Neurotransmitters and Psychopathology
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Questions and Answers

Which neurotransmitter is inhibitory, decreasing the likelihood that the connecting neuron will fire?

  • GABA (correct)
  • Dopamine
  • Norepinephrine
  • Serotonin

    • Excesses or insufficiencies in neurotransmitters are associated with different groups of psychological disorders.

  • True (correct)
  • False

    • Which division of the nervous system expends energy?

  • Sympathetic (correct)
  • Somatic
  • Parasympathetic
  • Autonomic

    • Which early interpretation linked increases in dopamine activity to schizophrenia?

    <p>Dopamine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is considered the lower and more ancient part?

    <p>Brain stem</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the nervous system is responsible for processing information received from our sense organs and reacting as necessary?

    <p>Central nervous system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the spinal cord?

    <p>To facilitate the sending of messages to and from the brain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most complex organ in the human body?

    <p>Brain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two kinds of branches in a neuron?

    <p>Dendrites and axons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the space between the terminal button of one neuron and the dendrite of another called?

    <p>Synaptic cleft</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which lobe of the brain is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as thinking and reasoning, planning for the future, and long-term memory?

    <p>Frontal lobe</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which area of the brain synthesizes all information received from other parts of the brain and decides how to respond?

    <p>Frontal lobe</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which lobe of the brain is associated with recognizing various sights and sounds and with long-term memory storage?

    <p>Temporal lobe</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which lobe of the brain is associated with integrating and making sense of various visual inputs?

    <p>Occipital lobe</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component of the peripheral nervous system controls the muscles and voluntary movement?

    <p>Somatic nervous system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, which of the following statements is true?

    <p>The epigenome can be passed down to future generations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what happens to the epigenome if the stressful or inadequate environment disappears?

    <p>It fades and returns to its original state.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what is the role of genetic contributions in personality traits and psychological disorders?

    <p>Genetic contributions only constrain environmental influences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what is the strongest evidence for the effects of genetic expression?

    <p>Early parenting influences and other early experiences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what is the relationship between genes and environmental influences in the development of behavior and personalities?

    <p>Genes and environmental factors interact in a complex way to influence behavior and personalities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is responsible for regulating our emotional experiences and expressions?

    <p>Cingulate gyrus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is involved with the basic drives of sex, aggression, hunger, and thirst?

    <p>Amygdala</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain contains more than 80% of all neurons in the central nervous system?

    <p>Cerebral cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is divided into two hemispheres and each hemisphere has different specialties?

    <p>Cerebral cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is responsible for motor coordination and may be associated with autism?

    <p>Cerebellum</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is supported by the findings of Tienari et al. (1994)?

    <p>Children with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia are more likely to develop the disorder if they are adopted into dysfunctional families.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what can be concluded about the genetic contribution to a personality trait or psychological disorder?

    <p>The genetic contribution can only be understood in the context of the individual's environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Suomi (2000) demonstrate about the effects of early maternal deprivation on young monkeys?

    <p>Early maternal deprivation has a powerful effect on the neuroendocrine functioning and later behavioral and emotional reactions of young monkeys with a specific genetic pattern.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be inferred from the findings of Caspi et al. (2003) in the New Zealand study?

    <p>Maternal deprivation has a powerful effect on the neuroendocrine functioning and later behavioral and emotional reactions of humans with a specific genetic characteristic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be concluded from the findings of Turkheimer et al. (2003) regarding genetic influences on cognitive abilities?

    <p>Extremely chaotic early environments can override genetic factors and increase the likelihood of later behavioral and emotional disorders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is often described as causing depression?

    <p>Serotonin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of agonists?

    <p>To increase the activity of a neurotransmitter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between neurotransmitter activity and behavior?

    <p>Neurotransmitter activity makes people more or less likely to exhibit certain kinds of behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of existing neurotransmitter systems in psychological disorders?

    <p>Existing neurotransmitter systems may be associated with various psychological disorders</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is considered the master or coordinator of the endocrine system?

    <p>Pituitary gland</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which system is responsible for energizing and preparing our bodies for threat or challenge?

    <p>Sympathetic nervous system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which system has been implicated in several psychological disorders and is linked to depression?

    <p>Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of telomeres in the study by Gotlib and colleagues (2015)?

    <p>To moderate the effect of depression and cortisol</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is believed to reduce overall arousal and temper emotional responses?

    <p>GABA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the technical name for serotonin?

    <p>5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is associated with behaviors such as aggression, suicide, impulsive overeating, and excessive sexual behavior?

    <p>Serotonin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which class of drugs primarily affects the serotonin system and is used to treat anxiety, mood, and eating disorders?

    <p>Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of neurotransmitter is responsible for inhibiting the transmission of information and action potentials?

    <p>GABA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is responsible for excitatory transmission and 'turning on' many different neurons, leading to action?

    <p>Glutamate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which class of drugs makes it easier for GABA molecules to attach themselves to the receptors of specialized neurons, resulting in increased calmness?

    <p>Benzodiazepines</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is associated with psychological problems when there is too much or too little of it in the synaptic gap?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is part of the endocrine system and stimulates alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic receptors?

    <p>Norepinephrine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and disorders of addiction?

    <p>Dopamine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is associated with the release of extra serotonin into the synapse?

    <p>Serotonin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is blocked by beta-blockers to reduce blood pressure and heart rate?

    <p>Norepinephrine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which division of the autonomic nervous system is primarily responsible for mobilizing the body during times of stress or danger?

    <p>Sympathetic division</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the three things that happen when the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system goes on alert?

    <p>Heart beats faster, respiration increases, adrenal glands are stimulated</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the interdisciplinary area of research that focuses on the interaction between hormones, the brain, and behavior?

    <p>Psychoneuroendocrinology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system?

    <p>Balancing the sympathetic system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is associated with exploratory, outgoing, pleasure-seeking behaviors?

    <p>Dopamine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of L-dopa?

    <p>To increase dopamine levels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is associated with inhibition and constraint?

    <p>Serotonin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many different receptor sites sensitive to dopamine have researchers discovered so far?

    <p>Five</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter switches on the locomotor system?

    <p>Dopamine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which disorder is associated with deficiencies in dopamine?

    <p>Parkinson's disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is responsible for inhibitory transmission and 'turning off' many different neurons, leading to relaxation and sleep?

    <p>GABA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain is responsible for regulating our emotional experiences and expressions?

    <p>Amygdala</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is associated with behaviors such as aggression, suicide, impulsive overeating, and excessive sexual behavior?

    <p>Serotonin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is associated with inhibition and constraint?

    <p>GABA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of neurotransmitter is responsible for inhibiting the transmission of information and action potentials?

    <p>Inhibitory neurotransmitter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and disorders of addiction?

    <p>Dopamine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which division of the nervous system expends energy?

    <p>Autonomic nervous system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurotransmitter is inhibitory, decreasing the likelihood that the connecting neuron will fire?

    <p>GABA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the brain contains more than 80% of all neurons in the central nervous system?

    <p>Cerebral cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of telomeres in the study by Gotlib and colleagues (2015)?

    <p>Protecting DNA from damage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component of emotion do most emotion scientists tend to concentrate on?

    <p>Behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one function of fear according to the text?

    <p>To motivate immediate action</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which scientist viewed emotion as primarily a brain function?

    <p>Cannon</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which areas of the brain are generally more ancient and primitive according to research?

    <p>Areas associated with emotional expression</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Richard S. Lazarus, what determines the emotion a person experiences?

    <p>Cognition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do other cognitive scientists suggest about the interaction between cognitive and emotional systems?

    <p>They are fundamentally separate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of appraisal in experiencing different emotions according to Lazarus?

    <p>It determines the emotion itself</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between thinking and feeling according to Lazarus?

    <p>They cannot be separated</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do the majority of emotion scientists tend to concentrate on in their research?

    <p>Behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of emotion in communicating between members of the species?

    <p>To increase survival chances</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Understanding Psychopathology

    • To effectively treat psychopathology, it is more important to identify and target the maintaining factors rather than the initiating factors.
    • Neurosurgery is an option for treating severe psychopathology, such as OCD, when other treatments have failed.

    Brain Circuits and Psychopathology

    • Imaging studies have shown that psychological interventions can change brain function in individuals with OCD, depression, PTSD, and other disorders.
    • A study by Baxter et al. (1992) found that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) changed brain function in patients with OCD.
    • Similar studies have found that psychological interventions can change brain function in individuals with depression, PTSD, and other disorders.

    Placebo Effect

    • The placebo effect is a phenomenon where inactive treatments or substances produce a perceived or actual improvement in symptoms.
    • Studies have shown that the placebo effect is not just psychological, but can also have a physical impact on the brain.
    • A study by Petrovic et al. (2002) found that the placebo effect activated the same brain regions as an opioid drug in pain relief.

    Interactions between Psychosocial Factors and Neurotransmitter Systems

    • Psychosocial factors can interact with neurotransmitter systems to produce different effects on behavior and mood.
    • A study by Insel et al. (1988) found that monkeys raised with a sense of control over their environment had a different response to a benzodiazepine inverse agonist compared to monkeys raised without control.
    • Other studies have shown that psychosocial factors can affect the functioning and structure of neurotransmitter systems, including serotonin and dopamine.

    Psychosocial Effects on Brain Development

    • Psychosocial experiences can affect the development of brain structure and function, including the formation of new neurons and connections between neurons.
    • A study by Greenough et al. (1990) found that rats raised in a rich environment had more connections between neurons in the cerebellum and grew more dendrites.
    • Similar studies have shown that stress during early development can lead to changes in the functioning of the HPA axis, making individuals more susceptible to stress later in life.

    Implications for Treatment

    • The study of psychosocial factors and brain development has implications for the treatment of psychopathology.
    • Understanding how psychological experiences affect brain function and development can inform the development of new treatments and interventions.
    • The concept of precision medicine, which involves tailoring treatments to individual patients based on their brain function and psychological profile, is a promising area of research.### The Structure of the Nervous System
    • The structure of the nervous system is constantly changing as a result of learning and experience, even into old age.
    • This plasticity of the central nervous system helps us adapt more readily to our environment.

    Brain Circuits and Psychopathology

    • Specific brain circuits involved in psychological disorders are complex systems identified by pathways of neurotransmitters traversing the brain.
    • The structure and function of the nervous system play major roles in psychopathology.
    • Both biological interventions (e.g., drugs) and psychological interventions or experience can alter brain circuits.

    Psychological Factors in Psychopathology

    • Behavioral and cognitive influences play a significant role in psychopathology.
    • The field of cognitive science is concerned with how we acquire and process information and how we store and retrieve it.

    Conditioning and Cognitive Processes

    • Classical conditioning involves the complexity of basic processes, including judgments and cognitive processes.
    • The pairing of two events closely in time is not the core of classical conditioning; rather, it involves various judgments and cognitive processes.

    The Unconscious and Psychopathology

    • The study of the unconscious involves the use of new methods, including the Stroop color-naming paradigm, to reveal unobservable cognitive processes.
    • The Stroop paradigm can uncover particular patterns of emotional significance, even if the participant is not aware of them.

    Emotions and Psychopathology

    • Emotions play a significant role in our day-to-day lives and contribute to the development of psychopathology.
    • Fear is an emotion that serves an evolutionary function, preparing us to respond to life-threatening emergencies.

    The Physiology and Purpose of Fear

    • Fear activates the cardiovascular system, preparing the body for the "fight or flight" response.
    • Physiological responses to fear include increased heart rate, blood flow redirection, trembling, and increased oxygen supply to the brain.

    Emotional Phenomena

    • Emotions are linked to an action tendency, elicited by an external event, and accompanied by a characteristic physiological response.
    • Emotions can be understood as a means, guided by evolution, to get us to do what is necessary to pass on our genes successfully.

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    Test your knowledge of neurotransmitters and their role in psychopathology with this quiz. Learn about major neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glutamate, and how they impact brain function.

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