PY 358 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Social Skills, Bilateral Cingulotomy, Diazepam

• School: University of Alabama
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PY 358
• Professor: Theodore Tomeny

Document Summary

Differences in brain functioning and brain structure. Neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin (responsible for mood, thoughts, behavior, and appetite) and gaba (the body"s natural way to decrease anxiety, natural valium ) A conflict exists between the id ( childish wants) and ego ( adult ways of thinking) Defense mechanisms, especially repression and displacement, result in phobias. Information is processed differently, leading to the development of anxiety. Distorted cognitions or faulty beliefs (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ssris) for the depletion of serotonin in the neural synapses (cid:1) Use of benzodiazepines to allow gaba to transmit nerve signals more effectively, which reduces anxiety (cid:1) Only considered if a patient has failed to benefit from medication and therapy. Cingulotomy- more common option, involves inserting thin probes into the portion of the brain called the cingulate bundle where the probes burn selective portions of the brain tissue.