...stressful task. Many physical and emotional changes can occur to a woman during the time of her pregnancy as well as following the birth of her child. These particular changes can leave a new mother feeling sad, anxious, afraid and confused. For many women, these feelings, which are known as baby blues, go away fairly quickly. But when they do not go away or rather they get worse, a woman may be experiencing the effects of postpartum depression (PPD). Abrupt hormone withdrawal is the most obvious change in immediate postpartum, but clues to the mood disturbance may lie in the deregulation of neuroendocrine systems, including how hormones affect neurotransmitters and their actions within the brain. The baby blues are common for numerous reasons. The baby’s crying and the mother’s interrupted sleep and breast-feeding are enough to make any woman feel irritable if not overwhelmed. The onset of postpartum depression, on the other hand, is believed to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain; specifically shifts in hormone levels. According to postpartum Support International (PSI), the theory to date suggests that a sharp drop in estrogen and progesterone following delivery is the culprit.1 Ovarian steroids play an important regulatory role in a women’s general sense of wellbeing. Studies have found significant positive correlations between the onset of PPD and postpartum withdrawal of estrogen and progesterone levels.2 Aside from estrogen’s many roles in our developmental...
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...________adenylyl cyclase activity. Increases Increasing cAMP _____protein kinase a activity. Increases In the inactive state, _____ is bound to the ______ subunit of a G protein. GDP, alpha G protein found in the retina, associated with vision. Gt Second Messenger—cAMP and Calcium Hormones that work antagonistically…work against each other. Steroid hormones bind to…intracellular receptors One chemical first messenger can elicit different effects—true To regulate blood sugar use: two hormones working antagonistically After eating a big bowl of ice cream, your calcium levels are: elevated Your PTH levels after were: lowered How is a G protein turned off? GTP is hydrolyzed to GDP Each cell type expresses a single type of receptor. False Each first messenger binds to a single type of receptor. False What is the consequence of Gi not interacting with receptors? cAMP levels will not decrease What happens if the GTPase activity of the alpha subunit increases due to a mutation? Cell signal terminates prematurely and the first messenger is not amplified as strongly. A ligand is a small molecule, which binds to a receptor or … True Paracrine signaling occurs…over short distances First messenger: hormone A G protein coupled receptor has how many alpha helices spanning the plasma membrane? 7 Which G protein subunit has an intrinsic GTPase activity? Alpha An example of long-distance signaling: hormonal Example of homeostasis: Constant body temp, constant pH and constant ion...
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...pork, beef, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey, fish, cheese,wheat germ, legumes, seeds and baker’s yeast | LEUCINE | Important for the synthesis of hemoglobin, other proteins and hormones, regulation of blood sugar levels, growth and repair of bones and muscles and wound healing | beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, cheese,cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds, baker’s yeast and spirulina | LYSINE | mportant for the synthesis of carnitine (a substance that helps to convert fats into energy) and collagen (a protein which gives strength to the bones, cartilage and skin) and other proteins and for calcium absorption | beef, pork, poultry, sardines, spirulina, soy products,brewer’s yeast, eggs,green beans, peas, lentils, spinach, amaranth, nuts, fenugreek seed | METHIONINE | A source of sulfur, a substance that helps the liver to efficiently process fats | beef, pork, poultry, fish, crabs, mollusks, cheese egg white,whole grains, cornmeal, nuts, seeds | PHENYLALANINE | A ketogenic amino acid — it can be converted into ketones | meat, fish, cheese,beans, wheat germ, lentils, seeds, nuts, baker’s yeast, spirulina | THREONINE | A precursor of the amino acids serine and glycine; the later acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which reduces spasticity | meat, fish, cheese,beans, lentils, wheat germ, seeds, baker’s yeast, spirulina | TRYPTOPHAN | a precursor of melatonin and serotonin...
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...The effects of childhood abuse on its victims are penetrating. These effects can be emotional, social, and spiritual. The impact of the abuse depends on the victim and circumstances of the abuse. According to Glaser (2000), besides the psychological effects of childhood abuse, which cause much self defeating behavior in adulthood, there are other more serious, life altering effects. Studies show that many victims of child abuse grow up to be drug addicts and most drug addicts have had an abusive childhood (Umeno, Morita, Ikeda, Koda, & Abe, 2009). It has now been discovered that there is a biochemical reason that this happens. Scientific findings show that being a victim of child abuse can contribute to addiction in adulthood because the abuse can cause profound and possibly irreversible damage to the structure, function and chemistry of the brain. Kaufman, Plotsky, Nemeroff and Charney (2000) claim that because child abuse occurs during a crucial period of brain development, neurobiology reveals that trauma such as physical, emotional and sexual abuse has a substantial impact on the brain. It has also been discovered that the more severe the abuse, the more impact there is on brain function (Bremner, 2005). It has been found that abused children have abnormal brain wave patterns. Child abuse victims suffer damage to important brain structures like the cortex, which is related to rational thinking. Panzer (2008) describes that some of the most dramatic damage is...
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...10 Major Neurotransmitters Neurotransmitters are powerful chemicals that regulate numerous physical and emotional processes such as mental performance, emotional states and pain response. Virtually all functions in life are controlled by neurotransmitters. They are the brain's chemical messengers.Interactions between neurotransmitters, hormones, and the brain chemicals have a profound influence on overall health and well-being. When our concentration and focus is good, we feel more directed, motivated, and vibrant. Unfortunately, if neurotransmitter levels are inadequate these energizing and motivating signals are absent and we feel more stressed, sluggish, and out-of-control. Effects: Control the appetite center of the brain Stimulates Corticotropin Releasing Factor, Adrenalcorticotropic Hormone, & Cortisol Regulate male and female sex hormone Regulates sleep Modulate mood and thought processes Controls ability to focus, concentrate, and remember things The Mind Body Connection The chemistry of our bodies can alter, and be altered by our every thought and feeling. Our bodies and our minds are truly interconnected, the health of one depends on the health of the other. Neurotransmitter Imbalances: Disrupted communication between the brain and the body can have serious effects to ones health both physically and mentally. Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders are thought to be directly related to imbalances with neurotransmitters. The four major...
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...alcoholism or suicide Major depressive disorder affects nearly 15 million Americans in a given year. MAJOR RISK FACTORS- being female, being African-American and living in poverty. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Causes: It is not known exactly what causes depression but a variety of factors may be involved such as: * Biological differences. People with depression appear to have physical changes in their brains. The significance of these changes is still uncertain, but may eventually help pinpoint causes. * Brian Chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that likely play a role in depression. When these chemicals are out of balance, it may be associated with depressive symptoms. * Hormones. Changes in the body’s balance of hormones may be involved...
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...Biological Bases of Behavior At the core of our thinking, feeling, and acting is the nervous system. The nervous system is the physiological network of intercommunicating cells that forms the basis of our ability to perceive, adapt to, and interact with the world. The brain is the supreme organ of the nervous system and it is the organ that most directly controls our thoughts, emotions, and motivations. The Organization of the Nervous System The Central Nervous System (CNS) o The nervous system consists of two main parts, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. o The central nervous system has two parts: the brain and the spinal cord. Both parts are encased in bone for protection and further protected from shocks by cerebrospinal fluid which circulates throughout the brain and the spinal cord. o The brain responds to information it receives from the rest of the body. Communication within the brain is two-way; (1) the brain receives and processes information and (2) then forwards the information with instructions on how to respond. o In the brain, a network of individual cells called neurons receives information and transmits it to the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a slender, roughly cylindrical rope of interconnected fibers, enclosed within the spinal column, that transmit information from sensory neurons to the brain and from the brain to motor neurons. o One function of the spinal cord is to collect information from the peripheral nervous system...
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...InterActive Physiology( Exercise Sheets Below is a table display showing you the eight modules and topics covered in the IP Exercise Sheets, which begin on the next page. |Module |Exercise Topic | |The Muscular System |Neuromuscular Junction | | |Sliding Filament Theory | | |Contraction of Whole Muscle | |The Nervous System |Ion Channels | | |Membrane Potential | | |The Action Potential | |The Nervous System II |Ion Channels | | ...
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...There are no sources in the current document.The purpose of this essay is to explain the role of cytokines in depression. Over the last few decades there have been many controversial hypotheses put forward to explain the observation of depressive symptoms in people, who have a physical injury or are under psychological stress (Schiepers, et al., 2008). Research shows that most controversy was over how the messages from the immune system were interpreted or translated into being a signal to the central nervous system (CNS). While most research agreed that there was a correlation in data between cytokines and depressive symptoms, they did not believe this indicated a causal link (Anisman, 2002). I have chosen to focus one of the most popular theories, the “cytokine theory of depression”, as I believe the research shows that it has a causal link between inflammation, cytokine activity and depressive symptoms (Roque, et al., 2009). This hypothesis recognises and explains the highly integrated processes and mechanisms that a person or animal goes through, from the initial stressor to displaying the depressive symptoms, termed as “sickness behaviour” (Dantzer, 2006). “Sickness Behaviour” is the term given to the symptoms caused by high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the periphery of the body; these symptoms overlap with the general characteristics of depression and include; decreased appetite, increased desire to sleep, cognitive dysfunction, social withdrawal and decreased...
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...selection might have played in selecting for adaptive behaviors, especially during the long period that our ancestors lived as hunter gatherers. The nervous system is not the only mechanism that regulates the functioning of our bodies. The endocrine system plays a key role in helping to coordinate and integrate complex psychological reactions. In fact, as we’ve noted throughout this chapter, the nervous system and the endocrine system work together in a constant chemical conversation. The endocrine glands release chemical substances called hormones that are carried throughout your body by the bloodstream. Hormones serve a similar function to neurotransmitters: They carry messages. Indeed, the same substance for example, norepinephrine may serve both as a neurotransmitter and as a hormone. A main difference between the nervous and the endocrine systems is speed. A nerve impulse may travel through the body in a few hundredths of a second, but hormones may take seconds,...
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...Edexcel GCE Biology Advanced Unit 5: Energy, Exercise and Coordination June 2010 Scientific Article for use with Question 7 Do not return the Insert with the question paper. Paper Reference 6BI05/01 Turn over N37096A ©2010 Edexcel Limited. 1/1/1/1/1/ *N37096A* Scientific Article for use with Question 7 It’s All in the Mind The link between the brain as a physical organ and what we feel in our conscious mind has long been the subject of research, particularly where we appear to be unable to control aspects of mood or behaviour and where normal life is affected. Stress, pain and depression can be explained in terms of nerve impulses and brain chemistry, and the causes of Parkinson’s disease are well understood, but finding reliable ways of correcting problems has proved elusive. Understanding more about how the brain works may well lead to new methods for treating such problems. Dancing Worms and Deep Depression In a laboratory in Germany, a tiny worm dances to flashes of light. A flash of yellow and it darts forward. A flash of blue and it jerks back. Yellow, forward, blue, back – right on cue every time. The worm is not a toy or a robot but a living creature. It has been engineered so that its nerves and muscles can be controlled with light. With each flash of blue its neurons fire electric pulses, causing the muscles they control to clench. A flash of yellow stops the nerves firing, relaxing the worm’s muscles and lengthening its body once again. The worm is...
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...him again because after all it was “love at first sight.” After a first meeting, one may passionately feel as if they fell in love because the attraction is instantaneous, some may describe it as “fireworks” or “electricity” when its simply just sexual attraction. Is this attraction love at first sight? Or is it just a biological and scientific occurrence? Focusing in on the sexual attraction we see that research shows many hormones are involved in this process. Lets start at the brain, “you have motions, you also produce dopamine, a ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter that is associated with passion and addiction, and oxytocin, a hormone related to bonding” (Pincott, 4). With all of these neurotransmitters processing in the brain, it is said that ones pupils may enlarge when focusing on an object of desire (Pincott, 8). Research also shows that a person responds with their entire body when they feel desire. When one is around an object of their desire, adrenaline is released. Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, which is both a neurotransmitter and hormone, is released (Sherwood, 188). During this reaction, the person’s heart rate increases, the pupils also dilate, the sweat glands are stimulated, and the brain becomes increasingly more alert. Once again, it is easy to tell whether you find someone physically attractive. But ultimately we are...
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...General Psychology Assignment 2 1. The central nervous system contains the spinal cord and the brain. The peripheral nervous system is made up of 43 pairs of nerves which communicate information back and forth to the CNS. 12 pairs to the brain (cranial nerves) and 31 pairs to the spinal cord through the vertebrae (spinal nerves). The CNS obtains, infers, and stocks incoming sensory information. The PNS runs the input and output of the CNS. 2. Neurotransmitters control everything your brain does through specific nerve circuits. The disposition of the effect depends on the level of the neurotransmitter, where it’s located, and the type of receptor it binds with. These four hormones influence behavior in the body: Melatonin, oxytocin, adrenal,...
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...Although the brain is very delicate and highly sophisticated, even more complex is the neurotransmitters that make these reactions happen. In specific, dopamine is an important hormone and neurotransmitter that was found in 1957 that has since then become a very important drug in many applications....
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...Heredity and Hormones BEH/225 April 12, 2011 Heredity and Hormones Human behavior can be affected by many things. Human behavior though is more influenced by hormones than heredity. Genes do not directly cause behavior. Genes do affect the development and operation of the nervous system and the endocrine system which influence the likelihood of certain behavior (Morris & Maisto, 2002). Nature vs. Nurture means that scientists think that people behave as they do according to genetic predispositions (nature). Other scientists believe that people behave or think a certain way because they were taught to be that way (nurture). Scientists believe that DNA plays a part in human behaviors, and this debate continues (Powell, 2010). The endocrine system is made up of endocrine glands that produce hormones. Hormones are also involved in regulating the emotional life. Hormones organize the nervous system and body tissues plus they have a dramatic effect on mood (Morris & Maisto, 2002). The endocrine glands are located throughout the body. Thyroid gland is located just below the voice box and it produces Thyroxin, which regulates the body’s metabolism rate. Too much or too little can affect how a person feels and behaves. The thyroid contains four tiny organs that control the calcium and phosphate within the body and can influence levels of excitability (Morris & Maisto, 2002). Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake...
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