PSY1004 SEMESTER 2 - WEEK 4 - PART 2

Question 1

why is adolescence not easily definable

Answer 1

continually changes and socially determined, “window of vulnerability” to risky behaivour, peer

Question 2

what % lifetime mental health disorders onset pre age 24

Answer 2

75%

Question 3

give the 3 adolescent phase

Answer 3

early (10-13)
middle (14-18)
late (19-24)

Question 4

name important factors for maturation of adolescent brian

Answer 4

hereditary and environment
sex hormones
physical and mental status
drugs
pre/post natal insults
nutritional status
sleep

Question 5

what is cortex responsible for

Answer 5

(surface of brain), higher-level functions, decision making, grey matter

Question 6

what is subcortex responsible for

Answer 6

(inner part of brain) basal ganglia, pituitary gland, amygdala
emotion, hormones, memory

Question 7

provide overview of brain developments of cortical regions during adolescence

Answer 7

adolescent brain more sensitive to dopamine (motivation) and oxytocin (social reward)
decreased grey matter (cortical volume) earliest in primary sensorimotor areas, latest in dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral temporal cortices, increase white matter
higher-order association areas last

Question 8

whereabouts does cortical gray matter loss occur earliest/later in adolescence

Answer 8

primary sensorimotor area, latest in dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral temporal cortices

Question 9

what is MRI gray matter density an indirect measure of

Answer 9

complex glial structure, vasculature, neurons with dendritic and synapse processes

Question 10

at what age does grey matter volume peak

Answer 10

women = 9
men = 11-13

Question 11

what is one of last brain region to mature

Answer 11

prefrontal cortex

Question 12

describe trend of white matter volume throughout adolescence

Answer 12

increase in roughly linear pattern, reflects ongoing myelination of axons by enhancing neuronal conduction and communication

Question 13

outline relationship between puberty, subcortical maturation

Answer 13

amygdala and hippocampus increases with age and other part of basal ganglia decrease in size
sex differences- similar overall vol change in amygdala however womens suddenly increase then tail off and men slowly increase then plateu

Question 14

how can biological sex differences and subcortical maturation be seen in clinical example

Answer 14

mood disorder more prevalent in women>men
psychotic disorder similar but onset men>womens earlier