Biological psychology
Lecture 1 Evolution genetics 4
Descent of modern humans 4
DNA 4
Mendelian genetics 4
Genotype and phenotype 5
Protein synthesis 5
Protein and enzymes 5
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) 5
Epigenetics 6
Lecture 2 Communication and endocrine system 7
The animal/human cell 7
Cellular communication 8
Neurotransmitters 8
Hormones: communication between cells, long distance 8
3 chemical classes 8
Neuroendocrine control 9
The pituitary gland: the mastergland 9
Lecture 3 Development 11
General development 11
Neural development 11
Neurulation 11
Brain parts 12
Gene x environment interaction 12
Lecture 4 The immune system 13
Function of the immune system 13
Viral infection 13
Innate immune response (non-specific) 13
The adaptive immune response (specific) 14
Vaccination 15
Immunodeficiency 16
Lecture 5 Homeostatis 17
Reflex/cephalic phase 17
Absorptive/gastric state 17
Postabsorptive state 18
Insulin and glucagon 18
Hunger 18
Thirst 19
Anorexia nervosa 19
Metabolic rate 19
,Lecture 6 Psychopharmacology 20
Pharmacokinetics - what the body does to the drug 20
Pharmacodynamics - what the drug does to the body 21
Psychiatric medications 22
Lecture 7 Emotions 23
Evolution 23
Theoretical approaches 23
Emotions and the brain 24
Lecture 8 Sex 25
Sex and reproduction 25
Menstrual cycle and ovulation 25
Sexual development 26
Genotype vs Phenotype 26
Male and female brain 26
Lecture 9 Personality 28
Type D personality 28
Type D personality and cardiovascular disease 28
Pathophysiological mechanisms 28
Health behavior mechanisms 29
Lecture 10 Heart and brain 30
Cardiovascular diseases 30
Risk factors 30
Psychosocial risk factors 30
Acute psychological risk factors 31
Episodic psychological risk factors 31
Lecture 11 Social interactions 33
Sociobiology 33
Group’s definitional features 33
Brain and social behavior 34
Uniting or dividing 34
Social hierarchy and health 35
Dominance-related stress 35
Lecture 12 Depression 36
Theories of depression 36
Norepinephrine hypothesis 36
Treatments 37
Depression and somatic disorders 37
Lecture 13 Stress and anxiety 39
Stress and physiological effects 39
Physiological changes in stress 39
Anxiety 39
,Lecture 1 Evolution genetics
Descent of modern humans
Homo sapiens is one species that all humans belong to.
Y-chromosomal Adam: most recent common ancestor.
Mitochondrial Eve: most recent womn we descent from. All mitochrondia comes from the
woman.
Out of Africa hypothesis: life forms evolved from africa.
Human development goes from amphibians - reptiles -
mammals. 3 billion nucleotides (letters) make up the four-letter
DNA alphabet. Each cell contains 5cm of DNA, we have 10
trillion cells. Chromosomes are rolled up in DNA.
Charles Darwin travelled the world and wrote ‘Voyage of the
Beagle’. He explained natural selection (variation, heritability,
struggle for existence, survival and reproductive rates).
DNA
Human karyotype: 46 chrmosomes (22 identical pairs from parents and 1 set
of sex chromosomes (XX vs XY).
Genome: the whole of the genetic information of an organism.
Chromosome: a long strand of DNA wound around histones, which are
proteins used to fold DNA so it doesnt become entangled. .
Telomere: region at the end of the chromosome, protects DNA during cell
division.
Centromere: junction of the chromosome, doesn’t contain genetic
information.
Gene: part of DNA that contains information how to make a protein.
Allele: two alternative forms of a gene found at the same place on a
chromosome, like color gene.
Mendelian genetics
Dichotomous traits: characteristics that are in one form or another (flower could be blue or
yellow). Trait can be dominant or recessive. Through generations people can still carry the
recessive trait. When ovum and sperm are formed they can only carry one factor. Gene can
be:
- Homozygous: identical on both alleles
- Heterozygous: different on each allele, dominant allele will
determine the trait.
Autosomal dominant trait: mother is homozygous and father is
heterosygous. When the affected allele is inherited by next generation,
the person IS affected because its dominant.
X-linked recessive inheritance: white allele is recessive trait for a
condition, mother is heterozygous, not present in the Y-chromosome so
it’s X-linked: girls can only be carrier and 50% of boys get this disease.
Genotype and phenotype
Genotype: the genetic makeup of a cell in an organism.
Phenotype: observed trait in the organism based on genes and the
environment (how it expresses itself).
AA is dark, Aa is dark and aa is light.
, Protein synthesis
DNA compromises of 4 nucleotides (A T C G), A&T and C&G are base pairs and always
combiend. This contains instructions how to make a protein. DNA replicates itself before
another cell can be created.
- Transcription: a piece of DNA is copied into mRNA.
Happens in the nucleus. The opposite of the letters A
T C G create codons (pairs of 3), which is primary
RNA transcript.
- Splicing: cleaning up the ‘recipe book’ and excluding
parts that are not necessary (introns). Primary RNA
transcript includes exons (exit the nucleus) and
removes introns (in the nucleus). The extrons form
the mRNA.
- Translation into amino acids: mRNA connects with ribosome, each mRNA codon
sticks with tRNA anticodon. Happens in the cytoplasm. There are 21 different amino
acids, the codons are the key to which amino acid will be placed in the protein. When
mRNA turns into tRNA, itis the opposite letters. (UGG -> ACC).
- Each new amino-acid combines with the previous one and start to form a chain, the
protein.
- Post-translational protein processing: a primary protein can be split into different
proteins, creating multiple proteins from one gene.
Protein and enzymes
What can proteins do? Building blocks of your body, can form receptors for
neurotransmitters, form ribosome to create new proteins, kill invaders of the immune system,
fuel energy. Can be an enzyme to metabolize chemical reactions.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter created from the amino acid L-tryptophan. Enzyme A and B
are needed to convert L-tryptophan into serotonin. Another anzyme (C) can further convert
serotonin to another molecule. DNA via enzymes can control the production of serotonin.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
Differences and variations in the sequence of the bases of DNA between two people.
Polymorphism: a particular type of variation, usually disease and disorder.
- Normal sequence: AAATTT
- Slightly abnormal with no negative effects: AATTTT
- Abnormal with negative effects: AACTTT
Crossover: when two alleles are ready to divide, and the chromosomes are ready to cross
over and exchange part of themselves. Can cause tiny differences in the chromosome.
Other forms of DNA differences
- Tandem repeat / satellite DNA: repeated duplication of a DNA sequence consisting
of short repeated base-pair sequences. Can cause less transcription of a gene.
- Insertions and deletions: addition or loss of one or more nucleotides or sections of
chromosomes. Can cause a change in the transcription to amino acids.
- Inversion (segments of chromosomes turned around), translocation (crossover),
duplication (doubling or enlarging chromosome): change in part of chromosomes.
Epigenetics
The study of heritable phenotype changes that don’t involve alterations in the DNA
sequence. Twin studies:
Lecture 1 Evolution genetics 4
Descent of modern humans 4
DNA 4
Mendelian genetics 4
Genotype and phenotype 5
Protein synthesis 5
Protein and enzymes 5
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) 5
Epigenetics 6
Lecture 2 Communication and endocrine system 7
The animal/human cell 7
Cellular communication 8
Neurotransmitters 8
Hormones: communication between cells, long distance 8
3 chemical classes 8
Neuroendocrine control 9
The pituitary gland: the mastergland 9
Lecture 3 Development 11
General development 11
Neural development 11
Neurulation 11
Brain parts 12
Gene x environment interaction 12
Lecture 4 The immune system 13
Function of the immune system 13
Viral infection 13
Innate immune response (non-specific) 13
The adaptive immune response (specific) 14
Vaccination 15
Immunodeficiency 16
Lecture 5 Homeostatis 17
Reflex/cephalic phase 17
Absorptive/gastric state 17
Postabsorptive state 18
Insulin and glucagon 18
Hunger 18
Thirst 19
Anorexia nervosa 19
Metabolic rate 19
,Lecture 6 Psychopharmacology 20
Pharmacokinetics - what the body does to the drug 20
Pharmacodynamics - what the drug does to the body 21
Psychiatric medications 22
Lecture 7 Emotions 23
Evolution 23
Theoretical approaches 23
Emotions and the brain 24
Lecture 8 Sex 25
Sex and reproduction 25
Menstrual cycle and ovulation 25
Sexual development 26
Genotype vs Phenotype 26
Male and female brain 26
Lecture 9 Personality 28
Type D personality 28
Type D personality and cardiovascular disease 28
Pathophysiological mechanisms 28
Health behavior mechanisms 29
Lecture 10 Heart and brain 30
Cardiovascular diseases 30
Risk factors 30
Psychosocial risk factors 30
Acute psychological risk factors 31
Episodic psychological risk factors 31
Lecture 11 Social interactions 33
Sociobiology 33
Group’s definitional features 33
Brain and social behavior 34
Uniting or dividing 34
Social hierarchy and health 35
Dominance-related stress 35
Lecture 12 Depression 36
Theories of depression 36
Norepinephrine hypothesis 36
Treatments 37
Depression and somatic disorders 37
Lecture 13 Stress and anxiety 39
Stress and physiological effects 39
Physiological changes in stress 39
Anxiety 39
,Lecture 1 Evolution genetics
Descent of modern humans
Homo sapiens is one species that all humans belong to.
Y-chromosomal Adam: most recent common ancestor.
Mitochondrial Eve: most recent womn we descent from. All mitochrondia comes from the
woman.
Out of Africa hypothesis: life forms evolved from africa.
Human development goes from amphibians - reptiles -
mammals. 3 billion nucleotides (letters) make up the four-letter
DNA alphabet. Each cell contains 5cm of DNA, we have 10
trillion cells. Chromosomes are rolled up in DNA.
Charles Darwin travelled the world and wrote ‘Voyage of the
Beagle’. He explained natural selection (variation, heritability,
struggle for existence, survival and reproductive rates).
DNA
Human karyotype: 46 chrmosomes (22 identical pairs from parents and 1 set
of sex chromosomes (XX vs XY).
Genome: the whole of the genetic information of an organism.
Chromosome: a long strand of DNA wound around histones, which are
proteins used to fold DNA so it doesnt become entangled. .
Telomere: region at the end of the chromosome, protects DNA during cell
division.
Centromere: junction of the chromosome, doesn’t contain genetic
information.
Gene: part of DNA that contains information how to make a protein.
Allele: two alternative forms of a gene found at the same place on a
chromosome, like color gene.
Mendelian genetics
Dichotomous traits: characteristics that are in one form or another (flower could be blue or
yellow). Trait can be dominant or recessive. Through generations people can still carry the
recessive trait. When ovum and sperm are formed they can only carry one factor. Gene can
be:
- Homozygous: identical on both alleles
- Heterozygous: different on each allele, dominant allele will
determine the trait.
Autosomal dominant trait: mother is homozygous and father is
heterosygous. When the affected allele is inherited by next generation,
the person IS affected because its dominant.
X-linked recessive inheritance: white allele is recessive trait for a
condition, mother is heterozygous, not present in the Y-chromosome so
it’s X-linked: girls can only be carrier and 50% of boys get this disease.
Genotype and phenotype
Genotype: the genetic makeup of a cell in an organism.
Phenotype: observed trait in the organism based on genes and the
environment (how it expresses itself).
AA is dark, Aa is dark and aa is light.
, Protein synthesis
DNA compromises of 4 nucleotides (A T C G), A&T and C&G are base pairs and always
combiend. This contains instructions how to make a protein. DNA replicates itself before
another cell can be created.
- Transcription: a piece of DNA is copied into mRNA.
Happens in the nucleus. The opposite of the letters A
T C G create codons (pairs of 3), which is primary
RNA transcript.
- Splicing: cleaning up the ‘recipe book’ and excluding
parts that are not necessary (introns). Primary RNA
transcript includes exons (exit the nucleus) and
removes introns (in the nucleus). The extrons form
the mRNA.
- Translation into amino acids: mRNA connects with ribosome, each mRNA codon
sticks with tRNA anticodon. Happens in the cytoplasm. There are 21 different amino
acids, the codons are the key to which amino acid will be placed in the protein. When
mRNA turns into tRNA, itis the opposite letters. (UGG -> ACC).
- Each new amino-acid combines with the previous one and start to form a chain, the
protein.
- Post-translational protein processing: a primary protein can be split into different
proteins, creating multiple proteins from one gene.
Protein and enzymes
What can proteins do? Building blocks of your body, can form receptors for
neurotransmitters, form ribosome to create new proteins, kill invaders of the immune system,
fuel energy. Can be an enzyme to metabolize chemical reactions.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter created from the amino acid L-tryptophan. Enzyme A and B
are needed to convert L-tryptophan into serotonin. Another anzyme (C) can further convert
serotonin to another molecule. DNA via enzymes can control the production of serotonin.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
Differences and variations in the sequence of the bases of DNA between two people.
Polymorphism: a particular type of variation, usually disease and disorder.
- Normal sequence: AAATTT
- Slightly abnormal with no negative effects: AATTTT
- Abnormal with negative effects: AACTTT
Crossover: when two alleles are ready to divide, and the chromosomes are ready to cross
over and exchange part of themselves. Can cause tiny differences in the chromosome.
Other forms of DNA differences
- Tandem repeat / satellite DNA: repeated duplication of a DNA sequence consisting
of short repeated base-pair sequences. Can cause less transcription of a gene.
- Insertions and deletions: addition or loss of one or more nucleotides or sections of
chromosomes. Can cause a change in the transcription to amino acids.
- Inversion (segments of chromosomes turned around), translocation (crossover),
duplication (doubling or enlarging chromosome): change in part of chromosomes.
Epigenetics
The study of heritable phenotype changes that don’t involve alterations in the DNA
sequence. Twin studies:
