Biological Approach

Subdecks (1)

Cards (84)

  • What are the three assumptions
    Evolutionary Influences
    Localisation of brain function
    Neurotransmitters
  • What is altruism
    Parents risking their lives to save their offspring
  • What is evolution
    Explains how the human mind and behaviour have changed over millions of years
  • Who explained natural selection
    Darwin
  • What is natural selection
    Genetically determined behaviour that enhances individuals chance of survival
  • What are humans adapted to
    The demands of our individual environment
  • what is environment of evolutionary adaptiveness
    The conditions present in the environment when a species adaptions were naturally selected
  • What are the four lobes
    Occipital lobes
    Parietal lobes
    Frontal lobes
    Temporal lobes
  • Evolutionary influences human example
    Fears and phobias
    e.g. Snakes
    venomous snakes significant threat to ancestors
  • what are localisation of brain function
    Certain areas of the brain are responsible for different functions
  • Parietal lobes
    Temperature
    Pain
    Touch
  • Occipital lobes
    Visual processing
  • Frontal lobes
    Thinking
    Creativity
    Personality
  • Temporal lobes
    Auditory
    Memory
  • Localisation of brain function - human example
    Occipital lobe - responsible for receiving and processing visual stimuli
  • What are neurotransmitters
    Chemical messengers
  • Explain neurotransmitters
    One neuron communicates with another neuron at a synapse where the message is relayed by chemical messengers
  • Where are neurotransmitters released from
    The presynaptic vesicles
  • What are neurons
    Electrically excitable cells that form the basis of the nervous system
  • Neurotransmitters - human example
    Dopamine - motivation, reward and pleasure
    Release of dopamine in response to rewarding situation
  • Benzodiazepines
    Enhance activity of GABA (natural form of anxiety relief)
    Slow down activity at central nervous system
  • Beta-Blockers
    Reduce activity of adrenaline and noradrenaline (part of response to stress)
  • Example of beta- blockers
    Propranolol - situational anxiety
    range from 10mg to 80mg
  • Antidepressants
    Reduce rate of reabsorption or block the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitters
    Increase amount of neurotransmitter available to excite neighbouring cells
  • What is depression due to
    Insufficient amounts of neurotransmitters such as serotonin being produced in the nerve endings
  • Example of antidepressant
    SSRI most common
    e.g. Prozac
    20mg per day
    60mg maximum
  • Conventional antipsychotics
    Stronger
    Combat Positive symptoms
    Block action of dopamine in brain by binding to dopamine receptors
  • Atypical antipsychotics 

    Weaker bond
    Temporarily occupying dopamine receptors and then rapidly dissociating to allow normal dopamine transmission
  • thornely et al (evaluate drug therapy)
    Chlorpromazine associated with better functioning than a placebo
    positive effect on schizophrenic patients
  • NICE - drug therapy
    Approve
    cost effective
    available through NHS
    accessible for more people
    antipsychotics control hallucination and delusions
  • Side effects of SSRI
    Nausea
    Headache
    Insomnia
  • Side effects of tricylic antidepressants
    Hallucinations
    Irregular heartbeat
  • Issue of side effects
    Discourage patients
    Decrease quality of life
  • Compare with psychodrama
    Drug therapy - immediate effects, cheap
    Psychodrama - time consuming - cannot be used in emergency
  • How many participants were in Raine’s study
    41 participants
  • What was the mean age of participants in Raine’s study
    34.3
  • What were the disorders of the participants
    Schizophrenia - 6
    History of head injury or organic brain damage - 23
    History of psychoactive drug abuse - 3
    Affective disorder - 2
    Epilepsy - 2
    History of hyperactivity and learning disability - 3
    Personality disorder - 2
  • What was the control group
    Matching each murderer with individual of same sex and age
  • What was step 1
    Participants given chance to practice continuous performance task (CPT) before receiving FDG injection
  • What was step 2 

    30 seconds before FDG injection, participants started CPT task