Factors that affect behaviour, emotion and thought Flashcards
What are some influencing factors?
- Seasonal change
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Exercise
Effects from physical activity
- Strengthen the heart, increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure and the blood pressure reactivity to stress.
- Provides the mastery experiences that help promote the perceived ability to cope with depression.
- increases the production of mood-boosting neurotransmitters
Seasonal Change influences
Influences a person’s levels of melatonin and serotonin (natural substances that play a role in sleep regulation and moods)
Seasonal Affective Disorder
It is a type of depression
- can be experienced most often during darker, colder winter months
Drug definition
Are any chemical that people inject, ingest, or inhale into their bodies that affect the body’s system’s normal activites, thought patterns, behaviours and emotional state of an individual.
Examples of drugs
- Prescription medications
- Illicit narcotics
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
How do drugs impact the human brain?
Interferes with neuron send, receival and the processing of signals
Three main types of drugs
Depressants - calms the activity of the nervous system and slows down body functions.
Stimulants - excite the nervous system and arouses body functions.
Hallucinogens - changes our perceptions and give us sensory images without input from the senses.
Alcohol
Is a depressant
- Lowers inhibitions, reduces ability to stop and think about our actions and the effect of our behaviour on other people.
- effects motor control, slows ability to respond quickly and coordinate movements.
- causes disinhibition - leads to normally placid people to become aggressive.
Cannabis
Is a depressant
- Slows down activity of the CNS
- Slows down the rate messages pass from the brain to the body.
Caffeine & Nicotine
Powerful stimulants.
- increases neurotransmitter activity & speeds up body functions (heart + breathing rate).
- Likely to cause headaches, tiredness and irritability as effects wear off.
- High dosages can have a negative effect on working memory and cognitive control.
Crystal Methamphetamine
It is a stimulant
- most potent form of amphetamines.
- Immediate effects are feelings of excitement, wellbeing, increased confidence and energy.
- Also tremors, increased rate of breathing, temperature and blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat.
- Effects wear off cause big mood swings, tensions, exhaustion and uncontrollable violence.
- Leads to rapid physical and mental decline.
Amphetamines used medicinally
This is for people diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- treatment drug: DEXTROAMPHETAMINE & METHYLPHENIDATE
- Administers calming and focusing effect on 70% of those with ADHD.
- Increases the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, improving attention and focus in individuals whose dopamine levels are weak.
- Those with ADHD do not become addicted to their medication as long as it’s taken in dosage
Areas that are affected by drugs
- Basal Ganglia
- Extended Amygdala
- Prefrontal Cortex
Basal Ganglia
Plays a role in positive motivation, including pleasurable effects from healthy activities like eating, socialising and sex - also involved in habit and routine formation.
- also known as the reward circuit.
Basal Ganglia being affected by drugs
- Drugs overactive this circuit, producing euphoric feelings of highs.
- Repeated exposure this circuit diminishes in its sensitivity which lowers the euphoric feeling, leading to the lack of positive stimulation from anything other than the drug.
- leads to addictive cycles as addict needs to increase the dose, amount being consumed
Extended Amygdala
This area is involved with a person’s feelings.
Extended Amygdala being affected by drugs
- Individual experiences anxiety and irritability when coming down from a high. Therefore, causes person to take drugs to feel the high.
- Overextended drug use, an addict ends up taking the drugs to limit the negative feelings rather than for experiencing the high.
Prefrontal Cortex
This area is involved with a person’s thinking, reasoning, decision-making and self-control.
Prefrontal Cortex being affected by drugs
- Drugs can move a person’s thought patterns and behaviour away from this area to the Basal - Ganglia, which leads to risk-taking and inhibited reasoning.
- In teens, this is of particular concern, as their prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed.
Opioids
- Affects the brain stem that controls important functions like heart rate, breathing and sleeping.
- Reduces breathing and heart rates, which can lead to death - overdoses.
Dopamine Reinforcement
- Naturally used as part of the pleasure sensation.
Helps to reinforce the memory of pleasurable events, sensations.
Drugs produce a surge of dopamine, which reinforces the memory of that event over healthy events.
Can create uncontrollable ravings of drugs due to heightened pleasure experiences
