Exam 4 - Biology of emotion and stress Flashcards
Emotion
feeling that differs from a person’s normal affective state; a biological function of the nervous sytem
What are the three attributes of emotion?
- a change in physiological arousal
- an affective (feeling) response
- a behavioral response
What is the James-Lange Theory of emotion?
- physiological changes that occur in response to an event determine the experience of an emotion
- physiological response happens first
What is the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion?
- an event activates the thalamus, stimulating the cerebral cortex to produce the emotion and physiological reaction
- thalamus -> cerebral cortex -> emotion and physiological reaction
What is the Papez circuit of emotion?
- later called the limbic system:
- hypothalamus (emotional expression)
- cingulate gyrus (responsible for emotional experience)
- amygdala
- hippocampus
- septum
- thalamus
What are primary emotions?
- innate, built-in, hardwired emotions; processed by the limbic system, particularly the amygdala
- anger, fear
What are secondary emotions?
- emotion that is learned and processed by the limbic system, prefrontal areas and somatosensory cortices
- heartbreak, betrayal
What is Schachter’s Cognitive Model
if unable to identify the cause of a physiological arousal, a person will attribute it to environmental conditions
Aggression
behavior motivated by the intent to harm a living being or an inanimate object
Fear induced aggression
- aggression triggered by fear, a defensive reaction
- an animal cornered and unable to escape from danger becomes aggressive
Irritable aggression
- aggression triggered by irritation/frustration
- a frustrated or angry animal attacks another animal or object
What type of aggression is included in irritable aggression?
pain-elicited aggression: aggression triggered by a physically or psychologically painful injury
Klüver-Bucy Syndrome
- produced by bilateral temporal lobectomy
- characterized by placidity, socially inappropriate sexual activity, compulsive orality (putting things in their mouth), decreased ability to recognize people, memory defecits
What diseases have been associated with aggressive behavior?
- brain tumors
- epilepsy (specifically in the temporal lobe)
- viral encephalitis
What type of EEG activity has been associated with violence/aggression?
- Increased delta activity and decreased alpha activity in the temporal and parieto-occipital areas
- focal abnormalities in the left hemisphere
What hormone affects aggression? What neurotransmitter?
- testosterone
- low serotonin
What brain regions are associated with fear-induced aggression?
- lesions of the anterior third of the temporal lobe or the prefrontal cortex decreased fear-induced aggression
- lesions of the septum caused in increase in fear-induced aggression
Is any fear associated with the destruction of the amygdala in rats?
no
Mice with increased MAO had decreased aggressive behavior. True or false?
True
Mice lacking the _______ transporter mechanism showed a reduction in aggressive behavior. _______ ______ has also been implicated in aggressive behavior in mice.
serotonin, nitric oxide
Stressor
event that either strains or overwhelms the ability of an organism to adjust to the environment
Physiological stressors
include extreme cold or heat, the invasion of dangerous microorganisms, and physical injury
Psychological stressors
include the death of a relative or friend, an upcoming exam, and being fired from a job
What are the components of stress?
- pressure: an expectation to behave in a specific way within a particular time frame
- conflict: the inability to satisfy two or more incompatible motives
- frustration: the obstruction of achieving a goal
- stress response: psychological and physiological changes that occur when we encounter a stressor; determines how adaptive we are
What is Hans Selye’s General adaptation syndrome (GAS)?
a pattern of physiological responses to a physiological or psychological stressor; all stressors produce this response
What is overtraining syndrome?
- maladaptive response to excessive exercise without adequate rest
- similar to the exhaustion stage of the of GAS
What are the three stages of GAS?
- alarm stage: intense sympathetic nervous system arousal, fight or flight response
- resistance stage: hypothalamic activation causes an increased release of adrenocorticotropic hormone
- exhaustion stage: if the stress continues indefinitely, the organism eventually depletes its physiological resources, resulting in failure of the body’s defense system and eventually death
Diseases of adaptation
- an illness caused by the efforts of the body to cope with stressors
- stress reactions can both cause these illnesses and intensify them
Can stress effect the plasticity of certain brain structures?
yes, can suppress cell proliferation which causes a decrease in dendrites in the hippocampus, which decreases its size
Distress
negative stress
Eustress
positive stress with beneficial effects
Type A behavior pattern
excessive competitive drive, high aggressiveness, and an intense sense of time urgency
Type B behavior pattern
relatively relaxed, patient, and easy-going
Which behavior pattern is more likely to cause a heart attack or coronary disease? Why is this?
- Type A
- significantly more reactive to stressors
- higher norepi. release which can cause arterial damage, blood clots and cardiac arrhythmias
Hardiness
ability to cope effectively with stressors
What are some characteristics of hardy people?
- less biologically responsive to stressors
- greater sense of purpose, stronger commitment to self, and internal locus of control, and experience less emotional stress
