Acephalia
A Review of the Effects of Steroid Hormones and Neuropeptides on Social-Emotional Behavior
Bos, Peter A., Panksepp, Jaak, Bluthé, Rose-Marie, & van Honk, Jack (2011). Acute effects of steroid hormones and neuropeptides on human social–emotional behavior: A review of single administration studies. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology 33 (2012) 17-35.
1. Introduction/Background Information The discovery of hormones and their function has been relatively recent. The term was first coined by Professor Earnest Starling in 1905. He derived the word from the Greek meaning “to arouse or excite.” However, the idea of the role hormones could be traced back as far as ancient Greece. Though Hippocrates’ theory on humors has been refuted, the
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The neuro-developmental effects of these chemicals are comparatively well-known, while their impact on human conduct has yet to be fully comprehended.
2. Goals of the study The main goal of this study was to review all of the placebo-controlled single hormone administration studies addressing human social-emotional behavior, involving the peptides oxytocin and vasopressin, and the steroids testosterone and estradiol. This research gives insight into the underlying neural mechanisms and also demonstrates substantial hormonal control over human behavior. After reviewing and discussing the placebo-controlled studies, they proposed a theoretical model that synthesized detailed knowledge of neuroendocrinology of social-emotional behavior in animals, as-well-as the recently gained data on humans. The study of emotional and behavioral disorders have become more popular in the last twenty years. Characteristics of these irregularities include: learning disabilities that are not explainable by either sensory, health, or intellectual factors; persistently inappropriate feelings and conduct; and/or chronic unhappiness or depression (gadoe.org). The authors of this study thoroughly analyzed the underlying neural mechanisms of supplemental hormones and how they affect participants as opposed to using a placebo. Research into human behavior as it relates to neuroendocrinology will be crucial to future generations and their interrelations.
3. Methods and
The most fascinating example of such a mistaken assumption, for me personally, was in the titular essay “The Trouble with Testosterone”. The correlation between high testosterone and male aggression – and the absence of male aggression after castration – had long led scientists to believe that spikes in testosterone caused the spike in aggression. In other words, the hormone was the cause of the behavior. However, Sapolsky finds that it is the aggressive behavior that causes the spike in testosterone, not the other way around (although the absence of the hormone entirely does reduce the aggression to a degree). This is because human behavior, as shown in various studies, is affected by a very wide range of biochemical processes in the body. Many other chemicals and hormones are contributing to human behavior, not just one chemical or just one hormone. I found this fascinating because it completely changes the way we look at “manly” behavior. Because if aggression isn’t caused by the “male hormone”, that makes it easier to explain similar aggressive behaviors in females as well. It also made me realize how complex our bodies really are, because there is no one cause for
The IDEA lists 13 different disability categories which children and young adults aged 3-year-olds to 21-year-olds may be eligible for services. Emotional disturbance is one of the 13 disability categories under the IDEA and is the label Sarah was served under. Under the IDEA, emotional disturbance means a condition revealing inability to learn which cannot be clarified by other factors; difficulty building or maintaining reasonable interpersonal relationships with classmates and teachers; unsuitable types of conduct or emotions under ordinary conditions; and general persistent mood of unhappiness or depression.). Sarah met three criteria to be served under the ED label which included her 4 years of behaviors out of the norm, the severity of
Testosterone is a hormone that is more concentrated in men than in women as it is a male sex hormone, it is thought to influence aggression from a young age onwards, due to its actions on the brain areas involved in controlling aggression. One research study that was done on testosterone involved measuring the testosterone found in the saliva of violent and non-violent criminals. This study was concluded by Dabbs et al
The goal of this course is to provide students with an overview of topics related to abnormal psychology. The primary emphasis of this course will be on classification of psychopathology and the symptoms associated with different syndromes.
There are four main factors of emotional and behavioral disorders; biological disorders and diseases, pathological family relationships, undesirable experiences at school, and negative cultural influences. Most students with EBD fall into the normal IQ range, but EDB can prevent students from performing their best. They are smarter than their tests show, but their disability holds them back from showing us their potential on said tests. EBD individuals normally have aggressive behavior and act out, as well as being immature, withdrawn
Interaction between hormones and behavior has shown to be linked to higher aggression and hostility. The aggression found relates to sexual maturation and genetic characteristics. Androgens and testosterone are major influences of aggression. Hormones affect behavior and emotions. These aggressive effects can stem from contemporaneous organizational influences.
The experiment shows reductionism. The intricate idea of ‘aggression’ and ‘generosity’ are studied and a cause and effect relationship is established between them and testosterone. The amygdala and hypothalamus play an important role in emotions (aggression). However, there was no mention of their role in the body nor how it may affect the results in different ways.
It seems as though throughout the years, the usage of steroids has always been to enhance your performance, whether that be for a sport or body mass and muscle strength in general. I find this chapter in Psychology interesting, because It goes hand and hand with Anatomy, which I am currently learning. I would like to further explore the basics on where our body produces natural steroids, the effects on the endocrine and reproductive system due to steroid use, and lastly, the damage steroid use can have on your mentality.
Psychological disorders are stated to be abnormalities of the mind, known as mental disorders (Klasco, 2011). Abnormalities of the mind cause persistent behaviors that affect an individual’s daily function and life (Klasco, 2011). The different types of psychological disorders include mood disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders (Klasco, 2011). The causes of these disorders are unknown, but factors that contribute to these disorders include childhood experiences, chemical imbalances in the brain, illnesses, heredity, stress, and prenatal exposures (Klasco, 2011). Psychological disorders can be serious and can be life-threatening
to produce hormones that are beneficial to the activation of others parts of the brain and body. (Berger 201, pgs. 217-219)
All behaviour is provided by the nervous system from a blinking eye to talking. Everything we do relies on the integration of numerous processes within the body, which is controlled by the nervous system (Atkinson et al. 1990). It wasn’t until the late 19th Century with the development of stronger magnifying lenses and staining techniques that the nervous system could be looked at in detail (Wickens, 2005). The integrating units of the nervous system are specialized cells called neurons. There are approximately 1 billion neurons in a human brain. What makes them more astonishing is that each single neuron is connected with around 10,000 others (Wickens,
Hypothalamic, pituitary, and testicular tissues were collected to quantify mRNA levels using qPCR. Accordingly, KISS1, Kiss1r, and GNRH mRNA levels in the hypothalamus were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Immunization with active kisspeptin DNA vaccine suppresses feedback regulation of the gonads in the hypothalamus and synthesis of GNRH in the hypothalamus. It is believed that the kisspeptin- Kiss1r system has been a significant integrator of multiple hormonal and physiological signals with GNRH neurons. Xing-fa et al. [2014] showed that the level of KISS1 mRNA and that of KISS1 receptor Kiss1r in the hypothalamus were notably reduced after immunological or surgical castration. The amount of GNRH mRNA in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus and mRNAs of genes in the sex-hormone negative-feedback loops in the hypothalamus were decreased in pregnenolone-immunized rabbits compared to controls. The actions of GNRH are mediated by kisspeptin neurons, which express steroid receptors [García-Galiano et al., 2011].
The importance of the amygdala in social cognitions has been examined in both primate and human studies. Use of primates to study the social brain suggests that the amygdala contributes to social cognition. Kluver and Bucy made large bilateral lesions in monkey brains made across the amygdala, temporal neocortex, and surrounding structure. After the lesion, the animals engaged in hypersexual behaviors, unusual tameness, and a lack of knowledge about emotional stimuli. Lesions exclusively targeting the monkey’s amygdala resulted in similar, but more subtle impairments. This suggest that the amygdala may play a role in emotions elicited by social cues. Studies of the amygdala’s role in human social cognition suggest that the temporal lobes process socially relevant facial information from humans. Emotions from facial expressions, in particular fear are projected to the amygdala. Studies using FMRI to examine typical subjects and subjects with amygdala damage support this theory. Individuals with amygdala damage have difficulty recognizing facial expressions, specifically negative emotions such as fear.
Both glands produce two distinct hormones, but produce differing amounts of each hormone. Masculine hormones such as androgens and testosterone are predominately produced by male testes. These hormones at high levels can be related to aggressive behavior regardless of sex, but high levels are most commonly found in males. High levels of feminine hormones or estrogen, most commonly found in females, have recently been linked to aggressive behavior as well. While high levels of estrogen in females and high levels of testosterone in males have been linked to aggressive behavior, normal levels of these hormones have been known to cause aggression as well. Although these hormones have been related to human behavior, scientists have concluded that these hormones alone do not dictate behavior (Morris & Maisto, 2005).
The aim of this practical was to discover the effects that numerous hormones and drugs have on