Dopamine hypothesis & neural explanations

Created by: Kenzenooooooo
Created on: 30-11-20 15:55

Definitions
The dopamine (DA) hypothesis is a theory that proposes a biological cause of schizophrenia. This is the oldest theory about the cause of schizophrenia and was first presented in the 1960s.

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It suggests that schizophrenia is caused by too much DA transmission in the brain. Pharmacological evidence exists for this theory in that medications that block DA receptors helped decrease schizophrenic symptoms. DA enhancing medications can induce psyc

Definitions
Neural explanations suggest that abnormal levels of neurotransmitters, in particular serotonin and dopamine, are implicated in OCD. Neural explanations also suggest that particular regions of the brain, in particular the basal ganglia and orb

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A03
WHAT A03 POINTS CAN YOU THINK OF WITH NEURAL EXPLANATIONS

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The neurochemical explanations of offending behaviour have been criticized for being overly simplistic.

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Neural explanations of OCD focus on neurotransmitters as well as brain structures.

Neural explanations suggest that abnormal levels of neurotransmitters, in particular serotonin and dopamine, are implicated in OCD.

Neural explanations also suggest that particular regions of the brain, in particular the basal ganglia and orbitofrontal cortex, are implicated in OCD.

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How does glutamate work in the mesolimbic pathway?

Glutamate acts as a break and signals to GABA to inhibit D2 production, if this doesn't work GM falls, GABA falls and D2 rises = positive symptoms

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What is glutamate?

A neurotransmitter that produces psychotic symptoms when it is reduced

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What activities does dopamine play a key role in?

Guiding attention, so disturbances with dopamine levels may lead to problems relating to attention, perception and thought, found in people with schizophrenia.

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The original dopamine hypothesis thought schizophrenics had abnormally high levels of what?

D2 receptors on receiving neurons
Resulting in more dopamine binding and then more neurons firing.

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Hyperdopaminergia: This refers to higher than usual levels of dopamine in the subcortex (central areas of the brain). This is linked with positive symptoms such as hallucinations. There may be a higher number of dopamine receptors, causing over-activity o

Hypodopamineriga: This refers to lower than usual levels of dopamine in the cortex (outer part of the brain), where less dopamine is being transmitted across synapses. This is linked with negative symptoms, as there is a reducing in normal functioning.

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The neurochemical explanations of offending behaviour have been criticized for being overly simplistic.

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Neural explanations also suggest that particular regions of the brain, in particular the basal ganglia and orbitofrontal cortex, are implicated in OCD.

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Glutamate acts as a break and signals to GABA to inhibit D2 production, if this doesn't work GM falls, GABA falls and D2 rises = positive symptoms

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Dopamine hypothesis & neural explanations