lecture 5 & 6 Flashcards
What is the difference between family studies and adoption studies?
family studies - does trait run in family?
adoption studies - compare biological relatives with adoptive parents
What do molecular geneticists do?
conduct linkage & association studies to identify specific genes that may underlie certain disorders.
What is Passive gene-environment correlation?
A child’s early experiences & home environment are influenced in part by the parent’s genotype, so child is exposed to both (G & E). (e.g., abusive parenting predicts child antisocial behavior.)
What is Evocative (Reactive) G-E Correlation?
a child’s heritable behavior evokes a certain environmental response.
What is Active G-E Correlation?
child’s heritable propensity to select certain environmental exposures (“niche picking”).
What are brain imaging techniques?
Relatively non-invasive view of living brain,
Two types:
• Structural: shows neuroanatomy, static picture, CAT, MRI
• Functional: shows brain activity during a task, PET, fMRI
What is a Computerized Axial Tomography / CAT?
Focused X-ray beams passed through at different angles, Different densities deflect rays differently. Quick, but radiation exposure and fuzzier images than MRI.
What is Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI?
Strong magnetic field passed through the skull, Causes hydrogen (H) atoms in brain to align. Better contrast that CAT, no ionizing radiation but Magnets preclude metal in body (pacemakers).
What is Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)?
Now one of the most popular ways to study
brain activation. Measures changes in magnetic properties of blood as hemoglobin becomes deoxygenated. Less invasive and higher resolution but more costly in terms of time and money.
Within the cortex what are the 4 regions/lobes?
occipital, parietal, temporal, and frontal.
What is the occipital lobe?
back of brain surface, visual info processing. Dramatic growth in early childhood.
What is the parietal lobe?
sides/top, integrates visual/auditory/tactile info. Growth peaks ~ 10 years. Sensory & motor fxns. improve w/ synaptic pruning.
What is the temporal lobe?
sides & bottom, expression & reg of emotions. Pruning in late adolescence.
What is the frontal lobe?
organizing, planning, prioritizing behavior. Growth peaks around 11-12, but keeps developing! Pruning thru early adolescence to early adulthood. attention, inhibition, overall behavioral control.
What is the basal ganglia?
set of nuclei deep under the cortex, above brainstem. caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, substantia nigra.
• Help control movement (e.g., when walking, arms swing)
• Filters sensory info, relay to other brain regions.
• Helps regulate attention & emotion.
• Pruned through adolescence.
What is the limbic system?
behind temporal lobes.
• Amygdala – understanding and expression of emotions, esp. negative (fear/rage)
• Hippocampus – emotion processing, forming emotional memories.
• Develops through adolescence.
What is the corpus callosum?
heavily myelinated, connects & relays info between L & R hemispheres of cortex. role in attention, arousal, memory storage/retrieval, hearing, language.
• Grows through adolescence.
What is the cerebellum?
‘little brain’ at back near brainstem.
• mental efficiency, physical balance/posture.