organs in memory are important?

Answer 7

1. amygdala –> processes emotions
2. hippocampus –> making new memories and storing long term memories

Question 8

What is the function of “personality” in personality and patterns of behaviour?

Answer 8

• what makes a person unique (behavioural and personal traits)
• based on characterisitic behaviour patterns (ex: introvert vs extrovert)
• determined genetically
• influenced by environmental factors

Question 9

good mental health does not require perfect function in every sphere of mental life. true or false

Answer 9

true

Question 10

Are there certain genes that determine mental health characteristics?

Answer 10

YeS

Question 11

What is epigenetics and how does it play a role in developing mental health conditions?

Answer 11

YES
- different environmental influecnes in womb and throughout our life can switch our genes on or off (epigenetic variation) –> histone modification, deacetylation, demethylation…

Question 12

What are brain cells fueled by?

Answer 12

glucose –> ATP

Question 13

What is one barrier in our brain that becomes important with medications or presence of toxins in mental health conditons?

Answer 13

brain’s blood-brain barrier –> limits substances that can enter the brain

Question 14

What 2 other things does the brain require?

Answer 14

1. oxygen
   2 . certain vitamins

Question 15

what are the brain’s meniges?

Answer 15

protective membranes

Question 16

what does CSF do?

Answer 16

fluid shock absorber

Question 17

Where are hormones stored?

Answer 17

glands (pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, ovarie, testes)

Question 18

What is the function of hormones?

Answer 18

regulate and change mental function and behaviour

Question 19

what is one organ that is known as the “master control” for hormone release?

Answer 19

hypothalamus

Question 20

What hormones do to our bodies?

Answer 20

• change mental activity
• in women it can cause mood changes during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause (estrogen and progesterone)
• in males it can impact mental function and behaviour (testosterone)

Question 21

Can illness cause hormone levels to change?

Answer 21

YEA

Question 22

Our body is not effected by changes in seasons and cycles of light/darkness. true or false

Answer 22

false –> WE ARE

Question 23

what is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? WHat is the fix?

Answer 23

• common in winter in canada –> not as much light
• difficulty sleeping
• depressed
• fix? –> light = less depressed!

Question 24

Are our brains plastic?

Answer 24

YES
- ability to be modifiable

Question 25

Are our brain cells regenerative?

Answer 25

YES
- all throughout life