Psychology I – 1st per Mon, Apr 16Did you know??

“2000-Arvid Carlsson, Paul Greengard and Eric Kandel share the Nobel Prize for their

discoveries concerning signal transduction in the nervous system…

Signal transduction occurs when a message from one nerve cell is transmitted to another through a chemical transmitter. It takes place at special points of contact, called synapses. Each nerve cell can have thousands of

such contacts with other nerve cells. Carlsson, Greengard, and Kandel's research focuses on one type of signal transduction between nerve cells, known as

slow synaptic transmission. Their discoveries have contributed to a greater understanding of the normal

function of the brain as well as how disturbances in this signal transduction can give rise to neurologic and

psychiatric diseases.”

Please get out: •Your textbook•A writing implement•Your notes for Ch 3, Sec 2

(The Secret Life of the Brain: The History of the Brain)

Today’s Agenda1. Mood Disorders

a. Depression

2. Ch 3, Sec 1 Neurotransmitters-finish3. Ch 3, Sec 2-Parts of the Brain

• To prepare for Class on Wed, Apr 18• Read Ch 3, Sec 3• Take notes in your own style or use the notes on

inetteacher

Chapter 3BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

• The Big Idea:– The nervous system, the brain, the endocrine system, and

heredity shape human thoughts and behaviors.• Essential Questions:

– What are the major functions of the central nervous system?– What are the different parts of the brain, and how do they work?

• Objectives– Identify and describe the functions of the nervous system.– Describe the different parts of the brain and how they work.

Types of Mood Disorders– Mood disorders are characterized by mood changes that are

inappropriate for the situation to which they are responding.– Most people have mood changes that reflect the normal ups and

downs of life, but mood changes that are inappropriate to a situation can signal a mood disorder.

– Some people are prone to depression because they suffered a real or imagined loss of a loved object or person in childhood

– Some believe that learned helplessness makes people prone to depression

– Others believe that some people are prone to depression because of their habitual style of explaining life events

– Three types: depression, bipolar disorder, and postpartum depression

Types of Mood Disorders: Major Depression

• The DSM-IV contains a list of symptoms to help diagnose

• The five or more of the symptoms are present for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks:– Feeling sad, empty, "blue" or in the dumps– Losing interest/pleasure in your normal activities– Significant weight loss or gain (change in 5% in a month)– Sleep disturbances (too much/too little)– Feeling physically restless or slowed down– Fatigue or loss of energy– Feeling worthless/Excessive guilt– Inability to concentrate or make decisions– Suicidal thoughts/plans/attempts

Explaining Mood Disorders

• Psychological Views– The psychoanalytic view of depression connects the past to the

present.• Some people are prone to depression because they suffered a real or

imagined loss of a loved object or person in childhood– Learning theorists: “learned helplessness” makes people prone.– Cognitive theorists: habitual style of explaining life events.

• Attribution theory: people assign different types of explanations to events, which affect self-esteem and self-efficacy.

• Beck suggests that people who are depressed have a negative view of themselves, their experiences, and their future.

Explaining Mood Disorders

• Biological Views– Mood disorders occur more often in the close relatives of

affected individuals than they do in the general population.

– Two neurotransmitters in the brain—serotonin and noradrenaline—may partly explain the connection between genes and mood.

Explaining Mood Disorders

• Biological and Psychological Factors– A combination of factors is most likely at work.

Treatment of Mood Disorders• Therapy• AND/OR• Medications:

– Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)– Selective Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake

Inhibitors(SNRIs)– Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonin Antidepressants (NaSSAs)– Older tricyclic antidepressants (not going into detail on this one)– Dopaminergic– Monamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) (not going into detail on

this one)

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Popular SSRIs: Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Paxil, Lexapro, LuvoxUsed to treat anxiety, mood, stress, and panic disorders

• How they work: SSRIs inhibit the reuptake of serotonin to the presynaptic neuron thereby increasing the amount of serotonin in the synapse, hence allowing more time for the serotonin to bind to the postsynaptic neuron and cause that neuron to fire

• Most Common Side Effects: vertigo, dizziness, insommnia, anorexia, anxiety, vomiting, and sexual dysfunction

• Introducted in the mid-1980’s

• NPR Article about Depression and Serotonin

(Carlson, & Freudenrich)

Selective Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors(SNRIs)

• Popular SNRIs: Effexor, Cymbalta, Pristiq• Used to treat: depression, anxiety, social anxiety disorder, panic

attacks• How they work: Block the reuptake of norepinephrine and

serotonin by binding to the presynaptic neuron the transporters of these neurotransmitters

• Most Common Side Effects: dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, insomnia, increased blood pressure, constipation, sexual dysfunction, excessive sweating, increased heart rate, difficulty urinating, heart palpitation, tremors, headache, changes in appetite, agitation or anxiety, abnormal vision, muscle weakness

• Introduced in the mid-1990s(Freudenrich & Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs))

Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonin Antidepressants (NaSSAs)

• Popular NaSSAs: Remeron, Desyrel, Serzone, Bolvidion• Used to treat: depression • How they work: NaSSAs block negative feedback effects on

serotonin and norepinephrine secretion by the presynaptic neuron. This increases the number of these neurotransmitters in the synpatic cleft. NaSSAs also block some serotonin receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, which increases serotonin neurotransmisson.

• Most common side effects: Dry mouth, drowsiness, weight gain, increased appetite

• Some Introduced in the mid-1980s, others more recently

(Freudenrich)

Dopaminergic:Wellbutrin

• Used to treat: – Depression– SAD– Stop smoking

• Wellbutrin inhibits the reuptake of Norepinephrine and Dopamine

http://depression.emedtv.com/wellbutrin/wellbutrin.html & http://www.drugs.com/wellbutrin.html

Neurotransmitters-Application• Endorphins are neurotransmitters that naturally reduce pain and

boost mood.• Flooding the brain with painkillers, antidepressants, or other drugs

may cause the brain to stop producing endorphins.• When such drug(s) is discontinued, a person may experience a

period of discomfort (aka withdrawl)—ranging from mild to agonizing—until the brain resumes production of endorphins.

• What are other possible ramifications of taking antidepressants or painkillers?

• Do you believe the benefits outweigh the potential harm?

Ch 3, Sec 2: The Brain-Our Control Center

• The brain is composed of three major sections: the hindbrain, the midbrain, and the forebrain.

• The human brain has many parts that work together to coordinate body movement, create thought and emotions, and shape behaviors.

• The cerebral cortex is the part of the brain that controls thinking, memory, language, emotions, complex motor functions, perceptions, and much more.

Early Beliefs About the Brain• In ancient times, people did not attribute human

psychological processes such as thinking to the working of the brain.

• Instead, people widely believed that the body was inhabited by souls or demons.

• Ancient Egyptians believed that a little person dwelled within the skull and regulated behavior.

• Where did Aristotle believe the soul resided?• How might the love songs and poetry of past centuries have

been different had ancient peoples had a better understanding of human psychological processes?

• Today we recognize that the mind, or consciousness, dwells within the brain.

Biology & Behavior Multimedia

• Brain Function• Visual of the Major Structures of the

Brain• 3-D Brain Anatomy

Reticular Activating System• What is it?• What is it’s function?• How is it related to arousal and sleep?• What types of noises wake you up during the night?• How do you usually respond to these noises?• Why do certain noises wake some of the students

while other students are unaffected by those same noises?

Parts of the Brain• Under what circumstances might a honking car

not wake a person who is sleeping?• How might an injured cerebellum affect a person?• What does the thalamus do?• What can you infer about a person who sustained

a head injury and now exhibits unusual eating and drinking behaviors?

Parts of the Brain• Do you believe that scientists can gain useful

insights about human behavior by studying the hypothalamus in animals? Why or why not?

• What is the limbic system involved with?• What does cerebrum mean in Latin?• Which part of the brain do people generally think

of when talking about the brain? Why do you think this is so?

The Cerebral Cortex

• Which lobe is the primary visual area of the cerebral cortex?

• How is the brain similar to a walnut?• What could be called the brain’s executive center?• A chess player would typically be described as

emphasizing which side of her brain?• An artist would typically be descried as emphasizing

which side of his brain?

Left brain vs. Right brain??• Think of friends, relatives, or acquaintances

whom you would categorize as either logical or creative…

• Do you think an individual who has many abilities in one of those areas is lacking in abilities in the other area?

• Why or why not?• Is one hemisphere of the brain entirely

responsible for controlling creativity or logic?

Works CitedCarlson, Neil R. (1999). Foundations of Physiological Psychology,

4th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Chudler, Eric H. (2010). Neuroscience For Kids. Retrieved from:

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chnt1.htmlFreudenrich, Ph.D., Craig. "How Antidepressants Work" 20

September 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/medication/antidepressant.htm> 15 April 2012.

Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs). (2012). Retrived from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MH00067 15 April 2012.

The Secret Life of the Brain: History of the Brain. (2001). Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/history/2000.html?position=623?button=50 16 April 2012.