Sexual Differentiation
describe the relationship of the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary (how does it control the anterior pituitary?)
draw the chain of command (hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, ovaries or testes and write in what kind of hormones are released at each level (related to sexuality). Draw in the negative feedback loops as well. What actually provides the feedback signal?
What is meant when we say sex hormones have ORGANIZING/developmental effects?
How does a sex chromosome play a role in the very first step of sexual differentiation? (be specific) What is the gene called?
Beyond that first step, what has the strongest influence on the remainder of sexual differentiation? (be specific)
describe how one comes to have either male (wolffian) and/or female (mullerian) ducts
what is mullerian inhibiting hormone?
describe how one comes to have either male or female genitalia (or something in between)
what is dihydrotestosterone?
what do we mean by a sensitive period (or critical period)?
can you predict the effects of alterations in the early hormone environment (e.g. giving females androgens, removing androgens from males, giving huge doses of estrogens)
by what mechanism does testosterone appear to "masculinize" the brain of rats (and probably some other species too)
what is the role of alpha-fetoprotein (in this situation)
what is the sexually dimorphic nucleus? what is the analgous structure in humans?
give several behavioral and anatomical examples of how "sexual" differentiation affects more than sexual behavior and orientation
contrast "activational" effects (when they most often occur, how lasting they are) with organizational/developmental effects
 
what is likely to happen to sexual differentation (and what might happen in terms of gender identity later on) is these cases?
XY male with a mutated or missing SRY gene
XX female who receive a SRY through a crossing over in here father's genetic material
XY male who lacks the gene which produces androgen receptors
XX female who is exposed to somewhat higher than normal levels of androgens in utero
XX female who is exposed to very high levels of androgens in utero
XX female who is exposed to abnormally high levels of estrogens in utero
XY male with a defective gene for the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase
what biological factors  would continue to influence the gender identity of the male child raised as a female after accidental removal of penis during circumcision?
what research findings support a role for each of the following in homosexual orientation:
genetics
early hormone (but not adult hormone) levels
stress during gestation having older brothers
brain differences

Memory

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 is the difference between implicit and explicit memories (or the related terms procedural vs declarative memories)What are semantic memories? Episodic memories?

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

Psychological Disorders

what data suggest a role of genetics in the occurrence of schizophrenia?

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?

Various types of research/evidence supporting a biological contribution to the occurrance of depression
Give examples of at least 5 different kinds of research findings relating biological factors to mood/mood disorders.

What evidence suggests a role for genetics in depression?
What other biological factors can play a role in mood disorders?
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?

What changes in brain anatomy or functioning are associated with mood disorders?
What does the neuroplasticity/neurogenesis theory of depression propose?

If we have time we might also get to the following:

What differences in brain have been linked to anxiety/fear?

What neurotransmitter has been most strongly linked to anxiety disorders?

How do antianxiety medications affect this transmitter?

Some antianxiety medications work on a different transmitter. Which and how? (are they agonists or antagonists?)

What is Urbach-Wiethe disease and its affect on anxiety?

What is known about the biological influences on OCD?

How about Tourette's syndrome?

What medications are used to treat each of these and what neurotransmitter do these meds influence?