PSYCH261 Chapter Notes -Postpartum Depression, Prefrontal Cortex, Fluvoxamine

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH261
• Professor: Daniel Smilek

Document Summary

Psych 261 physiological psychology. Drop in estradiol and progesterone. Induces drowsiness, dry mouth, difficulty urinating, heart irregularities. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ssris) block serotonin reuptake: ex. Altered sleep patterns: teenagers who reported daily problems in falling or staying asleep are likely to develop depression. Other therapies: regular, non- strenuous exercise for half an hour or more per day. Increases blood flow to brain. Unipolar disorder: vary between normality and depression. Diagnosis: not related to dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder) If mother was exposed to extreme stress early in pregnancy, risk increases. Linked to head injuries in early childhood. Neurons may be shrinking without dying: most damage is apparent early on, and later changes are often small. Drugs increase/prolong activity at dopamine synapses: people with schizophrenia have about twice as many d2 (dopamine) receptors occupied as normal. Greater amount of d2 receptor activation in the prefrontal cortex leads to greater cognitive impairment.