COGSCI 115 - midterm sec 2 UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
epigenetics - CORRECT ANSWER genetically based traits can be modified by
environmental factors & experience
MAOA - CORRECT ANSWER (monoamine oxidase A)
warrior gene
- 1/3 people have low activity MAOA + high aggression
- 2/3 have high activity MAOA
short supply of MAOA - CORRECT ANSWER brain is overstimulated by monoamines:
- adrenaline
- dopamine
- norepinephrine
==> increase aggression
MAOA & antisocial? - CORRECT ANSWER there is NO association
- only men who had been abused as a child 8% high risk of antisocial
- these men were 6 times more likely to convict crimes
anxiety in rats (Meaney) - CORRECT ANSWER anxious rats:
- freeze in unfamiliar places
- release glucocorticoids
==>
excess cortisol, impair hippocampus to encode and recall memories
, relaxed rats:
- explore new surroundings
- even with electric shock only little stress hormone
==>
had hippocampi with more glucocorticoid receptors, more sensitive to effects of stress so didn't
need to produce cortisol as much (lower stress)
why did the rats have more glucocorticoid receptors? - CORRECT ANSWER - because
their mothers lavished them with licks and grooming
- prenatal environment: stress in utero, rat learns that the world is a stressful place --> overactive
amygdala, fewer connections in hippocampus
Darlene Francis research - CORRECT ANSWER anxiety is not genetic
- embryo of normal rat implanted into fearful rat and the rat grew up to be stressed
- nurturing mother: more receptors, lowered levels of glucocorticoids
- neglectful mother:
a cluster of atoms of methyl group sit on the glucocorticoid receptors and shut it off
chromosome - CORRECT ANSWER a strand of DNA with associated proteins found in
nucleus
- carries genetic info
gene - CORRECT ANSWER the functional unit of the chromosome which directs
synthesis of one or more proteins
- they have the recipe to produce all proteins (enzymes) a body can make
- control chemical reactions that can take place in a body
Mechanisms of epigenetics - CORRECT ANSWER 1) methyl groups --> DNA need
outside instructions
2) histones --> control how tightly or loosely the DNA is
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
epigenetics - CORRECT ANSWER genetically based traits can be modified by
environmental factors & experience
MAOA - CORRECT ANSWER (monoamine oxidase A)
warrior gene
- 1/3 people have low activity MAOA + high aggression
- 2/3 have high activity MAOA
short supply of MAOA - CORRECT ANSWER brain is overstimulated by monoamines:
- adrenaline
- dopamine
- norepinephrine
==> increase aggression
MAOA & antisocial? - CORRECT ANSWER there is NO association
- only men who had been abused as a child 8% high risk of antisocial
- these men were 6 times more likely to convict crimes
anxiety in rats (Meaney) - CORRECT ANSWER anxious rats:
- freeze in unfamiliar places
- release glucocorticoids
==>
excess cortisol, impair hippocampus to encode and recall memories
, relaxed rats:
- explore new surroundings
- even with electric shock only little stress hormone
==>
had hippocampi with more glucocorticoid receptors, more sensitive to effects of stress so didn't
need to produce cortisol as much (lower stress)
why did the rats have more glucocorticoid receptors? - CORRECT ANSWER - because
their mothers lavished them with licks and grooming
- prenatal environment: stress in utero, rat learns that the world is a stressful place --> overactive
amygdala, fewer connections in hippocampus
Darlene Francis research - CORRECT ANSWER anxiety is not genetic
- embryo of normal rat implanted into fearful rat and the rat grew up to be stressed
- nurturing mother: more receptors, lowered levels of glucocorticoids
- neglectful mother:
a cluster of atoms of methyl group sit on the glucocorticoid receptors and shut it off
chromosome - CORRECT ANSWER a strand of DNA with associated proteins found in
nucleus
- carries genetic info
gene - CORRECT ANSWER the functional unit of the chromosome which directs
synthesis of one or more proteins
- they have the recipe to produce all proteins (enzymes) a body can make
- control chemical reactions that can take place in a body
Mechanisms of epigenetics - CORRECT ANSWER 1) methyl groups --> DNA need
outside instructions
2) histones --> control how tightly or loosely the DNA is
