Memory

What makes the brain susceptible to closed head injury even when there is no skull fracture?

What is the difference between retrograde amnesia and anterograde amnesia?

Be familiar with the case of HM and what memory functions were lost and which remained after the surgery to treat his epilepsy

What aspects of memory are impaired by damage to the hippocampus & surrounding tissue? What aspects are not affected?

What is the difference between declarative memories and nondeclarative memories? What kinds of memories are in the declarative category? What kinds are nondeclarative?

Where are the final "memory banks" for declarative memories? For nondeclarative memories?  What part of the brain mediates working memory?

Contrast 2 other well known memory disorders (Korsakoff's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease) with the amnesia produce by hippocampal damage. 
    what parts of the brain are involved and how 
    what aspects of memory are affected 
    who suffers from the problem 
    what is known about the cause(s) 
    what do these problems share in common 

What is the role of the amygdala in memory? The cerebellum & basal ganglia?

Psychological Disorders

What are the symptoms and common characteristics of schizophrenia?

what data suggest a role of genetics in the occurrence of schizophrenia?
what does the vulnerability model propose?

what is the dopamine theory? What evidence supports this theory?

what is the neurodevelopmental theory of schizophrenia? What evidence supports this theory?

What are some of the prenatal or neonatal factors associated with increased risk of schizophrenia?
What is the season of birth effect? What factor does it suggest might play a role in the causation of schizophrenia?

What are some of the ways in which brain anatomy or brain activity differ from normal in schizophrenics?

How do antipsychotic medications work?  What are the differences between old (typical) and new (atypical) antipsychotics?
Name an example of each.
What are the most problematic side effects of antipsychotics and what are they called?
What is the glutamate hypothesis? What evidence supports this theory?


What are the symptoms of major depression?

What evidence suggests a role for genetics in depression?
What is an example of gene-environment interaction?

How might the brain activity of someone with depression differ from normal?
How might the circadian rhythms of someone with depression differ from normal?
What circadian rhythm related "treatment" might provide temporary relief of depression symptoms?

What are the characteristics of seasonal affective disorder?
How is it treated?

What does the Monoamine theory of mood/depression propose?

What are the 3 main categories of antidepressants, an example of each, and how does each work? 
In what way is their effect on brain chemistry similar? Do they fit with the monoamine theory?
What may be a new treatment for depression?

What available treatment provides the fastest relief of suicidal depression symptoms?


What does the neurogenic theory of depression propose? How might this theory explain the delayed effectiveness of common antidepressants?


What neurotransmitter has been most strongly linked to anxiety disorders?

How do antianxiety medications like Xanax affect this transmitter?

What are "endozepines"?

Some antianxiety medications work on a different transmitter. Which and how?

What brain area is associated with the experience of anxiety/fear?

What neurological association suggests a biological basis for OCD?