the basis of behaviour Flashcards
What does the agonist do?
it mimics neurotransmitter action
What does the antagonist do?
it opposes action of a neurotransmitter
What can drugs do to synapses?
It can block receptor sites
How do neurotransmitters bind to receptor sites?
Lock and key method
What are monoamines?
dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin
What causes Parkinson’s?
Low levels of dopamine (da)
What causes schizophrenia?
High levels of dopamine
What causes depression?
low levels of norepinephrine (ne)
What does serotonin control?
Sleep and aggression
What can low levels of serotonin cause?
Eating disorders & OCD- dysregulation of 5HT sites (low levels of 5HT)
What does GABA do?
Produce inhibitory PSP’s
What does glutamate do?
excitatory
Involved in learning & memory
What do endorphins do?
mimic opiates & induce pleasure
Functions of acetylcholine?
- activates motor neurons controlling skeletal muscles
- contributes to the regulation of attention, arousal, and memory
- some ACh receptors can be stimulated by nicotine
Functions of dopamine
- contributes to control of volountary movement, pleasureable emotions
- decreased levels are associated with Parkinson’s
- overactivity at da synapses are associated with schizophrenia
- cocaine and amphetamines elevate activity at da synapses
functions of norepinephrine
- contributes to modulation of mood and arousal
- cocaine and amphetamines elevate activity at ne synapses
Functions of serotonin
- involved in regulation of sleep and wakefulness, eating, aggression
- abnormal levels contribute to depression and obsessive compulsive disorder
- prozac and similar medications affect serotonin circuits
functions of GABA
- serves as widely distributed inhibitory transmitter
- valium and similar antianxiety drugs work at gaba synapses
functions of endorphins
- resemble opiate drugs in structure and effects
- contributes to pain relief and maybe pleasurable emotions
what do glia cells do?
structural support, insulation, and communication
What do neurons do
communicate
what is the soma
the cell body
what do dendrites do
receive chemical signals
what does the axon do
transmit away
what does the axon hillock do?
control the firing of neurons
what does the myelin sheath help
speed of transmission
what are neurotransmitters
chemical messengers
what does the terminal button do
secrete neurotransmitters, end of axon
what is the resting potential of a neuron
-70 millivolts
what happens when the neuron is at rest
negative charge on inside, positive on outside
what happens when neuron is stimulates
positive sodium ions flow in
where are the lobes of the brain
occipital - back
temporal - side/ lower
frontal - front
parietal - on top of temporal
what is afferent
toward the CNS
what is efferent
toward the CNS
somatic is
volountary
autonomic is
involountary
sympathetic is
go
parasympathetic is
stop
what are the ways to study the brain
EEGs, damage studies, electrical stimulation (esb), transcranial magnetic stimulation, brain imaging like CAT, PET, or MRI scans
what are the vital functions of the hindbrain
medulla, pons, and cerebellum
what are vital functions of midbrain
sensory functions, sleep, arousal, breathing, pain
vital functions of forebrain
emotion, complex thought - thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, cerebrum, cerebral cortex
what does the left hemisphere of the cerebrum specialize in
verbal processing, language, speech, reading, and writing
what does the right hemisphere of the cerebrum specialize in
nonverbal processing, spatial, musical, visual recognition
where is the corpus callosum
between the two hemispheres, transmits info between them
what are the two areas of the left side of the brain
brocas area - speech production
wernickes area - language comprehension
