Hormones and brain function

Question 1

What are the quaternary amine NTs?

Answer 1

Acetylcholine

Question 2

What are the monoamine NTs?

Answer 2

Catecholamines

• NE
• Epinephrine
• Dopamine

Indoleamines

• 5-HT
• Melatonin

Question 3

Describe alcohol’s effect on the brain

Answer 3

• Biphasic, an initial stimulant phase followed by prolonged depressant phase
  
  • Activates GABAa receptor (ionotropic)
• Chronic abuse of alcohol damages nerve cells and the frontal lobes are most effected
• Even a single binge can cause brain damage

Question 4

Describe fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Answer 4

• Distinctive changes in facial features, stunted growth and intellectual disability, irritability, tremors and hyperactivity
• Lack of infant corpus callosum
• Extremely stunted fetal PFC
• Slow migration of immature neurons
• High levels of GABAergic input from alcohol is deleterious in highly communicative stages of development
• Gray matter reduced and lateral ventricles enlarged (smaller brains)

Question 5

What are neuroepithelial cells?

Answer 5

Neural stem cells of the ventricular zone that give rise to radial glia cells that further differentiate into neurons or glial cells. The cells migrate up, and layer up layer builds (the deepest layer is built first, and it’s pushed down by newer cells)

Question 6

Recall the three anatomical planes

Answer 6

• Horizontal (cross section, facing vertically)
• Sagittal (cross section, facing the side)
• Coronal (cross section, facing the front/back)

Question 7

What areas of the basal forebrain do ACh projections arise from?

Answer 7

• Nucleus basalis

- Medial septal nucleus and nucleus of diagonal band

Question 8

Contrast the hormonal functions for parts of the adrenal gland

Answer 8

Adrenal cortex: Salt and carbohydrate metabolism, inflammatory reaction

Adrenal medulla: emotional arousal

Question 9

True or false. Hormones usually have steady secretion.

Answer 9

False.

Hormones often have pulsatile secretion patterns (ie. in bursts)

Question 10

What are three different chemical types of hormones?

Answer 10

Rapid acting (usually through second messenger)

• Protein (peptides)
• Amines (monoamine - modified amino acids)

Slow acting (longer lasting effects
 - Steroids (four rings of carbon atoms)

Question 11

What are tropic hormones (in the HPA axis)?

Answer 11

Pituitary hormones that affect other endocrine glands

Question 12

What are releasing hormones (in the HPA axis)?

Answer 12

Used by the hypothalamus to control the pituitary release of tropic hormones.

Question 13

What is the adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis?

Answer 13

Anterior pituitary: adenohypophysis

Posterior pituitary: neurohypophysis

Question 14

What is the pituitary infundibulum?

Answer 14

The pituitary stalk, connects the pituitary to the hypothalamus and contains blood vessels and axons (which only extend to the hypothalamus)

Question 15

Which hormone is involved in the milk letting reflex?

Answer 15

Oxytocin

Question 16

When does stress occur?

Answer 16

When the perceived demands of a situation exceed the perceived capabilities for meeting the demands.

Question 17

Describe the stress-brain loop

Answer 17

• Chronic stress from inadequate sleep, poor nutrition or emotional distress increases glucocorticoid levels
• Glucocorticoids cause cellular changes in the hippocampus that decrease regulation of cortisol and reduce attention, perception, short term memory , learning and word finding.

Question 18

How does intimate partner violence during pregnancy effect glucocorticoid receptor promoter methylation in children?

Answer 18

IPV predicts increases GR promoter methylation (and therefore GR underexpression). This effect persists into adolescence.