Integrated Approach to Psychopathology

Question 1

Relative number of genes that influence mental illness

Answer 1

Mental illness is polygenetic

Question 2

Genetic contribution to mental illness

Answer 2

<50%

Question 3

Diathesis-stress model

Answer 3

Diathesis: genetic vulnerability
Stress: life events
Diathesis + stress = disorder

Question 4

Reciprocal gene-environment model

Answer 4

Genes impact environment

Environment impacts genes

Question 5

Action potential

Answer 5

Electrical charge that travels down the neuron and triggers release of neurotransmitters

Question 6

Synaptic transmission

Answer 6

1. Neuron A releases neurotransmitters into synapse
2. Neurotransmitters bind with receptors on neuron B
3. Enough neurotransmitters bind with receptors, neuron B fires
4. Extra neurotransmitters in synapse are removed (breakdown and reuptake)

Question 7

Neurotransmitters

Answer 7

Allow for neural communication
Hundreds in human body, but 6 extensively studied
Function depends on location in brain

Question 8

Serotonin (5-HT)

Answer 8

Neurotransmitter

Mood, sleep, learning

Question 9

Norepinephrine

Answer 9

Neurotransmitter

Mood, arousal

Question 10

Dopamine

Answer 10

Neurotransmitter

Movement, pleasure

Question 11

Acetylcholine (ACH)

Answer 11

Neurotransmitter
Muscles (contraction and restriction)
Botox disrupts; black widow venom increases

Question 12

Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)

Answer 12

Neurotransmitter
Slows down brain
Used in anti-anxiety drugs

Question 13

Glutamate

Answer 13

Neurotransmitter

Stimulates brain

Question 14

Agonists

Answer 14

Increases production and availability of neurotransmitters

Question 15

Antagonists

Answer 15

Decreases availability of neurotransmitters

Question 16

Medulla

Answer 16

Hindbrain

Life sustaining processes

Question 17

Pons

Answer 17

Hindbrain

Regulation of sleep stages

Question 18

Cerebellum

Answer 18

Hindbrain

Fine motor coordination

Question 19

Hypothalamus

Answer 19

Limbic system
Basic drives (hunger, thirst, sex drive, etc.)
Organizes pituitary gland, which releases hormones

Question 20

Amygdala

Answer 20

Limbic system

Emotions (anger, fear)

Question 21

Hippocampus

Answer 21

Limbic system

Consolidation of memory (gateway by which new memories are made; doesn’t store memories)

Question 22

Frontal lobe

Answer 22

Cerebral cortex
Thinking, movement, executive function, emotional regulation
Motor cortex: different areas trigger different parts of body to move

Question 23

Parietal lobe

Answer 23

Cerebral cortex
Touch
Primary somatosensory cortex: different areas process touch info from different parts of body

Question 24

Occipital lobe

Answer 24

Cerebral cortex

Visual integration

Question 25

Temporal lobe

Answer 25

Cerebral cortex | Auditory integration and memory storage

Question 26

Right hemisphere of brain

Answer 26

Visual and spatial

Question 27

Left hemisphere of brain

Answer 27

Analytical, language

Question 28

Corpus callosum

Answer 28

Communication between 2 halves of brain (connects halves)

Question 29

Contralateral control

Answer 29

Left side of brain controls right side and vice versa

Question 30

Somatic branch of peripheral nervous system

Answer 30

Nerves that control voluntary muscles

Question 31

Autonomic branch of peripheral nervous system

Answer 31

Nerves that control automatic processes such as digestion, pupil dilation and heartbeat

Question 32

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer 32

Part of autonomic branch | Fight or flight (respiration increases, heart rate increases, digestion decreases, etc.)

Question 33

Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 33

Part of autonomic branch | Counteracts sympathetic nervous system (returns body to normal autonomic functioning)

Question 34

Adrenaline

Answer 34

Hormone that controls fear response

Question 35

Cortisol

Answer 35

Hormone that controls stress response | Produced by adrenal gland

Question 36

Traditional view of neuroscience

Answer 36

Psychopathology results from brain irregularity; to treat disorders, brain must be fixed View is too simple: experiences impact brain structure and function

Question 37

Memory accessibility

Answer 37

How accessible are certain memories over others

Question 38

Memory biases

Answer 38

Which things do you choose to remember/remember more easily

Question 39

Attentional biases

Answer 39

Which things do you choose to focus on

Question 40

Interpretation biases

Answer 40

People interpret things differently based on their mental states

Question 41

Stroop paradigm

Answer 41

Attention to 1 area interferes with ability to do task in other area (ex- fear of spider-related words interferes with ability to recognize colors)

Question 42

Affect

Answer 42

Outward presentation of mood

Question 43

Difference between mood and emotion

Answer 43

Lasts longer than emotion | Not linked to specific event

Question 44

Equifinality

Answer 44

Several paths lead to a given outcome