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Week 1: History and Theories of Psychopathology Functions of Brain Regions • Brainstem and the thalamic reticular activating system provide arousal and set up attention • posterior cortex integrates perceptions and generates language • frontal cortex generates programs and executes plans like an orchestra conductor (the highest level) • Cerebrum - Higher cognitive functions such as judgment, imagination, perception, thought and decision-making o cerebral cortex is especially important for personality and intelligence o two symmetrical hemispheres that each play slightly different roles regarding speech, language learning, and vision • Cerebellum - voluntary motor movements, balance, equilibrium, and muscle tone o Damage to the cerebellum can result in loss of motor control, weak muscles, abnormal eye movements, slurred speech, and staggering • Diencephalon - thalamus and the hypothalamus o Hypothalamus – control of appetite, temperature, blood pressure, perspiration, and sexual drive o relay point between subcortical areas of the brain and the cerebral cortex o Autonomic nervous system “fight or flight†o relays information about the auditory, visceral, visual, somatic and gustatory systems o control of immune responses, blood pressure, digestion, and body temperature • Brainstem - main junction between the brain and the rest of the body o brain joins with the spinal cord to send and receive information from every inch of our bodies o breathing, heart rate, digestion, and our body’s natural rhythms o includes the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain Pathophysiology neurotransmitter involvement with mental health disorders • Serotonin - o involved in the regulation of various activities (e.g. behavior, mood, and memory, sleep, and appetite, encouragement of socialization) o has some influences on learning, memory, and other cognitive abilities o primary treatment target for many psychiatric and neurological disorders (e.g. major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, aggressive behavior, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, panic disorders, social phobia, bipolar disorder, atypical depression, and migraine • Dopamine – o Too much – positive symptoms of schizophrenia and psychosis o Too little – Parkinson’s disease, depression, ADHD, anxiety o Mesolimbic pathway – § pleasure and reward pathway; overstimulation of NAc leads to euphoria and risk for cravings and withdraw (addiction) § involved in cognition, working memory and decision making in the prefrontal cortex o Nigrostriatal dopamine pathway –
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