Lecture 10

Question 1

What did Phineas P. Gage’s experience teach biologists

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What happened to Phineas P. Gage

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What does PET stand for

Answer 3

Positron Emission Tomography

Question 4

What do PET scans do

Answer 4

Tracks glucose uptake (glucose tracker)

Question 5

What does fMRI stand for

Answer 5

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Question 6

What do fMRI’s do

Answer 6

Tracks blood flow [oxygenated blood (oxyhemoglobin) vs. deoxygenated blood (deoxyhemoglobin)]

Question 7

What can be proven by PET scans and fMRI’s

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What are the 4 main neurotransmitters

Answer 8

1) Norepinephrine
2) Serotonin
3) Acetylcholine
4) Dopamine

Question 9

What do the Norepinephrine Network modulate

Answer 9

Modulates: attention, arousal, sleep-wake, learning, memory, pain, anxiety mood

Question 10

What are the uses of Norepinephrine

Answer 10

Psychostimulants: known for increasing synaptic levels of norepinephrine

Question 11

What are examples of Norepinephrine

Answer 11

Methamphetamine, ritalin, caffeine

Ritalin is used for ADHD treatment

Question 12

What do the Serotonin Network modulate

Answer 12

Modulates: pain, sleep-wake cycle, emotion (contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness)

Question 13

How do antidepressants work

Answer 13

Most antidepressants work by increasing serotonin levels

Question 14

What are low serotonin levels associated with

Answer 14

Low serotonin levels are associated with migraines

Question 15

What do the Acetylcholine Network modulate

Answer 15

Modulates: arousal, sleep-wake, learning, memory, sensory info

Question 16

What is the connection of acetylcholine and alzheimers

Answer 16

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by: massive loss of cholinergic neurons and low acetylcholine levels

Question 17

What is the treatment of alzheimers

Answer 17

Various drug treatments available in Canada to treat Alzheimer’s symptoms are cholinesterase inhibitors

Colinesterase: enzyme that rapidly breaks down acetylcholine in synapses

Question 18

What do the dopamine Network modulate

Answer 18

Modulates: motor control, reward/pleasure centers

Question 19

What is the connection of dopamine and Parkinson’s

Answer 19

There is a loss of dopamine network in advancing Parkinson’s disease

Question 20

How is Parkinson’s treated

Answer 20

Dopamine agonists are used to increase lifespan of individuals with Parkinson’s disease

Too much medication can cause problems controlling impulses (gambling, ect)

Question 21

What is the dopamine network AKA?

Answer 21

Dopamine is also known as the pleasure network

Question 22

What is the dopamine network typically associated with?

Answer 22

Network typically associated with addictions

Question 23

What can dopamine be increased by

Answer 23

Can be increased by various addictive drugs such as cocaine (blocks dopamine reuptake)

Also increased by natural endorphins such as the exercise induced euphoria

Question 24

Where are dopamine neurons transported to

Answer 24

Dopamine neurons are transported to the amygdala and prefrontal cortex for pleasure

Question 25

Explain how cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What is PAH

Answer 26

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one form of a broader condition known as pulmonary hypertension, which is high blood pressure in the lungs

Question 27

How is the PAH pathway altered in phenylketonuria (PKU)

Answer 27

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

Question 28

What foods are highest in phenylalanine

Answer 28

1. Beef
2. Lean chicken breast
3. Lean pork chops
4. Firm tofu
5. Tuna