All Flashcards
What is the effect of increased serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain?
Boosts mood and alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
What is the effect of reduced central nervous system activity?
Calms anxiety and reduces panic attacks.
What is the effect of decreased dopamine levels in the brain?
Reduces psychotic symptoms in disorders like schizophrenia.
What can long-term use of anti-anxiety drugs cause?
Tolerance and dependence.
What can long-term use of antipsychotic drugs cause?
Tardive dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movements).
What is the effect of brief electric currents sent to the brain during ECT?
Lowers brain activity and promotes neurogenesis, leading to improvement in severe depression.
What is the effect of magnetic energy sent to the brain during rTMS?
Stimulates or suppresses brain activity, potentially activating the left frontal lobe and improving mood.
What is the effect of removing parts of the brain during psychosurgery?
Attempts to treat disorders but carries a high risk of brain damage.
What is the effect of stopping antipsychotic medication?
Symptoms return.
What is the effect of neurogenesis?
Improves mood and alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
How are antidepressants used in real-world scenarios?
To treat depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD by increasing serotonin and/or norepinephrine levels.
How are anti-anxiety drugs used in real-world scenarios?
To treat anxiety disorders by reducing activity in the central nervous system.
How are mood stabilizers used in real-world scenarios?
To treat bipolar disorder by balancing extreme mood swings.
How are antipsychotic drugs used in real-world scenarios?
To treat disorders like schizophrenia by decreasing dopamine levels.
How is ECT applied in the treatment of severe depression?
Brief electric currents are sent to the brain while the patient is under anesthesia to lower brain activity and promote neurogenesis.
How is rTMS used in treating ASD and depression?
Magnetic energy is sent to the brain to either stimulate or suppress activity.
How is deep-brain stimulation used?
Connects specific areas of the brain to activate the frontal lobes and limbic system, mainly for depression and possibly OCD.
What is an example of a psychosurgery and what was it used for?
Prefrontal lobotomy (removal of frontal lobes) was used in the past to treat mental disorders.
What is the importance of combining medication with therapy and exercise?
Combining medication with therapy and exercise leads to the best results for treating disorders like depression.
What are the ethical considerations when using biological treatments for psychological disorders?
Informed consent, potential for harm, side effects, and over-reliance on medication.
What is the core idea of the biological perspective in psychology?
Behavior and mental processes are influenced by biology, including the brain, neurotransmitters, and genetics.
How do antidepressants work?
They increase the levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.
How do anti-anxiety drugs work?
They reduce activity in the central nervous system to calm anxiety.
What is the purpose of mood stabilizers?
To balance the extreme mood swings associated with bipolar disorder.
How do antipsychotic drugs work?
They decrease dopamine levels in the brain to reduce psychotic symptoms.
What is a placebo in drug research?
An inactive substance or sham treatment used as a control in experiments to assess the true effect of a drug.
Why is a double-blind procedure important in drug research?
To prevent bias by ensuring that neither the participants nor the researchers know who is receiving the actual drug.
What is the theory behind rTMS for treating depression?
It may activate the left frontal lobe, which is linked to positive emotions.
What is the primary risk associated with psychosurgery?
The risk of brain damage.
What is the role of neurotransmitters in mental disorders?
Many psychological disorders can be linked to chemical imbalances involving neurotransmitters in the brain.