Neurotransmitters Norepinhephrine NE o Increases arousal o Increased levels may lead to mania o Decreased levels may be involved in depression though it is not the key neurotransmitter in depression o Tricyclic antidepressant medications inhibit reuptake thus functioning as NE agonists Neurotransmitters Serotonin 5 HT o Decreased levels may lead to depression o It is involved in sleep wakefulness rhythms o Prozac fluoxetine is an SSRI and inhibits reuptake o Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors SSRI s both are agonists of serotonin but have different mechanisms of action MAO inhibits the breakdown of serotonin so more of it is available for release SSRI blocks reuptake so it stays in the synapse longer Dopamine DA o Influences motivation reward movement especially pleasure o Shortage leads to Parkinson s disease trouble with motion tracts of DA neurons degenerate in the basal ganglia leading to low levels of DA depression o Amphetamine cocaine causes release chlorpromazine antipsychotic blocks at o Excess leads to schizophrenia receptors Peptides modulate neurotransmission o Peptides are a sort of subcategory of neurotransmitters o CCK Pain learning memory Can trigger panic attacks anxiety but lowering blocking it can help o Endorphins o Substance P Endorphins Natural pain relievers e g muscles not hurting while running runner s high Bind to same sites as heroin morphine Involved in pain perception communicates pain to the Central Nervous System o Emotional perception they act within pain pathways emotion centers of the brain o Shortage chronic pain difficulty with self soothing o Similar to the effects of morphine cause calm pleasure Amino acids are general inhibitory excitatory transmitters in the brain o GABA Gamma Amino Butyric Acid Inhibits sending neuron relaxes Drugs that mimic for anxiety insomnia Alcohol similar impact on GABA receptors sedatives benzodiazepines Valium mimic effects In the 60s people took Valium mother s little helper to stay calm Shortage anxiety epilepsy neurons aren t inhibited Huntington s disease lowered impulse control Excess unmotivated o Glutamate Excites Helps learning memory increases the speed of synaptic connections o Getting buzzed Serotonin massively depleted by ecstasy euphoric feeling tons of serotonin is released Terminal buttons are often destroyed Other psychoactive drugs o Amphetamines cocaine Increase norepinephrine dopamine Block reuptake increase release Activate sympathetic nervous system increased heart rate blood pressure Excess psychotic symptoms o Nicotine Acts on the same sites as Ach learning memory o Benzodiazepines valium Increase response to GABA relaxes o Opiates morphine heroin codeine Activate receptors that usually respond to endorphins Increased dopamine activation in the nucleus accumbens binding with opiate receptors Highly addictive due to dual activation of dopamine opiate receptors o Hallucinogenic drugs LSD similar structure to serotonin Altering reality dream like intense o Marijuana Most widely used illegal drug THC produces relaxed mental state uplifted contented mood perpetual cognitive distortions Concentration of cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus memory impairment Medicinal properties controversial How Neurotransmitters communicate o CNS brain spinal cord o Peripheral nervous system includes somatic autonomic what we focus on o Endocrine system communicates through hormones o Actions of the nervous system the endocrine system are coordinated The peripheral nervous system o The somatic nervous system skeletal muscles those attached to bone o The autonomic nervous system visceral muscles heart arteries gastrointestinal tract glands Sympathetic fight or flight when stressed pressure used to be reaction to threats predators Pupils dilate Bronchi relaxed Heart accelerates strengthens beats Intestinal activity inhibited Blood vessels contract Parasympathetic rest digest getting the nervous system back to normal Pupils contract Bronchi constrict Heartbeat slows Intestinal activity stimulated Blood vessels dilated Hypothalamus regulates body temperature hunger thirst arousal Pituitary releases hormones Conclusions o All psychological functions are supported regulated by complex interactions between the Central the Peripheral Nervous Systems o Diverse types of Central Nervous System neurotransmitters play a central critical role in psychological existence and personality identity and the experience of the world o Machinery of the mind underlies psychological realities Biological Psychology II Brain Structure Function Overview o Basic structures see diagrams o Functions o How we know what we know o Split brain research o Brain plasticity o States of the consciousness Brain structure 2 halves o little brain the cerebellum movement o Brain stem o More complex functions are higher up o The limbic system aka subcortical structures primitive o Cerebral cortex weird looking because it needs to fit in a small space it is like a crumpled up sheet of paper Interrelations functions o Spinal cord controls reflexes o Brainstem functions for survival heartbeat consciousness etc o Cerebellum movement balance learning empathy o Subcortical structures limbic system drives emotions o Cerebral cortex who we are personality identity Structure o Hindbrain coordinates information coming into out of the spinal cord controls the basic functions of life Medulla reticular formation cerebellum pons o Midbrain important for orientation movement Tectum tegmentum o Forebrain highest level of brain critical for complex cognitive emotional sensory motor functions Cerebral cortex subcortical structures Brainstem o Rests atop connects to the spinal cord o Contains o Inner core of the brain regulates life support gagging breathing swallowing etc Pons relays information from cerebellum to the rest of the brain key for Medulla vital involuntary functions communication Reticular formation sleep arousal attention Attaches to the cerebellum balance movement Midbrain primitive responses to stimuli attention o Tectum orients us towards stimuli helps us move o Tegmentum movement arousal also orients towards stimuli mood more complex functions than the tectum