Glossary of PNoMH Flashcards
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
An empirically-based intervention, which aims to increase psychological flexibility using a mindfulness based approach with behavior change strategies
Action Potential (AP)
A localised change in electrical potential, from about -70 to +30mV and back again, that occurs across a nerve fibre during transmission of a nerve impulse.
Actor-observer effect
People’s tendency to explain others’ behaviours as due to dispositional factors but their own behaviours as due to situational factors
Adult neural stem cell
A stem cell found in adult neural tissue that can give rise to neurons and glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes).
Agonist
A chemical that binds to a receptor and activates the receptor to produce a biological response.
All-or-nothing thinking
Type of cognitive bias or distortion characterised by recognizing or accepting the existence of only two opposite alternatives
Amino acids
Organic compounds containing both a carboxyl (—COOH) and an amino (—NH2) group that combine to form proteins. Organic molecule containing both an amino group and a carboxyl group. One of the 20 building blocks of proteins, specified by a triplet code of DNA.
AMPA receptors
The AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate) receptor is one of three ligand-gated ionotropic glutamate receptors. Like all other ionotropic glutamate receptors, AMPA receptors are nonselective cation channels, allowing the passage of Na+ and K+, and in some cases small amounts of Ca++. Their activation always produces excitatory postsynaptic potentials.
Amygdala (plural amygdalae)
Two almond-shape groups of neurons located deep in the brain’s medial temporal lobe. They perform a key role in the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional reactions. The amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.
Antecedent
Stimulus that cues an organism to perform a learned behavior
Hypothalamus
A structure located below the thalamus (a part of the brain that relays sensory information) and above the pituitary gland to which it is attached by a stalk. It is composed of a number of nuclei. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. It is responsible for the production of many of the body’s essential hormones that govern physiologic functions such as temperature regulation, thirst, hunger, sleep, mood, sex drive, and the release of other hormones within the body.
Neurogenesis (birth of neurons)
The process by which new neurons are generated, migrate, and integrate themselves in the brain. This process is significantly active during pre-natal development, however, adults continue to generate new neurons (adult neurogenesis) as well. Two main regions that undergo significant neurogenesis in adulthood are the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus (adult hippocampal neurogenesis).
What is immunostaining?
In biochemistry, immunostaining is any use of an antibody-based method to detect a specific protein in a sample. The term “immunostaining” was originally used to refer to the immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections, as first described by Albert Coons in 1941.[1] However, immunostaining now encompasses a broad range of techniques used in histology, cell biology, and molecular biology that use antibody-based staining methods
What is autoradiography?
Autoradiography is an imaging technique that uses radioactive sources contained within the exposed sample.
In vitro autoradiography methods involve the isolation of cellular components such as DNA, RNA, proteins or lipids, followed by labeling with suitable radioisotopes.
In vivo autoradiography, radioisotopes are coupled with radioactive tracers and administered orally or via injection, and the distribution of radiation is evaluated in thin tissue or whole-body cryosections. In vivo autoradiography using laboratory animals is widely used in metabolic studies, disease monitoring and new drug development experiments.
Common radioisotopes in autoradiography are sulfur-35, hydrogen-3, carbon-14, 125-iodine or phosphorus-32 (35S, 3H, 14C, 125I and 32P, respectively) which are used to determine the distribution of the radiolabeled molecules in tissues, cells or cellular organelles but also in the study of protein modifications and DNA / RNA sequencing.
What is epigenetics?
In biology, epigenetics is the study of heritable phenotype changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence.
Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence.
Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression (active versus inactive genes) that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence.
