Final 12 (Mental Health) Flashcards
All of the limbic system eventually ends up connecting to…
the brainstem
The hypothalamus controls homeostasis, through two structures, what are they and how does this work?
Reticular formation: attached tp autonomic nuclei, exerts control over sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
Anterior pituitary gland: influences pituitary to control blood hormones, cortisol and the HPA axis
Cortisol inhibits the release of _______________________
CRH and ACTH (negative feedback)
The _____________ activates the stress response.
Amygdala
The _________________ and ____________________ inactivate the stress response.
Prefrontal cortex and hippocampus
Explain the health effects of chronic stress
- Reduced hippocampal function, including suppression of HPA
- Inhibits the ability of pre-frontal cortex to regulate amygdala and HPA stress response
- Decreased dendritic length, branching, number of contacts
- In the process, affects cognitive function, including memory
Neurotransmitter have two general functions, what are they?
- Excitation and inhibition
- Neuromodulation (signaling cascades that regulate synaptic transmission)
Which brain regions provide input to the parts of the reticular formation mediating alertness?
- Ascending sensory inputs
- Fronto-parietal association and limbic cortices
- Hypothalamus
Acetylcholine targets which areas of the brain for alertness and memory?
- Cerebral cortex (hippocampus)
- Thalamus
- Cerebellum, pons, medulla
Degeneration of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain may account for memory loss in what disease?
Alzheimer’s
There is a gradual reduction in cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain with normal aging, true or false?
True
Dopamine targets which regions of the brain for movements, initiative, and working memory?
- Striatum
- Limbic cortex
- Amygdala
- Nucleus accumbens
- Prefrontal cortex
“Negative” symptoms in schizophrenia may result from dysregulation of…
dopaminergic pathways
Some antipsychotic medications that prevent binding of dopamine to certain receptor sites decrease…
hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking
Norepinephrine targets which regions of the brain for alertness, and mood elevation?
Targets the entire CNS
_________________ is associated with the flight or fight reaction.
Norepinephrine
High levels of norepinephrine are associated with _________________, low levels are associated with ___________________.
High levels of norepinephrine are associated with vigilance low levels are associated with sleep.
Serotonin targets which regions of the brain for alertness, mood elevation and breathing control?
Targets the entire CNS
The triangular circuit of emotion involves which three areas of the brain?
- Amygdala
- Thalamus
- Prefrontal cortex
Severity of depression correlated with increased blood flow in which areas of the brain?
- Amygdala
- Thalamus
- Prefrontal cortex
Individuals with depression often have smaller hippocampal volume, true or false?
True
Which mental health disorder is most similar to Parkinson’s disease pathologically?
Schizophrenia
Excessive dopamine signaling (at least in some brain regions) is associated with which mental health disorder?
Schizophrenia
Name three factors that cause Alzheimer’s disease
- Neurofibrillary tangles: intracellular
- Amyloid plaques (brown in figure): extracellular
- Temporal lobe earliest/most extensive neuronal loss
