Exams Stressing You Out? Take Action! Course Booklet NEUR 1202 Carleton University* *TranscendFinals is not affiliated with the university We have felt the pain that Neuroscience is giving you. Our mission isn t just to stop the pain but to bring back that confidence you once had as we promise to teach you exactly what you need to get that A. www.transcendfinals.com Note: This course booklet is only recommended for Fall 2018. The content and structure of this course changes every year, and we won t be able to provide the quality instruction promised if used in future academic terms.
Introduction to Mental Health and Psychiatric Disease Lecture Notes and Problems Table of Contents 1. Neuroanatomy...3 Structure and organization of the nervous system...5 Introduction to the Brain...6 Brain Cells...8 2. Communication...9 How signals travel within and between a neuron...10 Action Potential...10 The Synapse...12 Neurotransmitters...13 3. Hormones...13 Nervous System vs Endocrine System...14 Properties of hormones...14 Classification of hormones...14 Herarchal control of hormones...15 4. Stress...16 General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)...17 SAM and HPA axis...17 Acute vs Chronic stress...17 Shutting down the stress response...17 PFC baseline vs under stress...18 How stress impairs cognition...18 5. Genetics and Epigenetics...19 Genetic Defects...19 Genetic Diseases...20 Gene Expression...21 Low-licking vs high-licking grooming mothers...21 6. Neuroimmunology...22 Innate vs Adaptive Immune Response...23 Cytokines and the Immune Response...24
Stress and the Immune Response...24 Feedback and the Immune Response...25 Seminal Experiment...25 7. Diagnosing Mental Illness...26 Classification of mental illness...26 Intro to Schizophrenia...28 8. Schizophrenia...29 Causes...29 Neuroanatomical Changes...30 Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia...31 Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine System...31 Treatment...31 9.Addiction...33 How is the brain associated with pleasure?...34 Drug use...34 Cocaine at the synapse...35 Wanting and Liking Theory...35 Genetics...36 Treatment...36 10.Eating...36 Motivated Behaviors...37 The Hypothalamus...37 Baseline regulation of eating...38 Binge Eating Disorder...39 Treatment...40 11.Sex, Sexuality and Gender...40 Genotyoe to Phenotype...41 Effects of sex hormones in the brain...42 Sexual behavior and gender...43 The trans brain...44 12.Sleep...45 Hypogenic Molecules...45 Mechanisms of Melatonin...46 Wake Cycles...47 Sleep Stages...47 2
Sleep Disorders...48 Treatment...48 13.Autism Spectrum Disorder...49 Autism and the DSM...49 Rates of Autism...51 Causes...51 14.Depression...53 Bipolar Disorder...53 Causes...55 Treatment...55 15.Anxiety...57 Anxiety vs Fear...58 Types of Anxiety Disorders...58 Amygdala and Prefrontal cortex in Fear...59 Treatment...60 16.PTSD...61 Diagnoses...61 Brain Changes...62 Forming Memories...62 Treatment...63 17.Resilience...64 Factors associated with resilience...64 What makes us resilient?...65 Brain Changes...66 Causes...66 This Chapter will focus on: 1. Neuroanatomy Structure and Organization of the Nervous System Introduction to the Brain: Major divisions and functions Brain cells 3
Key Terms in this Chapter: important to know role and definition Ø Nervous system: network of nerve cells important for transmitting messages in the body Ø Somatic Nervous System (voluntary control): Spinal Nerves that carry afferent ( arriving ) sensory information from periphery to the CNS and carry efferent ( exiting ) motor information from brain to periphery. Role: allows us to interact with external environment. Ø Autonomic Nervous System (outside voluntary control e.g. blushing): All sensory and motor connections to internal organs. Role: regulates vital functions of organs and glands. Divided into: Ø Sympathetic NS: arousing signals sent from CNS to body causing us to fight or flee Ø Parasympathetic NS: calming signals sent from CNS to body causing us to rest and digest Ø Afferent: nerves that carry incoming sensory information from our sense organs to CNS Ø Efferent: nerves that carry outgoing motor information to skeletal muscles Ø Meninges: membrane that protects the brain and spinal cord. Contains three layers: Dura mater ( hard mother ), Arachnoid ( spider-web like ), Pia mater ( soft mother ) Ø Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): clear solution found in the sub-arachnoid space that surrounds brain and spinal cord, protects from trauma, allows brain to float Ø Gyrus (gyri): bump or protrusion Ø Sulcus (sulci): groove Ø Longitudinal fissure: a deep sulcus that divides the cerebrum into two hemispheres Ø Neuron: Specialized nerve cell that carries out primary actions of the brain Ø Glia: Support and modulate activity of neurons, important for development of NS. Two types: Ø Astrocytes- support brain cells, provide nutrients Ø Oligodendrocytes- insulates and speeds up neurotransmission Ø Axon hillock: junction of the cell body axon, where the action potential begins! Ø Myelin: white fatty substance produced by glial cells. Role is to insulate axons, increasing the speed of electrical signal conduction. Ø Tract: within the CNS, this wire is called a TRACT. E.g. corpus callosum Ø Nerve: within the PNS, this wire is called a NERVE. E.g. sciatic nerve Ø Grey matter: Areas rich in cell bodies and blood vessels. E.g. cerebral cortex Ø White matter: Areas rich in myelin. Ex. corpus callosum 4
Structure and Organization of the Nervous System Midterm Relevance Important to know how to define different parts of the nervous system and subdivisions, including Somatic Nervous system, Autonomic Nervous System, Sympathetic Nervous System, Parasympathetic Nervous System. Describe the divisions of the nervous system This is a very common multiplechoice question! Directional terms that relate to our bodies axis: 5
Anterior: front/rostral/nose Posterior: back/caudal/tail Dorsal: top/back/superior Ventral: bottom/belly/inferior Medial: structures located toward the midline of the brain (middle) Lateral: structures located toward the sides of the brain Introduction to the Brain: Major Divisions and functions Midterm Relevance Important to know how to label major lobes of the brain as well as provide the function of each region. Short answer questions always involve explaining the role of the limbic system and basal ganglia (very important). Focus is mainly on three divisions: Cerebrum à Brain stem à Cerebellum 1. The Cerebrum brain Largest part of brain ROLE: Controls voluntary processes TWO nearly identical hemispheres. Some differences (specialization) called lateralization: RIGHT hemisphere: left side of body, involved in emotion, spatial orientation, facial recognition, art/music. LEFT hemisphere: right side of body, involved in language, math, logic The Cerebrum consists of the: The Cerebral Cortex Ø Neocortex (externally visible): 4 lobes 1. Occipital lobe- processing visual stimuli 2. Temporal lobe- recognizing stimuli 3. Parietal lobe- attending to stimuli 4. Frontal lobe- planning responses to stimuli, personality, motor and executive functions. The Corpus Callosum Ø Long band of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres Subcortical Structures: basal ganglia and limbic system (TTQ) 6
What is the role of the basal ganglia? Name its components and how they contribute to its function Ø The Basal Ganglia ROLE: control of voluntary movement, procedural learning, habit formation Components (3 main ones): 1. Caudate nucleus + putamen known as striatum 2. Globus pallidus 3. Substantia nigra concentration of dopaminergic neurons What is the role of the limbic system? Name its components and how they contribute to its function Ø The Limbic System ROLE: emotional control, key site of learning and memory Components (3 main ones): 1. Cingulate cortex (encircling/ belt, L.)- emotional processing and memory 2. Amygdala (almond, G.)- fear, aggression, decision making 3. Hippocampus (seahorse, G.)- key site of learning and memory, important in converting short to long term memory, spatial navigation. 2. The Brainstem: What are the 3 divisions of the brainstem? Name the components of each division and at least one function of each component. Divided into 3 basic regions: 1. Diencephalon ( between brain )- Integrates sensory and motor info - Thalamus- sensory relay station - Hypothalamus controls homeostasis, regulates production of hormones released from pituitary gland 2. Midbrain- Contains neural circuitry required for sensory processes such as vision, hearing and alertness. - Small area, contains nuclei which regulates movement and feelings of reward 3. Hindbrain- coordinates vital bodily functions essential for survival - Pons- connects cerebellum to brainstem 7