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Activity Handout 2.1
Neurotransmitters
Find the purpose of each of the neurotransmitters listed below. Also, describe what might happen to a person if they have an access amount or a lesser amount of the neurotransmitters.
Acetylcholine
stimulates the firing of neurons; action of muscles, learning, and memory
GABA
inhibits firing of neurons; low levels linked to anxiety
Norepinephrine
inhibits firing of neurons in the CNS but excites heart, intestines, and urogenital tract. Low levels associated with depression; high levels associated with mania
Dopamine
controls voluntary movement; affects sleep, mood, attention, and learning; low levels: Parkinson’s; High levels: schizophrenia.
Serotonin
regulation of selpp, mood, attention, and learning. Low levels: depression;
Endorphin
stimulates neurons and shields body from pain
Oxytocin
love and human bonding
Activity Handout 2.2
What’s In Your Medicine Cabinet?
Go home and take a look in your medicine cabinet. Take out all the prescription medications. Go on the Internet and search for each of the medications. Find out what warnings are for the medications and if they are agonists or antagonists.
Agonist: any drug that mimics a neurotransmitter; for example, morphine, any amphetamine, valium, any anti-anxiety drug
Antagonist: any drug that inhibits a neurotransmitter; for example, schizophrenia drugs
Activity Handout 2.3
Which Hemisphere is It?
Read each of the below activities and then state which hemisphere (the left or the right) controls that behavior.
1. Writing lecture notes while in class - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
verbal processing in left
2. Watching your favorite TV show - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
nonverbal information and visual recognition are right
3. Catching a ball in left field - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
visual information from the left is processed on the right side
4.Doing math problems for a homework assignment - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
math is left
5. Doing a crossword puzzle in the newspaper - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
words and language are left
6. Running a marathon - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
Both; parietal lobe controls motor activity
7. Listening to a love song with your significant other - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
symbols and emotion are right
8. Putting together a desk you just bought at the local office superstore - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
spatial reasoning is right
9. Taking a spelling test - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
grammar is left
10.Doing your yearly taxes - LEFT or RIGHT (circle one) Why?
math is left
Activity Handout 2.4
The Human Genome Project
Go to the following web site:
and read about The Human Genome Project.
Next go to this web site:
Choose a topic under the heading, “Disease Intervention”, then write a 1-2 page paper summarizing what you read. Also write about your thoughts on The Human Genome Project.
From website: “…commercial efforts are shifting away from diagnostics and toward developing a new generation of therapeutics based on genes. Drug design is being revolutionized as researchers create new classes of medicines based on a reasoned approach to the use of information on gene sequence and protein structure function rather than the traditional trial-and-error method. Drugs targeted to specific sites in the body promise to have fewer side effects than many of today's medicines. The potential for using genes themselves to treat disease--gene therapy--is the most exciting application of DNA science. It has captured the imaginations of the public and the biomedical community for good reason. This rapidly developing field holds great potential for treating or even curing genetic and acquired diseases, using normal genes to replace or supplement a defective gene or to bolster immunity to disease (e.g., by adding a gene that suppresses tumor growth).”
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