Brain Behavior and Hormones

Localization

100

The idea of localization is...

specific parts of the brain are responsible for specific behaviors or processes

200

2 parts of the limbic system and their function(s)

amygdala- formation of emotional memory

basal ganglia- habit-forming and procedural memory

hippocampus- STM to LTM

hypothalamus- homeostasis, emotion, thirst, hunger

nucleus accumbens- addiction/motivation

300

Researchers of HM

Milner and Scoville (surgeon)

400

Ellaborate on the study by Squire and how it relates to localization

case study, EP, had viral encephalitis that destroyed his amygdala and hippocampus, could not draw a map of his home but he remembered how to get around his house (procedural memory), showed that procedural memory involves the basal ganglia which was not affected by his condition

500

Ellaborate on the study by Milner and Scoville and explain how it relates to localization

HM, bike accident that resulted in epileptic attacks, underwent experimental surgery (by Scoville) that removed part of his hippocampus, developed anterograde amnesia (couldn't form new memories), shows the hippocampus is involved in the transfer of STM to LTM

Plasticity

100

What is plasticity?

The brain's ability to alter its own structure following changes within the body or external environment by rearranging the connections between the brain's neurons 

200

What is synaptic pruning?

when a synapse is not used or under-stimulated, they are lost to make room for new connections

300

What is dendritic branching?

every time we learn something new, the neurons connect to create a new trace in the brain

400

Explain the study by Rosenzweig, Bennett, and Diamond and explain how it relates to plasticity.

rats in stimulating environment versus those in a more deprived environment, stimulating environment had thicker cortex compared to rats in deprived because of the dendritic branching, environmental stressors can have a negative effect on brain structure

500

Explain the study by Maguire et al and how it relates to plasticity.

MRI scans of male London taxi drivers compared to non taxi drivers, found posterior hippocampi were significantly larger and anterior hippocampi were significantly smaller, volume of the right posterior hippocampi correlated with time spent as a taxi driver, hippocampus may change in response to environmental demands 

Neurotransmission

100

Define neurotransmission

when neurons send electrochemical messages to the brain so we can react to stimuli

200

Name two neurotransmitters and what they are responsible for

Acetylcholine: consolidation of memory in the hippocampus 

Dopamine: controls the brain's reward and pleasure centers

Serotonin: sleep, arousal levels, and emotion

Norepinephrine: arousal and alertness 

300

Explain the study by Rogers and Kesner and how it relates to neurotransmission

mice ran a simple maze to find food, allocated into two groups, one received an injection of scopolamine (beta blocker of AcH), other received saline injection, scopolamine group took longer and made more mistakes, AcH plays a role in memory formation

400

Explain the study by Antonova and how it relates to neurotransmission

humans in fMRI played VR game, one group given scopolamine, took longer to find the base that they had previously found, AcH plays a role in memory formation

500

Explain the process of a neurotransmitter being fired from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron using these terms:

neurotransmitter

dendrites

receptor sites

axon terminal

vesicles

reuptake

synapse

action potential

transmitter proteins

action potential enters axon terminal --> vesicles inside of the axon terminal release neurotransmitters into synapse --> neurotransmitters bind to the receptor sites on the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron --> reuptake of extra neurotransmitters that are not bound to receptor sites or broken down by enzymes in the synapse by the transmitter proteins

Hormones

100

Define Hormones 

another class of chemicals that affect behavior, secreted by glands in the endocrine system, released by the adrenal gland into the bloodstream as a result, they take longer to produce changes in behaviour

200

What is the name of the receptor site for a hormone?

target cells

300

Definitions of Adrenaline and Cortisol 

• Adrenaline: responsible for arousal and the "fight or flight" response. Plays a role in emotional memory formation.

• Cortisol: helps control blood sugar levels, assists with memory formation

400

Name four hormones

Adrenaline,Cortisol,Melatonin,Neuropeptide Y,Oxytocin,Testosterone

500

Elaborate on the study by Cahill and McGaugh and explain how it relates to hormones 

young boy’s feet were severed, participants who had heard the more emotionally arousing story demonstrated better recall of specific details of the story, shows that adrenaline plays a role in emotional memory formation

Pheromones

100

Define Pheromones

a chemical substance produced and released into the environment by an animal affecting the behavior 

200

True or false pheromones are a chemical reaction that effect the behavior of only one individual ?

False

300

2 key words for each of the studies, Zhou and Doucet 

Zhou: stick figures, smell cloves, slides, 

measure of sexual behavior

Doucet: areolar glands, infants,suckling behavior

400

Two Types of Pheromones (definitions)

• Primer pheromones:cause slow, long-term physiological changes

• Signaling pheromones: that produce rapid behavioral effects, such as mating

500

 Wedekind (1995)

• The aim of the study was to determine whether one's MHC would affect mate choice.
• Three of the seven boxes contained T-shirts from men with MHC similar to the woman's own
• Women scored male body odours as more pleasant when they differed from their own MHC than when they were more similar. 
•  This suggests that the MHC may influence human mate choice.