Behavioral Sciences Ch. 1 Flashcards
Who was Franz Gall and what is he known for
The first person to link personality and brain; developed phrenology
Who is Pierre Flourens and what is he known for?
First person to study brain function via ablation/extirpation
Who is William James and what is he known for
The father of American psychology; formed functionalism
Define functionalism
how mental processes help people adapt to the environment
What is John Dewey’s core idea?
Psychology should focus on study of an organism as a whole as it adapts to the environment
What is Paul Broca known for?
Impairments are linked to brain areas
What is Hermann Von Helmholtz known for?
First to measure the speed of nerve impulses, linking psychology and physiology
What is Sir Charles Sherrington known for?
Inferred the existence of a synapse
List and define the 3 kinds of nerve cells in the central nervous system
1) Sensory/afferent neurons: transmit sensory impulses to the brain/spinal cord
2) Motor/efferent neurons: transmit motor info from brain/spinal cord to muscles/glands
3) Interneurons: neurons found between other neurons that are in charge of reflexive behavior
The most numerous neurons are ___
Interneurons
Interneurons are mainly found in the __ and __
Brain and spinal cord
The peripheral nervous system is divided into the ___ and ___ nervous systems
Somatic and automatic
The somatic nervous system includes motor and sensory neurons of ___
Muscles, joints, and skin
The automatic nervous system regulates _____
Heartbeat, respiration, digestion, glandular secretion, body temperature
The parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems are part of the ____
Automatic nervous system
List the functions of the parasympathetic nervous system
Constricts pupils, stimulates saliva, constricts bronchi, slows heartbeat, stimulates peristalsis, stimulates bile release, contracts bladder
List the functions of the sympathetic nervous system
Dilates pupils, inhibits saliva, relaxes bronchi, accelerates heart rate, stimulations sweating/piloerection, inhibits peristalsis and secretion, stimulates glucose production and release, secretes adrenaline and noradrenaline, inhibits bladder contraction, stimulates orgasm
List the 3 connective coverings of the brain from the outermost to innermost layer
1) dura mater
2) arachnoid mater
3) pia mater
Describe the function of meninges
Resorb cerebrospinal fluid
Cerebrospinal fluid is produced where and by what?
By cells in the ventricles of the brain
List the 3 divisions of the human brain
1) hindbrain
2) midbrain
3) forebrain
The __brain and __brain divide to create 5 swellings within a mature neural tube
Hind and forebrain
Define rhombencephalon
Hindbrain
Define mesencephalon
Midbrain
Define prosencephalon
Forebrain
List the functions of the hindbrain
Controls vital functions like balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion, arousal
The hindbrain divides to form the ___ and ___
Myelencephalon and metencephalon
What is the myelencephalon. Where does it originate from and what does it become?
Originates from the hindbrain to become medulla oblongata
List the functions of the medulla oblongata
Regulates breathing, heart rate, and digestion
Define the metencephalon. Where does it originate from and what does it become?
Originates from the hindbrain to become the pons and cerebellum
List the functions of the pons
Contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and medulla
List the functions of the cerebellum
Maintains posture and coordination
Describe the functions of the midbrain
Receives sensory and motor information from body to trigger involuntary reflexes
The superior colliculus receives _ information
Visual
The inferior colliculus receives __ info
Auditory
The superior and inferior colliculus are part of the ___
midbrain
List the functions of the forebrain
Complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes; in charge of emotion and memory
The forebrain forms the ___ and ___
Telencephalon and diencephalon
The cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system are formed by the ____
telencephalon
The thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary, and pineal gland are formed by the ____
Diencephalon
Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) detects ___ via ____
Broad patterns of neural activity via radioactive gas
____ produce cross sectional images of brain tissue
CT/CAT scans
What brain mapping technique detects radioactive sugar that has been inject, absorbed, and dispersed in the body
PET
What brain mapping technique uses magnetic fields and hydrogen atoms to detect hydrogen-dense regions of the body?
MRI
and fMRI measures changes in __ to monitor neural activity
blood flow
Describe the functions of the thalamus
Relay station for incoming sensory information and transmits info to regions of the cerebral cortex
The thalamus does not relay ___
smell
List the functions of the hypothalamus
Four F’s: feeding, fighting, flight, fornicating
Regulate metabolism, temperature, and water balance
What is the primary regulator of the autonomous nervous system?
The hypothalamus
List and describe the subdivisions of the hypothalamus:
1) Lateral hypothalamus: hunger center
2) Ventromedial hypothalamus: satiety center
3) Anterior hypothalamus: sexual behavior, sleep regulation, body temperature
The ___ hypothalamus is the hunger center
Lateral
The ___ hypothalamus is the satiety center
Ventromedial
The ___ hypothalamus is the sexual, sleep, and temperature center
Anterior
Define vasopressin
Antidiuretic hormone
Vasopressin and oxytocin is released from the ___
Posterior pituitary
List the functions of the basal ganglia
Muscle movement coordination and relay of information to the brain and spinal cord
What structures is the extrapyramidal system associated with and what is it’s function?
Information about the body is carried from the basal ganglia to the CNS
The extrapyramidal system carries information to the central nervous system with the use of ___
Motor neurons
What disease is associated with the destruction of parts of the basal ganglia?
Parkinson’s
The limbic system is involved in ___ and ___
Emotion and memory
Where is the septal nuclei found? What is it?
In the limbic system
Pleasure center
The amygdala is part of the ___ system
Limbic
The hippocampus is part of the ___ system
Limbic
The hippocampus communicates with the limbic system via the __
Fornix
Describe the functions of the anterior cingulate cortex
Higher order cognitive processes (i.e. impulse control and decision making)
The cerebral cortex is also called the __
Neocortex
Describe the functions of the prefrontal cortex
Is in charge of executive functions and supervision and direction of other brain regions
The frontal lobe is made up of the ___ cortex and __ cortex
Prefrontal and motor
The ___ and ___ brain structures communicate to regulate attention and alertness
Prefrontal cortex and reticular formation
Which of the following is not a function of the prefrontal cortex:
a) directing and supervising brain regions
b) telling you what you have to remember
c) communicating with the reticular formation to regulate attention
b); the prefrontal cortex tells you to remember something, but not what that something is
Define association area and give an example
An area that integrates input from regions of the brain, i.e. the prefrontal cortex
Define projection area and give an example
An area that performs rudimentary perceptual/motor tasks, i.e. the primary motor cortex
Describe the functions of the primary motor cortex
Initiates voluntary motor movements by sending neural impulses down the spinal cord toward the muscles
Broca’s area is typically found in the __ hemisphere
Dominant
The (dominant/nondominant) hemisphere is typically left
Dominant
The somatosensory cortex is found in the ___ lobe
Parietal
List the functions of the parietal lobe
Somatosensory processing, spatial processing, orientation
The visual cortex is found in the ___ lobe
Occipital
The striate cortex is also called the ___ cortex
Visual
Wernicke’s area is found at the ___ lobe
Temporal
The hippocampus is located in the ___ lobe
Temporal
Memory processing, emotion, and language occurs at the ___ lobe
Temporal
What defines the dominant hemisphere?
Stimulation during language reception and production
The (left/right) hemisphere is involved in analytic function, detail management, and language
Left
The (left/right) hemisphere is involved in intuition, creativity, holistic integration, cognition, and spatial processing
Right
Acetylcholine is found in:
a) the CNS only
b) the PNS only
c) both the CNS and PNS
d) neither the CNS or PNS
c)
The loss of cholinergic neurons in the hippocampus is associated with what disease?
Alzheimer’s
Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine are all __ amines
Catecholamines and monoamines/biogenic amines
List the functions of epinephrine and norepinephrine
Alertness and wakefulness
The primary neurotransmitter(s) of the sympathetic nervous system are
epinephrine and norepinephrine
What neurotransmitter prompts the flight or fight response?
Epinephrine and norepinephrine
(epinephrine/norepinephrine) acts as a local neurotransmitter
norepinephrine
Low levels of epinephrine are associated with ___, whereas high levels are associated with ___
depression
Anxiety and mania
Epinephrine is secrete by the ___ to act as a hormone
Adrenal medulla
High concentrations of dopamine in the basal ganglia do what?
Smooth muscle movements and maintain postural stability
A loss of dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia is associated with what disease?
Parkinson’s
Serotonin is a ___amine
monoamine/biogenic amine
List the functions of serotonin
Regulates eating, mood, sleeping, and dreaming
Describe how GABA works and its purpose
GABA produces inhibitory postsynaptic potentials to help stabilize neural activity
What neurotransmitter causes the hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic potential?
GABA
Give 2 examples of proteinogenic amino acids
Glycine and glutamate
List the mechanisms and functions of Glycine
Increases the chloride influx into the neuron to hyperpolarize the postsynaptic membrane
Glycine is (inhibitory/excitatory)
Inhibitory
Glutamate is (inhibitory/excitatory)
Excitatory
Define neuromodulators/neuropeptides
Peptides involved in neurotransmission; do not act directly as neurotransmitters but rather increase or decrease the action of neurotransmitters.
Neuromodulators/neuropeptides cause a chain of events in the (presynaptic cell/postsynaptic cell)
Postsynaptic cell
Give an example of a neuromodulator
Epinephrine
Neuromodulators are (slower/faster) and have (shorter/longer) effects than neurotransmitters
Slower; longer
List the functions of endorphins
Pain management
Which is faster: the endocrine or nervous system?
Nervous
What brain structure links the endocrine and nervous systems?
Hypothalamus
The anterior pituitary secretes hormones into the ____
Hypophyseal portal system
Where on the kidneys are hormones secreted?
On the adrenal gland
The adrenal medulla releases __ and __
Epinephrine and norepinephrine
The adrenal cortex produces ___
Corticosteroids, testosterone, and estrogen
Cortisol is a ___
Corticosteroid
Define neurulation
Initial development of nervous system
What is the first step of neurulation
The ectoderm overlying the notochord begins to furrow
The neural groove is formed by the furrowing of the ___
Ectoderm
Define neural crest
Cells at the edge of the neural fold
The neural crest migrates to form the ___, ___, and ____
Dorsal root ganglia, melanocytes, calcitonin-producing cells
Embryonic brain is formed by the ____
Folding of the neural tube
The central nervous system is formed by the ___ during neurulation
Neural tube
The alar plate differentiates into ___ and ___
sensory neurons and basal plate
The basal plate differentiates into ___
Motor neurons
The embryonic brain first consists of _ # of swellings with later differentiates into __#
3 then 5
While the neural tube forms the ___ nervous system, the neural crest forms the ___ nervous system
Central; peripheral
Define moro reflex
Reaction to abrupt head movements by flinging and retracting arms
Define the babinski reflex
Big toe movement when foot is stroked
Describe the general progression of social skills during development
Parent-oriented, to self-oriented, to other-oriented
