Neurotransmitters

=Neurotransmitters= **Learning outcome:**
 * **Using one or more examples, explain effects of neurotransmission on human behavior**

> //"One study that demonstrates the role .........plays in ..........is .......... "//(Study 1: brief overview of aim, procedure, findings)
 * Outline of the SAQ **
 * Definition of a neurotransmitter
 * 2 sentences on how neurotransmitters work - role and process
 * Identify your topic -> the neurotransmitter your answer will discuss
 * "//Serotonin is connected to .............//(type of behavior)
 * (Study 1: brief overview of aim, procedure, findings)
 * Connect conclusions of the study to the role played by serotonin - __**be specific**__
 * Study 2 - //same pattern of explanation//
 * Make sure connections between the topic and the evidence (studies) are __**explicit**__.

=**Communication within and between neurons**=

Neurological control
Explore the action potential, the creation of synaptic signals, and neurotransmission on [|Brain Explorer]

[|Read the information about neurotransmitters and amino acids here]
 * Where do neurotransmitters come from? (clue: //what you eat is what you are!!//) **

(When preparing to write an SAQ on this topic, construct an answer that will take approximately 20 minutes to write)
 * SAQ practice question**
 * //Explain the role of neurotransmitters in the brain.//**
 * Explain neural transmission
 * Be able to identify and discuss at least 2 neurotransmitters and their role in specific behaviors
 * Be able to support your discussion with reference to specific studies (researcher/s, aim, findings)

**Workbook**
[|Review modules] Current debate: Do neurons regenerate? [|Source 1] [|Source 2 - zebrafish research]
 * [|Module 1]The General Anatomy of the Neuron**
 * [|Module 2]The Neuron At Rest and Conducting**


 * [|Module 3]Neural Influences**

=Neurotransmitters and behavior=

See Crane and Hadad, page 40 for the overview of behaviors affected by the neurotransmitters listed below
 * You should know the effects of at least TWO neurotransmitters on behavior**

**Key neurotransmitters**
An overview of key neurotransmitters on [|Brain Explorer]

Love

 * 1) media type="custom" key="11217454" width="80" height="80" [|Helen Fisher studies the brain in love]  (an overview of localization of love)
 * 2) media type="custom" key="11217430"Helen Fisher [|discussing why we love and cheat]( //Both Helen Fisher talks refer to localization, the roles of neurotransmitters and hormones, and evolutionary explanations. If you are taking notes, for this section, take what is relevant to the learning outcome - the **role** of neurotransmitters in the brain// )
 * 3) A link to research on [|the brain in love and lust] (dopamine AND serotonin)

Schizophrenia
(Eysenck //A2 level Psychology//, pages 392 - 393)
 * 1) **The dopamine hypothesis** - "patients with **schizophrenia** have excessive levels of dopamine:
 * Keep in mind that this is a hypothesis. Research indicates that dopamine is important in some way, but it is not conclusive yet as to whether excessive dopamine levels //caused// the schizophrenia or are a consequence of //having// schizophrenia

Click [|here] for an overview of evidence for and against the dopamine hypothesis, as well as an overview of schizophrenia

Dopamine, pleasure centers and addiction
[|A basic overview] [|Back to the limbic system] (scroll down the page to the section on "Pleasure centers") [|Dopamine and why it's hard to say "no"] [|Role of dopamine in addiction causation] (Read this article for the moodle activity that we will complete in class)

Serotonin
Study: Kasamatsu and Hirai (Crane & Hadad, page 40)
 * Aim - to investigate how sensory deprivation affects the brain
 * increase in serotonin levels
 * activated hypothalamus and frontal cortex
 * subjects experienced **hallucinations**

Serotonin and aggression
page 288 [|Violence and serotonin]
 * Further reading**

Acetylcholine
Study: Martinez and Kesner experimented with acetylcholine levels in rats in training them to go through a maze (Crane & Hadad, page 41) Extended reading : //Changes in patterns of brain ACh release// - a study by Qing Chang and Paul E. Gold, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
 * Memory formation**