Physiology Flashcards
What is the name of the system that is responsible for primary desires such as eating, sex and pleasure?
Appetitive system
What is the main neurotransmitter in the appetitive system responsible for primary desires such as eating, sex and pleasure?
Dopamine
What is the other name for the reward pathway?
Mesolimbic pathway
What is the main neurotransmitter in the reward pathway?
Dopamine
What is the name of the system responsible for promoting survival during threat?
Averse system
aka defensive system
What is the main neurotransmitter in the averse system?
Serotonin
Are the hippocampus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal grey matter and amygdala involved in the appetitive or the averse system?
The hippocampus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal grey matter and amygdala are involved in the averse system
Are the striatum, amygdala, anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex involved in the appetitive or the averse system?
The striatum, amygdala, anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex are involved in the appetitive system
Is a PET scan structural or functional brain imaging?
Functional
Is a SPECT scan structural or functional brain imaging?
Functional
Is a MRI scan structural or functional brain imaging?
Structural (though there is such a thing as a functional MRI)
Is a CT scan structural or functional brain imaging?
Structural
What is the main area of the brain involved in reward?
Ventral striatum
What is the main area of the brain involved in the autonomic control of emotion?
Anterior cingulate gyrus
Dopamine is the key neurotransmitter in the reward pathway. Where does this pathway originate?
Ventral tegmental area VTA
The reward pathway originates in the ventral tegmental area VTA and travels via the ________ to the _______.
Via the nucleus accumbens to the prefrontal cortex
Addictive drugs affect the release of which neurotransmitter? And hence cause [downregulation/ upregulation] of its pathway.
Dopamine
Downregulate dopamine pathway
Why does the threshold for reward increase over time when taking addictive drugs?
Tolerance develops
positive becomes negative reinforcement
What area of the brain is responsible for guiding intended behaviour, setting goals and focusing attention?
Prefrontal cortex
By what age is the prefrontal cortex developed?
mid 20s
Describe the direction of cortical maturation
Back to front pattern
What area of the brain has increased activation in addicts? This is linked to drug cravings
Orbitofrontal cortex
Acute stress triggers the release of what neurotransmitter?
Dopamine
consequence is if addicts get stressed, their cravings intensity
What effect does chronic stress have on dopamine release?
Dampens dopamine activity
What is the key transmitter of the nigrostriatial pathway?
Dopamine
Where does the nigrostriatal pathway go?
Substantia nigra > striatum
What is the function of the nigrostriatal pathway?
Extrapyramidal motor system
Dopamine is the key transmitter of the tuberoinfundibular pathway, it functions is the release of what hormone?
PRL
What is the consequence of hyperactivity of the subcortical dopamine pathways?
Psychosis
What is the consequence of hypoactivity of the mesocortical dopamine pathways?
Cognitive and negative symptoms
What signalling molecules is stimulated by type D1 and D5 dopamine receptors?
cAMP
What enzyme is inhibited by type D2, D3 and D4 dopamine receptors?
Adenyl cyclase
Acetylcholine is the key transmitter of the striatal interneuron projection, what is its function here?
Motor
Acetylcholine is the key transmitter of the Nucleus basilis of Meynert projection, what is its function here?
Attention and arousal
Acetylcholine is the key transmitter of the medial septal nucleus, what is its function here?
Learning andmemory
What is the minimum and maximum GCS?
3 - 15
What are the 3 domains of GCS, and how many points do they account for?
Eye opening 4
Verbal 5
Motor 6
What are the ranges of eye opening for assessing GCS?
None 1
On pain 2
On command 3
Spontaneous 4
What are the ranges of verbal response for assessing GCS?
None 1 Incomprehensible 2 Slur/not full sentence 3 Confused 4 Orientated 5
What are the ranges of motor response for assessing GCS?
None 1 Extension 2 Abnormal flexion 3 Flex to pain 4 Localise pain 5 Obey command 6
“Learned voluntary behaviour done so regularly it becomes involuntary” describes _____
Automaticity
Learning by association is what type of conditioning?
Classical conditioning
Severe grief occurring for longer than _____ is a red flag.
6 months
A post-mortem is always indicated in what age group?
Under 18 years
A post-mortem is always indicated if the cause of death is suicide. T or F
True
How long must symptoms have been occurring for a diagnosis of gaming disorder?
> 12 months
A GCS of less than ___ is a coma
8
The _____ nerve can be used to for pain response when assessing GCS
Supraorbital nerve
