neuroscience of mental illness Flashcards
what are CNS neurotransmitters?
- acetyle choline
- monoamines
- amino acids
- neuro-active peptides
where is ACh located in CNS?
- reticular formation
- basal forebrain
- basal ganglia
- anterior spinal roots
what may roles of ACh in the CNS include?
- cognition
- memory
- consciousness
- motor control
what are some diverse neural circuits of monamines?
- arousal
- cardiorespiratory controls
- reward
- affect
- motor control
what diseases are associated with low levels of ACh?
Huntington’s and dementia
what diseases are associated with monoamines?
schizophrenia and depression
what are the behavioural effects of neuropeptides?
- hunger/satiety
- sleep/wake cycle
- temp regulation
- pain modulation
- reward circuits
what are some possible contributing factors of cell impairments observed in mood disorders?
- genetic and neuro-developmental factors
- repeated affective episodes
- illness progression
what are some effects of monoamines balance with ACh?
- motor control
- mood
- thought processes
what is an agonist?
bind to receptors and have same effect as neurotransmitter
what is an antagonist?
interferes with binding and reduces effect
what are some psychoactive drugs used to treat mental illness?
- antidepressants
- mood stabilisers
- anxiolytics
- antipsychotics
where are most morphological changes in the brain associated with ageing occurring?
hippocampus and prefrontal cortex
what are some functional changes in brain associated with ageing?
- reduction in mental agility
- decline in naming ability
- decreased learning speed
what impairments is dementia characterised by in the brain?
- language
- memory
- perception
- personality
- cognitive skills
what are some risk factors for Alzheimer’s?
- age
- family history
- diabetes
- cardiovascular risk factors etc.
what are some symptoms of Alzheimer’s?
- deficits in memory
- emotional disturbances
- restlessness
- dyspraxia
- aphasia
what is neuropathy?
condition that predominately affects cerebral cortex and hippocampus which loses mass as disease advances
what is Alzheimer’s characterised by?
- B-Amyloid plaques
- neurofibrillary tangles
what areas are most affected by Alzheimer’s?
early on hippocampus, then other limbic structures
how does short-term memory deficits occur in Alzheimer’s?
visible in early stages, less able to learn new info and will forget events
how does info retrieval deficits occur in Alzheimer’s?
person has reduced ability to recall learnt info and has difficulty naming objects
how does working memory deficits occur in Alzheimer’s?
shows up when people try to divide attention
how does long-term memory deficits occur in Alzheimer’s?
recall of long term memories remains intact till later stages
