Pharmacology and Rationality

Question 1

Regression Analysis

Answer 1

Looking for relationships between a dependent variable and multiple independent variables

Question 2

Burghart 2013 GARP

Answer 2

Aim: Explore how decision-making is affected by alcohol consumption

Objectives:
-Ask participants to make choices between bundles of goods, then evaluate choices for GARP violations.
-Ask participants to make choices between “lotteries” and then evaluate choices for independence violations
-Ask participants to make choices between lotteries, then evaluate choices to see if risk preferences vary.

Methods:
-101 participants recruited between 8 pm and 1 am at a bar.
-Measured BAC
-Completed 3 tasks
-Participants were rewarded for one decision at the end

Question 3

Afriat’s Efficiency Index (AEI) or Critical Cost Efficiency Index (CCEI)

Answer 3

A tool used to measure GARP violations by measuring severity rather than just counting them. Small and large violations are not weighted the same.

or

Measures how much a budget line must be moved toward the origin to eliminate a transitivity violation.

Question 4

Independence Experiment

Answer 4

A method in which participants are given a choice between visually displayed monetary lotteries. Participants then choose between choice A or B and then choose between choice A and a new lottery that is an even mix of choice A and choice B.

Question 5

Bedi 2018

Answer 5

Is Utility Maximization compromised by Acute Intoxication by THC or MDMA

Methods:
-15 participants between 21 and 35 with no past negative effects of study drugs and also screened for mental health
-3 sessions, 1 week apart in random order
-Double-blind/double dummy (participants took 2 pills) because MDMA has a faster onset than THC.

Timing:
-180 minutes after THC/control administration
participants underwent scanning
-Participants made 11 choices between money and
social time

Question 6

NMDA (4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)

Answer 6

The active ingredient in ecstasy and molly.

Question 7

THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)

Answer 7

The active ingredient in marijuana.

Question 8

What does a higher number mean on Afriat’s Index?

Answer 8

Fewer GARP violations.

Question 9

Neuromodulation

Answer 9

The process of influencing the activity of neuronal networks through the alteration of neuronal properties by neuromodulator systems

Question 10

Neurotransmitters

Answer 10

Chemical messengers that carry signals from a neuron (nerve cell) to a target cell.

Question 11

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Answer 11

Messages continue to be passed along to the next cell

Question 12

Inhibitory Neurotrasnmitters

Answer 12

Messages will not be passed along to the next cell

Question 13

Modulatory

Answer 13

Affect how cells communicate at the synapse

Question 14

What are the 4 types of Neurotransmitters?

Answer 14

1. Amino Acids
2. Monoamine Neurotransmitters
3. Peptides
4. Acetylcholine

Question 15

Amino Acid Neurotransmitters

Answer 15

-Glutamate (Most common excitatory neurotransmitter and plays a key role in cognitive function)
-GABA (The most common inhibitory neurotransmitter and regulates brain activity to prevent problems with stress, sleep, depression, and concentration.
-Glycine (Most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal column)

Question 16

Monoamine Neurotransmitters

Answer 16

-Serotonin (Inhibitory, regulates mood, sleep, sexuality, appetite, and pain)
-Histamine (Regulates body functions, including wakefulness, eating behavior and motivation)
-Dopamine (Reward system including pleasure, arousal and learning)
-Epinephrine (Stimulate’s body’s response to stimuli that cause fear and stress)
-Norepinephrine (Increases blood pressure and heart rate and stimulates alertness, arousal, decision making, attention and focus)

Question 17

Peptide Neurotransmitters

Answer 17

-Endorphins (Plays a role in perception of pain)

Question 18

Acetoylcholine

Answer 18

-Excitatory
-Autonomic nervous system, memory, motivation, sexual desire, sleep and learning

Question 19

What long-acting neurotransmitters are neuroeconomics generally concerned with?

Answer 19

-Serotonin
-Dopamine
-Norepinephrine

Question 20

What are the most important brain regions in which dopamine is produced?

Answer 20

-Substantia nigra (part of basal ganglia)
-Ventral tegmental area (dopamine release from this area is associated with reward and decision-making)

Question 21

What brain regions does Neuroeconomics study that “receive” dopamine?

Answer 21

-Prefrontal Cortex (pfc)
-Basal Forebrain (bf)
-Striatum (s)
-Nucleus Accumbens (na)

Question 22

Tonic (slow) vs. Phasic (fast)

Answer 22

Refers to the length of time an action lasts

Question 23

Tonic Neurotransmitter Mode

Answer 23

Constant background levels, e.g. maintaining posture

Question 24

Phasic Neurotransmitter Mode

Answer 24

Fast neurotransmission triggered by singles in the environment related to behavor

Question 25

Cettolini 2020

Answer 25

Title: Cortisol Meets GARP

Aim: Investigate if physiological stress impairs economic rationality.

Methods: Participants are randomly assigned to either the Stress treatment or the No Stress treatment. They are subjected to stress inducing conditions; during this, their saliva samples are collected at different points in time to monitor how stress levels change.economic rationality of the participants is measured by checking if the participant’s choices in an economic task are consistent with the Generalized Axiom of Revealed Preference (GARP).

Results: Economic rationality, defined as consistency with GARP, is not impaired by physiological stress. It concludes that immediate stress responses do not affect the rationality of economic decisions. These findings were consistent, regardless of gender.

Question 26

What is stress triggered by?

Answer 26

Psychological stress like taking an exam or physical stress, like experiencing pain.

Question 27

Phasic Stress

Answer 27

Hearing a loud noise

Question 28

Tonic Stress

Answer 28

Serving

Question 29

Cortisol

Answer 29

Glucocorticoid hormone produced by adrenal glands and released in response to stress
-Increases glucose in the bloodstream, suppresses inflammation, slows function non-essential or harmful in a fight or flight situation (like reproduction or immunity)