Lecture 10 Flashcards
What did Phineas P. Gage’s experience teach biologists
Early evidence that different areas of brain are “networked” to create our personality
Brian is segregated yet networked in a way to make it responsible for creating emergent properties such as personality, rational decision making, and processing of emotion
What happened to Phineas P. Gage
Got a rod blown through is head destroying most of his left frontal lobe
- He could still walk, speak and had awareness
- Became fitful and profane, when he was previously well minded
- Injury changed personality but not cognition
What does PET stand for
Positron Emission Tomography
What do PET scans do
Tracks glucose uptake (glucose tracker)
What does fMRI stand for
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
What do fMRI’s do
Tracks blood flow [oxygenated blood (oxyhemoglobin) vs. deoxygenated blood (deoxyhemoglobin)]
What can be proven by PET scans and fMRI’s
Using these techniques, it is apparent that different areas of activity (function) do not always direct coincide with defined anatomical zones - they can stretch across different regions of the brain
What are the 4 main neurotransmitters
1) Norepinephrine
2) Serotonin
3) Acetylcholine
4) Dopamine
What do the Norepinephrine Network modulate
Modulates: attention, arousal, sleep-wake, learning, memory, pain, anxiety mood
What are the uses of Norepinephrine
Psychostimulants: known for increasing synaptic levels of norepinephrine
What are examples of Norepinephrine
Methamphetamine, ritalin, caffeine
Ritalin is used for ADHD treatment
What do the Serotonin Network modulate
Modulates: pain, sleep-wake cycle, emotion (contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness)
How do antidepressants work
Most antidepressants work by increasing serotonin levels
What are low serotonin levels associated with
Low serotonin levels are associated with migraines
What do the Acetylcholine Network modulate
Modulates: arousal, sleep-wake, learning, memory, sensory info
What is the connection of acetylcholine and alzheimers
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by: massive loss of cholinergic neurons and low acetylcholine levels
What is the treatment of alzheimers
Various drug treatments available in Canada to treat Alzheimer’s symptoms are cholinesterase inhibitors
Colinesterase: enzyme that rapidly breaks down acetylcholine in synapses
What do the dopamine Network modulate
Modulates: motor control, reward/pleasure centers
What is the connection of dopamine and Parkinson’s
There is a loss of dopamine network in advancing Parkinson’s disease
How is Parkinson’s treated
Dopamine agonists are used to increase lifespan of individuals with Parkinson’s disease
Too much medication can cause problems controlling impulses (gambling, ect)
What is the dopamine network AKA?
Dopamine is also known as the pleasure network
What is the dopamine network typically associated with?
Network typically associated with addictions
What can dopamine be increased by
Can be increased by various addictive drugs such as cocaine (blocks dopamine reuptake)
Also increased by natural endorphins such as the exercise induced euphoria
Where are dopamine neurons transported to
Dopamine neurons are transported to the amygdala and prefrontal cortex for pleasure
Explain how cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine
Dopamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter (turns the signal on)
GABA is an inhibitory transmitter turns the signal off
Cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine causing a more positive feeling
What is PAH
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one form of a broader condition known as pulmonary hypertension, which is high blood pressure in the lungs
How is the PAH pathway altered in phenylketonuria (PKU)
Gene mutation causes PKU
PKU can alter the PAH pathway to cause a lack or reduced amount of the enzyme needed to process phenylalanine, an AA
What foods are highest in phenylalanine
- Beef
- Lean chicken breast
- Lean pork chops
- Firm tofu
- Tuna
