Neurochemistry

Question 1

Neuro chemistry is…

Answer 1

– Relating to the substances in the brain and other parts of the nervous system that regulates psychological function
– Emotions and behaviour

Question 2

neurotransmitters are…

Answer 2

– Chemicals in the brain and nervous system that transmit signals from one neuron to another across synapses
- Example is serotonin

Question 3

sex hormones are…

Answer 3

• chemicals circulating in the blood stream that affect the physical development, sexual development and behaviour osteogen (females) and testosterone (males)

Question 4

What do neurotransmitters do?

Answer 4

– Allow communication between nerve cells
– Neurons are tiny cells separated by synapses
– Neurons are electrical signals but between the gaps of the neurones chemical signals pass the signal on

Question 5

What is serotonin?

Answer 5

• mood stabiliser
• main neurotransmitter
• effects mood, sleep, learning and eating behaviours
• depression = low levels of serotonin
• neurotransmitters are chemicals and can be altered by drugs
• antidepressants work in increasing levels of septic in in synapses between neurons

Question 6

What are the sex hormones?

Answer 6

• oestrogen & testosterone
• released in the bloodstream and target specific organs in the body
• they influence various physical and developmental behaviours

Question 7

What is oestrogen?

Answer 7

• female sex hormone
• controls development of female reproductive organs, female secondary characteristics such as breasts and the menstrual cycle
• causes physical changes associated with the menstrual cycle and pregnancy
• linked to greater emotional reactivity in some women = irritability

Question 8

What is testosterone?

Answer 8

• male sex hormone
• produced in testes
• controls development of male reproductive organs and make secondary characteristics = deeper voice
• linked to aggression in both males and females
• animal studies show increasing levels of testosterone lead to more aggressive behaviour in males
• castration reduced both testosterone and aggression

Question 9

What is the strength evaluations of neurochemistry?

Answer 9

• Goozen et al 1995 = transgender individuals given oestrogen tablet to increase breast fat development, saw reduction in aggression
• Dabbs & Hargrove 1997 = female prisoners used aggression for dominance in prison had higher testosterone levels

Question 10

What is a weakness evaluation of neurochemistry?

Answer 10

• correlation not causation
• Deady et al 2006 = found correlations in data (maternal personality and testosterone levels)
• does not show testosterone causes women to have un maternal characteristics as there is other factors