Week 3 Flashcards
What is the phylogenetic evidence/argument?
There is a positive relationship between how complex the brain is and the level of cognitive abilities of the species.
Explain genetic/developmental evidence
the development of cognitive abilities follow the physical development of the brain
Explain clinical evidence
Physical damage to the brain can detrimentally affect a persons cognitive abilities and behaviour.
Explain experimental evidence
experiments have shown that stimulating parts of the brain can cause motor movements and perceptual experiences and inhibiting parts of the brain can affect movement, cognitive abilities and emotion.
Explain the evidence of brain recordings
there is a correlation between mental activity and brain recordings
Explain experiential evidence
drugs and other external factors can affect our behaviour
A heritability coefficient of 0 means what?
Heredity does not play a role.
What is the function of glia cells?
They guide neurons to appropriate locations in the brain during development
Provide support, protection and nourishment for neurons
Act as insulators to prevent “cross talk”
What is neuron’s main function?
receive, integrate and transmit information
What structure of a neuron receives information from terminal buttons of other neurons?
Dendrites
What is the axon’s main function?
conveys action potential from soma to terminal buttons
How do terminal buttons transmit information to other neurons?
via neurotransmitters being sent across the synapse
what is the relative refractory period?
a period after the absolute refractory period where firing potential is elevated.
how are neurotransmitters synthesised?
from precursor molecules by enzymes.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by an insufficient supply of what?
a. L-DOPA
b. Serotonin
c. Dopamine
c. dopamine
What are the 3 ways to stop postsynaptic activation of receptor sites?
neurotransmitter molecule can be broken down by a deactivating enzyme
Neurotransmitter can drift away from receptor site
Re-uptake of neurotransmitter (re-absorbed by presynaptic membrane)
What does a neuromodulator do?
It can increase or decrease the IMPACT of neuortransmitters
What are the small molecule neurotransmitters?
Amino acid neurotransmitter
Monoamine neurotransmitter
Acetylcholine
What is the large molecule neurotransmitter?
Neuropeptides (endorphins)
What is the role of Glutamate?
It has an excitatory effect on neurons throughout the brain and is important for learning
What is the role of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
inhibitory effect on neurons in the brain
valium and alcohol bind with GABA receptors and this reduces anxiety
What is the role of Monoamine Dopamine neurotransmitters?
Plays a role in thoughts, feelings, motivation, behaviour and drug addiction.
It is also involved in movement, attention and decision making
Overly high levels of what, lead to Schizophrenia?
a. Serotonin
b. Dopamine
c. GABA
b. Dopamine
Degeneration of dopamine pathways in substantia nigra is linked with what disease?
Parkinson’s Disease
What is the role of Monoamine Serotonin neurotransmitter?
It is involved in sleep, mood, eating, arousal and pain.
It also plays a role in inhibiting aggression and anti-social behaviour.
What small molecule neurotransmitter is in a class of it’s own, activates motor neurons of skeletal muscles and is involved in arousal, learning and memory?
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Alzheimer’s patients show depleted levels of what neurotransmitter?
Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter will activate areas of the brain that regulate pain suppression and pleasure?
Endorphins
Why do opium and narcotics drugs alleviate pain?
because the stimulate endorphin receptors in the brain
Which drug binds with receptors for ACh and blocks transmission between neurons and muscles causing paralysis?
a. Curare
b. Cocaine
c. Benzodiazepines
a. Curare
What neurotransmitters does cocaine block the re-uptake of, causing continued activation of their receptors?
dopamine and norepinephrine
What are cocaine’s effects?
euphoria, loss of appetite, insomnia and addiction.
This drug binds with GABA receptors and help to increase the inhibitory effect of GABA. It reduces anxiety and induces sleep.
Benzodiazepines
This drug acts as precursor to dopamine and increases the production of dopamine in dopaminergic neurons. It is also used to treat Parkinson’s disease.
L-DOPA
