...Research Paper: Toxicant MOS 5425 – Advanced Toxicology 2/3/2015 Background This paper will compare and contrast a toxin that affects the nervous system, one that affects the endocrine system and another that affects the cardiovascular system. Identify the characteristics that are shared by these toxins and characteristics of these toxins make these toxins vulnerable to toxicity of these specific systems? Central Nervous System Environmental contamination has exposed humans to various metal agents, including mercury. This exposure is more common than expected, and the health consequences of such exposure remain unclear. Mercury in the past was used in a numerous different activities, and now, exposure to this metal from both natural and artificial sources is significantly increasing. According to Azevedo, et al (2012), numerous studies show that high exposure to mercury can induce the following changes to humans such as the central nervous system, potentially resulting in irritability, fatigue, behavioral changes, tremors, headaches, hearing and cognitive loss, dysarthria, incoordination, hallucinations, and death. Endocrine System According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Endocrine disruptors are found in synthetic chemicals used in industrial solvents, lubricants, and their byproducts such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and dixons. Other examples of endocrine disruptors include bisphenol A (BPA)...
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...Psychology Psychology is the scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior. Mental processes include how a person thinks, feels, remembers as well as a person’s behavior. When a doctor needs to understand a person they need to know the person’s biology, psychological experience, and cultural context. People’s experiences during their life from birth to adulthood are what shape how they feel and think. Early psychologists established several approaches and schools of thoughts of psychology. These schools of thought are known as the psychodynamic, behaviorist, cognitive and evolutionary perspectives. They came up with these by research and study which will be discussed throughout this paper. In many respects, these perceptions have progressed independently, and at the center of each are singularities the others tend to ignore (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Despite their differences, each school of thought sought evolution for psychology as well as advancement of human understanding while remaining focused on the unique characteristics of contemporary psychology. Psychodynamic Perspective. The psychodynamic perspective belief is that most of the mental processes and emotions happen at the unconscious or subconscious levels, meaning below conscious awareness. Sigmund Freud was one of the most influential thinkers in the early twentieth century whose work in the psychodynamic perspective influenced...
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...Johnson Psychology/300 General Psychology March 07, 2014 Bradley Johnson, Ph.D. Foundations of Psychology Psychology is the study of the nature of homo sapiens, better known as scientific study and investigation of mental stabilities and activities. Through knowledgeable psychology was established from a powerful history of human beings that endeavored to acquire practical insight into one’s consciousness or demeanor. This type of study teaches what influences the behavior and mindset of men. Psychology has obtained roots in philosophy. There are numerous major schools of thought along with fundamental theories and assumptions which will be examined within this paper. Behavioral neuroscience or behavioral psychology involves evolution, heredity, adaptation, and ability to learn. The first psychology research laboratory ever launched was by Wilhelm Wundt that led to acknowledgement of psychology as a science in 1879(Peterson, &Nelson, 2011). In the early 1900’s it was thought that an individual’s environment affected learned reactions and behaviors. Maslow believed that people acquire and improve responses from incentives in their surroundings (Maslow, 1982). The Four Main Psychological Perspectives Are: The Psychodynamic Perspective This method was formed by a man named Sigmund Freud who thought ones actions dictated their mental thoughts or they were connected in some way (Robin Kowalski, 2011). Also he believed our mental events took place through our subconscious...
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...Foundations of Psychology Denise Silven PSY/300 General Psychology April 8, 2013 Kaisa Freeman Foundations of Psychology “Psychology is the scientific investigation of mental processes (thinking, remembering, feeling, etc.) and behavior” (Kowalski & Westen, 2011, p. 3). In order to understand a person, his or her biology, psychological experiences, and cultural context must be deciphered (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). This paper will include a discussion of the major schools of thought in psychology and the major underlying assumptions of these schools of thoughts, or perspectives. In addition, the primary biological foundations of psychology that are linked to behavior are identified. Major schools of thought in psychology According to Kowalski and Westen (2011), psychology has several schools of thought “that can be used to understand psychological events” (p. 13). The earliest schools of thought were structuralism and functionalism. Structuralism used introspection to reveal the structure of consciousness and functionalism searched for reasons for the psychological processes that helped people adapt to their environment. Other perspectives in psychology are psychodynamic, behaviorist, cognitive, and evolutionary. These perspectives were developed independently of one another; however, they have all made considerable contributions to the psychology arena. There are phenomena at the center of each of these perspectives that the other perspectives do not...
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...Multiple Sclerosis Laney B. Pope Health Science 1 Honors Hobbton High Sch L. Pope 2 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a long-lasting disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve of the eye. MS occurs when the immune system attacks a fatty material called myelin, which wraps around nerve fibers to protect them. Without myelin, nerves become damaged resulting in the brain being unable to send signals through the body. (WebMD). There are four types of MS; Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS), Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS), Primary-Progressive MS (PPMS), and Progressive-Relapsing MS (PRMS). Each type of MS is named according to the way the disease acts on the body over time. The severity and type of MS depends on the size and location of...
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...Volume : 2 | Issue : 7 | July 2013 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 Research Paper Education Role of Emotion in Learning Process N. Evelyn Thayamani KEYWORDS : Emotion, Learning, Feelings and Amygdala Research scholar,Center for Research in Education, Thava Thiru Kundrakudi Adigalar College Campus,Kundrakudi, Sivagangai District - 630 206. Tamil Nadu, South India Dr M. Parimala Fathima Research co-ordinator, Center for Research in Education, Thava Thiru Kundrakudi Adigalar Dr S. Mohan ABSTRACT College Campus,Kundrakudi, Sivagangai District - 630 206. Tamil Nadu, South India Director, Center for Research in Education, Thava Thiru Kundrakudi Adigalar College Campus,Kundrakudi, Sivagangai District - 630 206. Tamil Nadu, South India This study is an attempt to discuss the role of emotion in learning process. Emotions are important in the classroom in two major ways. First, emotions have an impact on learning. They influence our ability to process information and to accurately understand what we encounter. For these reasons, it is important for teachers to create a positive, emotionally safe classroom environment to provide for the optimal learning of students. Second, learning how to manage feelings and interfere with learning occurs when students are anxious about their school-work (Cole, 1991; Dobson & Dobson, 1981). Students who are depressed or anxious about learning often do not feel competent academically. Teachers will understand how their students’ ...
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... The miscellaneous condition of psychology is a scientific investigation of humankind mind, body, and behavior. Psychology includes different departments of psychology to apprehend and supervise observations on the mental technique of a person mind and behavior. Psychology is regularly used to establish the secrecy of the human behavior. Observation was the way to study a person mind to become aware of the mental conscious and unconscious states. As time went by psychology was established, alone with some major schools of thoughts. The paper below will examine the foundation of psychology, identify the major schools of thought in psychology, and examine their major underlying assumptions such as, behaviorism, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, humanistic, and cognitive. In addition, it will identify the primary biological foundations of psychology linked to behavior such as, brain, central nervous system, peripheral nervous System, and genetics/evolution. Behavioral Theory Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a learning theory established on the notion that behaviors are gathered by conditioning. Conditioning develops from influenced of the environment. There are two major types of conditioning classical and operant. Classical conditioning is a procedure used in behavioral training where a naturally stimulus is paired with a response. Operant conditioning is a procedure of learning that happens through rewards and punishments for behavior. Behaviorists...
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...Immunisation is the process of protecting the body against disease by means of vaccines or serums which contain antibodies. Antibodies defend the body in several ways, one of which removes the bodies body’s natural resistantresistance. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine) is an attenuated live virus, which helps the body produce antibodies and build immunity against the virus in case it comes into contract with it again. Since the introduction of the MMR vaccine there have been reported links that this vaccine causes autism and neurodevelopment disorders and affects the nervous system. It has been highlighted in the media that there is a possible connection between the MMR vaccinating vaccination and the formation if autism...
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...Foundations of Psychology In early years, there were two schools of thought called structuralism and functionalism. Structuralism is the area of psychology that studies the elements of consciousness, and functionalism studies how an individual adapts to his or her environment. These perspectives were founded in early years, but they did not end there (Kowalski & Westen, 2009, p. 10). Currently, there are four major schools of thought that guide psychological thinking. The following paper analyzes their underlying assumptions along with how the primary biological foundations of psychology are linked to an individual’s behavior. The first perspective is called the psychodynamic perspective. Psychodynamic Perspective The psychodynamic perspective proposes that people’s actions reflect the way thoughts, feelings, and wishes are associated in their minds; that many of these processes are unconscious; and that mental processes can conflict with one another, leading to compromises among competing motives (Kowalski & Westen, 2009, p. 14). This perspective focuses on the role of the unconscious mind. People have conscious desires and reasons for acting the way they do; however, there are unconscious motives that underlie their conscious intentions (Kowalski & Westen, 2009, p. 13). The next perspective is the behaviorist perspective. Behaviorist Perspective The behaviorist perspective focuses on the way objects or events in the environment come to control behavior (Kowalski...
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...Amanda Phillips Research Paper Professor Perry Fundamentals of Human Nutrition April 2, 2013 Vitamin B Complex is made up of several B vitamins. They are essential for the bodies normal functions. B vitamins can be referenced by many different names such as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. There are also their scientific names: thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin, nicotinamide or nicotinic acide amide (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid or folate (B9), and cobalamin (B12). Each vitamin B has its role in our health and is important for a healthy body. For example Vitamin B1, thiamin, plays many key roles in the body: metabolic cycle for generating energy, aids in the digestion of carbohydrates, essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system, muscles and heart; stabilizes the appetite; promotes growth and good muscle tone. Having a B1 deficiency may lead to mental depression and constipation; weakness and feeling tired; nervous irritability; insomnia; the loss of appetite; paralysis and loss of weight; or even heart and gastrointestinal problems. Vitamin B2, riboflavin, is necessary for carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism; aids in the formation of antibodies and red blood cells; maintains cell respiration; necessary for the maintenance of good vision, skin, nails, and hair; alleviates eye fatigue, promotes general health. Having a deficiency of B2 may result...
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...Running head: DRUG PROFILE PAPER Drug Profile Paper Sherita Brown Axia College of UOP Drug Profile Paper In this paper I will examine abused substances and their various effects; I will also explain the psychology and Physiology of drug addiction. Addiction begins as a high, as an illusion of being in control, but it eventually turns on the individual. The results are pathological relationships to a mood altering experience that brings negative, life destructive consequences. People become addicted to drugs due to a combination of factors. For example, genetic factors: some people may inherit a vulnerability to the addictive properties of drugs, meaning that the risk of substance use disorders is higher for individuals who have close relatives with substance abuse disorders (www.drugpolicy.org). The environment is another factor, for example, the home; neighborhood or community where people live has an influence on whether or not an individual develops a substance abuse problem. Additionally, research shows that more than half of people with substance problems also have mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. We can become addicted to anything that alters the consciousness and alters the mood. Psychological characteristics of an addict are more impulsive and more lacking in impulse control, they are inclined to act in accordance with their mood of the moment and tend not to plan for the future. The most common illegal stimulant is cocaine and...
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...Neuroinflammation is an important physiological consideration when investigating the etiology of schizophrenia; however, limited and ambiguous data exist on this phenomenon. This is a fundamental limitation to understanding the etiology of schizophrenia and determining treatment rationales. Thus, neuroinflammation offers important insights into the bidirectional association between the central nervous system and the immune system (O’Connor, Moynihan, & Castera, 2014). However, confounds exist in the literature that question the relationship between neuroinflammation and white matter pathology when attempting to discern the etiology of schizophrenia (Doorduin, de Vries, Willemsen, de Groot, Dierckx, & Klein, 2009). Therefore, this paper considers...
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...psychological stress (Schiepers, et al., 2008). Research shows that most controversy was over how the messages from the immune system were interpreted or translated into being a signal to the central nervous system (CNS). While most research agreed that there was a correlation in data between cytokines and depressive symptoms, they did not believe this indicated a causal link (Anisman, 2002). I have chosen to focus one of the most popular theories, the “cytokine theory of depression”, as I believe the research shows that it has a causal link between inflammation, cytokine activity and depressive symptoms (Roque, et al., 2009). This hypothesis recognises and explains the highly integrated processes and mechanisms that a person or animal goes through, from the initial stressor to displaying the depressive symptoms, termed as “sickness behaviour” (Dantzer, 2006). “Sickness Behaviour” is the term given to the symptoms caused by high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the periphery of the body; these symptoms overlap with the general characteristics of depression and include; decreased appetite, increased desire to sleep, cognitive dysfunction, social withdrawal and decreased sexual drive. It is believed that these symptoms result from the response by the body’s healing mechanisms, to ensure people with illnesses take respite during their recovery and healing phase (Wilson & Warise, 2008). The activation of the immune system is shown to have neural, neuroendocrine and behavioural...
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...1 A Critical Evaluation of the Use of Neonicotinoid Insecticides on Human Health Jess A. White School of Health, University of Northampton (2015). Insecticides are universally used, not just by farmers, but by household gardener’s as a way to prevent, mitigate or repel pests. Due to outbreaks of infectious disease in honey bees and amphibians, the use of systematic insecticides has significantly increased over the last 20 years (Mason et al., 2012). And is now thought to be the preferred choice; because of their toxicity and mechanistic action. One type, in particular, seen to show a usage increase is – neonicotinoids - a class of agrochemicals derived from nicotine (a substance found in cigarettes). It is thought this derivative form is solely based on the chemical similarity of the two (Calderon-Segura et al., 2012). First introduced within the 1990’s, neonicotinoids were principally used for their systematic nature. While most insecticides are placed on the surfaces of yielding crops, neonicotinoids are taken up by the roots and translocated to separate areas. This, therefore, makes the plant toxic to certain insect species (Pisa et al., 2014). It is this mechanism of action that has now simultaneously been linked to the adverse impacts on several other invertebrate and vertebrate species (Sluijs et al., 2014). There are currently, five authorised neonicotinoid insecticides available for use in the UK, including (1) acetamiprid, (2) clothianidin, (3)...
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...Over-prescribing of ADHD Medication to Children Lesley M. Thomas University of Houston- Clear Lake What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? According to the National Library of Medicine, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is defined as, “a problem of not being able to focus, being overactive, not being able to control behavior, or a combination of these.” (www.nlm.nih.gov) For a diagnosis of this disorder, generally referred to simply as ADHD, these issues must be out of the normal range for a person’s age and development. Although the majority of diagnoses are given to children and adolescents, there are also a vast number of ADHD cases diagnosed for adults. The purpose of my research paper is to offer background on this disorder, discuss the psychopharmacology of its treatment options, and to discuss whether ADHD medication is over-prescribed to children. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) states that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity has three different subtypes. Those subtypes are Predominantly Inattentive, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive, and a combination of the two. In order for the Predominantly Inattentive subtype to be used, at least six or more symptoms of inattention must be both present and persistent for at least six months. However, there must be fewer than six symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity. For usage of the Hyperactivity-Impulsivity subtype to be used, there must be a persistent presence of at least six...
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