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PSY290: Neurochemical Basis for Behaviour > Lecture 1: Introduction to Biopsychology > Flashcards

Lecture 1: Introduction to Biopsychology Flashcards

1
Q

Define biopsychology and when it emerged.

A

Biopsychology is the intersection between neuroscience and psychology. It emerged in the late 20th century.

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2
Q

Name the 6 disciplines that are related to Biopsychology.

A

Neuroanatomy - structure/connectivity of the brain

Neurochemistry - chemical basis of brain activity

Neurophysiology - functional systems in the brain (groups of interconnected neurons with a shared function)

Neuroendocrinology - endocrine system

Neuropathology - disorders of the nervous system

Neuropharmacology - effective use of drugs

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3
Q

How many cells does our brain have?

A

80-90 billion cells

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4
Q

Distinguish the CNS and PNS.

A

Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord). Peripheral Nervous System (everything else)

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5
Q

Why do we use rodents as subjects in biopsychological experiments? (4 reasons)

A

Ethical: to infer causal relationships we cannot experiment on humans

Reductionist/Logistic perspective: animals have a simple NS (easier to understand than humans) and behaviors that are convenient to study, easier to control the environment.

Evolutionary perspectives: NS similarities explain behavioral similarities.

Comparative perspective: NS differences explain behavioral differences

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6
Q

What are the limitations of animal models? (3 reasons)

A
  1. High cost (human research can be cheaper)
  2. Cannot model all human behavior in animals (e.g., language)
  3. Generalizability: not all findings are generalizable to humans (e.g. some drugs don’t work on humans)
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7
Q

What is the model of depression? 6 symptoms.

A

Anhedonia, decreased energy, guilt, disturbed sleep, inability to concentrate, suicidal thoughts

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8
Q

What two symptoms of depression are observed in animals?

A

Hopelessness (behavioral despair) and Anhedonia (absence of pleasure seeking)

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9
Q

How is hopelessness tested in animal studies?

A
  1. Forced swim test

2. Tail suspension test

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10
Q

How is anhedonia tested for in animal studies?

A

Sucrose preference test (depressed mouse will not show preference for the sweeter solution)

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11
Q

How do you induce depression in animals?

A

Cause chronic intermittent stress by putting the animal into a sequence of stress inducing events: intermittent illumination, water/food deprivation, damp bedding, paired housing, cage tilting.

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12
Q

What is the main concern with animal models and the pharma industry?

A

spending money to cure mice not humans, what cures animals doesn’t cure humans. For example, one FDA-approved drug per 5,000-10,000 “drug-discovery” compounds

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13
Q

Why is sample size important?

A

To increase the power and so decreasing the likelihood of a type 2 error.

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14
Q

How did pre-frontal lobotomies become legitimized?

A

Moniz experimented on Becky, a chimpanzee and observed that when her PFC was lesioned she no longer became upset when making errors in a behavioral task (she was subdued and calm). Thought this was a good thing and originated the practice of leukotomy.

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15
Q

What is a leukotomy?

A

the surgical cutting of white nerve fibers within the brain, especially in the prefrontal cortex, formerly used to treat mental illness

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16
Q

What did leukotomy inspire?

A

Prefrontal Lobotomies (destroying PFC of more than 40,000 patents, often w/o consent + w/o illness). These had no therapeutic effect and terrible side effects.

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17
Q

What were the main mistakes of the researchers who sanctioned lobotomies? 5 reasons.

A
  1. There was no experimental method
  2. Based procedure on case studies
  3. Species differences were ignored
  4. Limited follow-up of original investigation
  5. Individual rights were ignored
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18
Q

Name the six divisions of biopsychology and the experimental method they use. (6)

A
  1. Physiological psychology (EEG, EMG - electromyography, EOG)
  2. Psychopharmacology (surgical, in vivo/in vitro recordings)
  3. Cognitive Neuroscience (fMRI, PET)
  4. Neuropsychology: (fMRI, PET, post-mortem neuroimaging)
  5. Psychophysiology: surgical, in vivo/in vitro recordings)
  6. Comparative psychology (many types)
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19
Q

Define physiological psychology.

A

study of neural mechanisms of behavior by manipulating the nervous systems of non-human animals

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20
Q

Define psychopharmacology.

A

Study of the effects of drugs on the brain and behavior.

21
Q

Define neuropsychology.

A

How a person’s cognition and behavior are related to the brain and the rest of the nervous system. Study of the psychological effects of brain damage in human patients.

22
Q

Define psychophysiology.

A

Study of the relation between physiological activity and psychological processes in human subjects by noninvasive physiological recording.

23
Q

Define Cognitive neuroscience.

A

Study of the neural mechanisms of human cognition, largely through functional brain imaging.

24
Q

Define comparative psychology.

A

Comparative psychology refers to the scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of non-human animals, especially as these relate to the phylogenetic history, adaptive significance, and development of behavior. Study of the evolution, genetics and adaptiveness of behavior, largely through the use of the comparative method.

25
Q

What is the unit of heredity?

A

Gene

26
Q

How many genes are in humans?

A

25 000 genes in humans, x2 more proteins created from those genes

27
Q

What determines the functions of genes.

A

The structure of genes.

28
Q

Name the 4 classes of proteins.

A

Enzymes (amylase), Receptors (serotonin receptors), Cytoskeletal parts, Transporters

29
Q

What is the variability of the phenotype due to?

A

the variability due to genetics and the environment

30
Q

What personality trait has the highest heritability?

A

Openness

31
Q

List mental disorders in order from most to least heritable. (6)

A
  1. Bipolar
  2. Schizophrenia
  3. Alzheimers
  4. Panic disorder
  5. Major depression
  6. GAD
32
Q

List behaviors in order from most to least heritable. (4)

A
  1. Cocaine disorder
  2. Alcoholism
  3. Addictive drug disorder
  4. Cannabis use disorder
33
Q

What can account for randomness in the construction of your brain?

A

Promotor sequence which is “on” or “off” and is regulated by the interaction of genes and environment.

34
Q

Define epigenetics.

A

study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work

35
Q

Describe the genetic disorder called PKU.

A

Phenylketonuria is a disorder that prevents one from digesting phenyl-alanine, leaving it to become a toxic by-product that is damaging for the brain. But if you restrict phenyl-alanine in your diet you will have near normal cognitive function.

36
Q

Describe the Diathesis-Stress model of Conduct Disorder.

A

MAOA (monoamine oxidase - an NT) may affect vulnerability to childhood maltreatment. Low MAOA activity increases the likelihood of antisocial behavior IF paired with severe maltreatment in childhood.

37
Q

Explain the structure of DNA.

A

DNA = deoxyribonucleic acid
Usually double stranded with two antiparallel strands held together by H-bonds between complementary base pairs (A-T, C-G)
Genes are long strands of DNA.

38
Q

Name the three parts of a gene.

A
  1. Regulatory sequence: regulate the expression of the gene (e.g., promoter, switches the gene on/off)
  2. Exons: non-coding regions of a gene (removed by splicing)
  3. Introns: coding regions of a gene
39
Q

Name all the steps from gene to protein.

A

DNA -> RNA -> Peptides -> Amino Acid chain -> protein

40
Q

What are histones?

A

Positively charged proteins around which negatively charged DNA coils.

41
Q

How do histones control gene expression?

A

The more tightly the packaged gene, the less accessible it is to be transcribed. This is controlled by histone tails that will affect access of DNA to transcription machinery.

42
Q

Which chromosomes are autosomes?

A

1-22

43
Q

Provide an example of epigenetics.

A

When you drink often, your tolerance of alcohol increases. This means that you can metabolize alcohol more efficiently. This means that the expression of genes related to your metabolism changes.

44
Q

Describe histone acetylation and deacetylation.

A

Deacetylating a group HDAT, the DNA coils more tightly around the histones. Histone acetylation (HAT) makes the DNA “breathe”, these activate genes

45
Q

Describe DNA Methylation.

A

Adding CH3 groups to nitrogenous bases in the DNA sequence (specifically C-G, CpG dinucleotide sequences found in regulatory regions including promoter) results in gene silencing.

46
Q

What molecule facilitates gene silencing?

A

CH3 (methane)

47
Q

Describe the HPA axis and the stress response.

A

Hypothalamus signals to the pituitary glad to secrete cortisol, and adrenal gland to secrete epinephrine. When enough cortisol is secreted, the hippocampus negatively inhibits the message from the hypothalamus to the pituitary glad and the adrenal gland.

48
Q

Why do people with depression have a weaker inhibitory stress response.

A

Smaller hippocampus. This limits the amount of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) that sense cortisol. Since there is less of them, more cortisol is in the system when the hippocampus send the inhibitory message.

49
Q

What is the expression of glucocorticoid receptors in suicide victims who endured early abuse?

A

Typically less of them are expressed because there is methylation of the GR gene which produces these receptors that inhibit the HPA.

PSY290: Neurochemical Basis for Behaviour (9 decks)

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