FINAL EXAM CHAP 18 Flashcards
(45 cards)
What is a behavior?
a reaction to internal or external stimuli that alerts an organism’s response to its environment
- can be innate or learned
What must be defined to study behavior?
Behavioral phenotypes
what is single gene trait?
with a dominant or recessive pattern of inheritance
How does the nervous system help with the focus of behavior genetics?
The nervous system receives and processes stimuli like simple reflex reaction, senses, memory, and innate/learned behaviors
T or F: many disorders with a behavioral component are associated with alterations in the structure and/or function of the nervous system
True
What are nerve cells (neurons)?
One of the cell types in the CNS
What are dendrites?
they receive nerve impulses
What are axons?
sends nerve impulse to other neurons
How do synapses interconnect cells in the nervous system?
Synapses are the functional connection between neurons. Nerve impulses travel from the pre synaptic neuron to the post synaptic neuron. Neurotransmitters in the pre synaptic neuron transmit the impulse across the synaptic cleft
How can neurotransmitters affect our behavior?
It can affect our mood, memory, and our sense of well-being. Variations in the timing of neurotransmitter activity can affect behavior.
T or F: Normal brain function depends on normal synaptic behavior
True
How does single gene mutations cause behavioral disorders?
Mutations in the MAOA gene cause disruption to normal synaptic function.
What is Huntington’s disease?
It is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder, autosomal dominant.
What causes Huntington’s disease?
Caused by the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain. The more trinucleotide repeats, the more severe the symptoms are. Less than 34 (doesn’t have HD)
How does HD affect brain degeneration?
It damages the striatum and cerebral cortex in HD brains
How are animal models used to search for behavior genes?
Transgenic mouse models have been used to investigate the biological/genetic mechanisms that underlie
- alcoholism
- schizophrenia
- bipolar disorder
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- ALS
How do mice develop symptoms similar to the conditions of humans?
SOD1 mutations cause ALS symptoms in mice so they’re put into the mice.
Mouse models of HD
Transgenic mice carried various numbers of trinucleotide repeats . Brains of HD mice show cell death in the striatum and cerebrum.
What are the genetics of complex behavioral disorders?
Caused by a combination of diff factors. Genes and environmental factors affect behavioral phenotypes.
How is schizophrenia a complex behavioral disorder?
Caused by many genes along with environmental triggers
How is genetic component of human traits studied in twins?
Differences between MZ (identical) twins due to environment only. Differences between DZ (fraternal) twins due to genetic and environment factors.
T or f: the increased risk associated with increased genetic relatedness suggests a genetic component to schizophrenia
True
What are the genetic links shared among psychiatric disorders?
Many psychiatric disorders share alleles, SNPs, and other variant
How does schizophrenia and autism disorders have similar variant on chromosome 16?
Duplications are associated with schizophrenia and deletion is associate with ASD.
