Mem and Emo (8)

Question 1

How is PTSD triggered?

Answer 1

exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation

Question 2

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

Answer 2

clinically significant distress or impairment in the individual’s normal functions

Question 3

What 4 situations can cause PTSD?

Answer 3

1. directly experiences traumatic event
2. witnesses traumatic event in person
3. experiences first-hand repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event
4. learns that traumatic event occurred to a close family member/close friend

Question 4

4 signs that someone has PTSD?

Answer 4

1. re-experiencing of event
2. avoidance of stimuli similar to initial event
3. negative cognitions with regards to event
4. arousal - physiological changes to exposure of stimuli

Question 5

What did Rauch et al (2000)

find in the amygdala of PTSD patients?

Answer 5

Activation of the amygdala correlated with symptom severity in PTSD patients, excessive activity.

Question 6

What did Lanius et al (2001)

find in the vmPFC of PTSD patients?

Answer 6

Lower activation of vmPFC in PTSD patients vs controls.

Question 7

What relationship is there between amygdala and PFC activity in PTSD patients?

Answer 7

negatively correlated, as amygdala activity rises, PFC activity declines

Question 8

What happens to cortisol in PTSD?

Answer 8

Cortisol is reduced in PTSD

Question 9

How is cortisol reduced in PTSD patients?

Answer 9

Inhibits the release of CRF and ACTH, inhibiting its own release

Question 10

What neurotransmitter can potentiate traumatic memories?

Answer 10

Noradrenaline

Question 11

What can be the effects of enhanced NA?

Answer 11

potentiate the reconsolidation of traumatic events

Question 12

What biological treatment can be used to prevent PTSD?

Answer 12

attenuating NA with a beta blocker

Question 13

What brain area can be stimulated to reduce PTSD?

Answer 13

PFC

Question 14

Why does impaired PFC result in PTSD?

Answer 14

might result in weaker extinction of memories, resulting in enhanced persistence of traumatic memories

Question 15

Susceptibility to cortisol on its own production system is thought to be?

Answer 15

Genetically inherited

Question 16

In PTSD what brain area is considered hyper active?

Answer 16

Amygdala

Question 17

In PTSD patients what brain areas are smaller than the norm, making it a vulnerability factor for PTSD?

Answer 17

Amygdala

Hippocampus

Question 18

Why does noradrenaline potentiate traumatic memories?

Answer 18

Enhances the Synaptic plasticity that occurs during reconsolidation of a traumatic memory

Question 19

What type of genes are assessed to determine brain activity in rats?

Answer 19

Immediate early genes

Question 20

If there are more IEGs in a certain brain area what does this suggest?

Answer 20

The brain area is very active in a certain task

Question 21

What is special about IEG’s?

Answer 21

They form rapidly after brain activity to a task

Question 22

In addicts brains what is there a decrease of?

Answer 22

Ventral prefrontal grey matter.