Week 4

    Cards (88)

    • What is the main topic of the final systems neuroscience lecture?
      Neurogenetics
    • Why is neurogenetics considered important for the future?

      It helps us understand the biological and genetic underpinnings of behavior.
    • What significant project was completed in 2003 related to genetics?
      • The Human Genome Project
      • Goal: Determine the complete sequence of human DNA
    • What is the term used to describe the idea that genes might influence political beliefs?
      Genopolitics
    • What does DNA stand for?

      Deoxyribonucleic acid
    • What is the structure of DNA described as?

      A double helix
    • What do chromosomes contain?

      Genes
    • What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?

      Genotype is the genetic makeup, while phenotype is the observable expression of that genotype.
    • What is an example of a clear phenotype?

      Eye color
    • Why is diagnosing schizophrenia more complicated than measuring height?
      Schizophrenia presents in many different ways and lacks a straightforward diagnostic test.
    • What are some clinical conditions with clear diagnostic criteria?
      • Parkinson's disease
      • Huntington's disease
      • Down syndrome
    • What is a limitation of defining psychological conditions like depression and autism?

      They can present in many different ways and lack absolute definitions.
    • What was the main finding of the Roscommon family study regarding schizophrenia?

      Immediate family members were 13 times more likely to develop schizophrenia than controls.
    • What does the term "nature vs. nurture" refer to in the context of schizophrenia studies?

      It refers to the comparison of genetic influences versus environmental influences on the condition.
    • What did the 1966 study by Heston find regarding adoptees from mothers with schizophrenia?

      Five out of 97 adoptees were judged to have schizophrenia, all from biological mothers with the condition.
    • What was the result of the 1987 study on 6,000 adoptees regarding schizophrenia?

      Sharing genes but not the environment led to a ten-fold increase in the risk for schizophrenia.
    • What are some limitations of adoption studies in schizophrenia research?

      • Adoption agencies often select similar families.
      • Prenatal environment impacts development.
      • Adoption rarely occurs immediately after birth.
      • Biological and adoptive parents may not represent the general population.
    • Why is the prenatal environment significant in adoption studies?

      It can affect the biological development of the child before adoption.
    • What is a potential issue with the timing of adoptions?

      Adoptions rarely happen immediately after birth.
    • How might shared characteristics in adoptive families affect research outcomes?

      They may confound the results by introducing environmental similarities.
    • How long has the adopted child been with the parent in the example given?
      Nine months
    • How does the level of stress experienced by a mother affect her biology?
      It affects cortisol levels and adrenaline levels
    • What impact does a mother's biology have on the baby's development?

      It impacts the baby's development significantly
    • Why is it important to consider the mother's life even if a child is adopted immediately after birth?

      Because the mother's life can still impact the baby's development
    • How often do adoptions occur immediately after birth?

      Very rarely
    • What is a limitation of adoption studies regarding the representativeness of parents?

      Neither biological nor adoptive parents are representative of the general population
    • What is the significance of twin studies in understanding genetic and environmental influences?

      Twin studies help separate the effects of genes from environmental influences
    • What are the two types of twins studied in twin studies?
      • Monozygotic twins (identical twins)
      • Dizygotic twins (fraternal twins)
    • What is the main difference between monozygotic and dizygotic twins?

      Monozygotic twins share identical genes, while dizygotic twins do not
    • How can the correlation of traits in monozygotic and dizygotic twins help infer genetic and environmental contributions?

      By comparing the similarity of traits, we can infer the influence of genetics versus environment
    • What does heritability measure?

      Heritability measures the proportion of variance in a trait that is due to genetic factors
    • How is heritability calculated?

      Heritability is calculated as the amount of genetic variance divided by the total variance
    • What does a high heritability estimate for a trait indicate?

      It indicates that genetic factors play a significant role in the variance of that trait
    • What is the relationship between heritability and environmental factors?

      Heritability can change based on environmental conditions
    • How can environmental factors influence traits like height?

      Environmental factors such as nutrition and maternal health can affect height
    • What is the significance of understanding the impact of environment on intelligence?

      It highlights the importance of education and upbringing in developing intelligence
    • What findings did the Maudsley twin study reveal about schizophrenia?

      It found a high monozygotic correlation of around 0.81
    • What does a meta-analysis of twin studies suggest about the heritability of schizophrenia?

      It suggests that the heritability of schizophrenia is around 81%
    • What is the role of genetic predisposition in schizophrenia?

      It indicates a significant genetic influence on the development of the disorder
    • How can understanding genetic coding help in schizophrenia research?

      It can help identify neurobiological factors involved in the disorder
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