PSYC 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2.1: Ventromedial Nucleus Of The Hypothalamus, Neuroplasticity, Longitudinal Study

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jordan Poppenk

Document Summary

The process of neurotransmission underlies behaviour such as mood, memory, sexual arousal, and mental illness. Focus: example of how the neurotransmitter serotonin can affect behaviour. Researchers studied a group of buddhist monks who went on 72-hour pilgrimage to a holy mountain in japan. During their stay, they did not consume food or water, did not speak and were exposed to cold, late autumn weather. After 48 hours, they began to have hallucinations. Researchers took blood samples before the monks went to the mountain and immediately after the monks reported having hallucinations. Serotonin levels had increased in the monks" brains. These higher levels of serotonin activated parts of the brain called the hypothalamus and frontal cortex, resulting in hallucinations. Researchers concluded that sensory deprivation triggered release of serotonin, which altered the way that the monks experienced the world: martinez and kesner (1991) Background: neurotransmitters have been shown to have a range of different effects on human behaviour.