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MCAT > Behavioral Sciences Ch. 1 > Flashcards

Behavioral Sciences Ch. 1 Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Who was Franz Gall and what is he known for

A

The first person to link personality and brain; developed phrenology

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2
Q

Who is Pierre Flourens and what is he known for?

A

First person to study brain function via ablation/extirpation

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3
Q

Who is William James and what is he known for

A

The father of American psychology; formed functionalism

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4
Q

Define functionalism

A

how mental processes help people adapt to the environment

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5
Q

What is John Dewey’s core idea?

A

Psychology should focus on study of an organism as a whole as it adapts to the environment

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6
Q

What is Paul Broca known for?

A

Impairments are linked to brain areas

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7
Q

What is Hermann Von Helmholtz known for?

A

First to measure the speed of nerve impulses, linking psychology and physiology

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8
Q

What is Sir Charles Sherrington known for?

A

Inferred the existence of a synapse

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9
Q

List and define the 3 kinds of nerve cells in the central nervous system

A

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

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10
Q

The most numerous neurons are ___

A

Interneurons

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11
Q

Interneurons are mainly found in the __ and __

A

Brain and spinal cord

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12
Q

The peripheral nervous system is divided into the ___ and ___ nervous systems

A

Somatic and automatic

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13
Q

The somatic nervous system includes motor and sensory neurons of ___

A

Muscles, joints, and skin

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14
Q

The automatic nervous system regulates _____

A

Heartbeat, respiration, digestion, glandular secretion, body temperature

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15
Q

The parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems are part of the ____

A

Automatic nervous system

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16
Q

List the functions of the parasympathetic nervous system

A

Constricts pupils, stimulates saliva, constricts bronchi, slows heartbeat, stimulates peristalsis, stimulates bile release, contracts bladder

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17
Q

List the functions of the sympathetic nervous system

A

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

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18
Q

List the 3 connective coverings of the brain from the outermost to innermost layer

A

1) dura mater
2) arachnoid mater
3) pia mater

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19
Q

Describe the function of meninges

A

Resorb cerebrospinal fluid

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20
Q

Cerebrospinal fluid is produced where and by what?

A

By cells in the ventricles of the brain

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21
Q

List the 3 divisions of the human brain

A

1) hindbrain
2) midbrain
3) forebrain

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22
Q

The __brain and __brain divide to create 5 swellings within a mature neural tube

A

Hind and forebrain

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23
Q

Define rhombencephalon

A

Hindbrain

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24
Q

Define mesencephalon

A

Midbrain

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25
Q

Define prosencephalon

A

Forebrain

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26
Q

List the functions of the hindbrain

A

Controls vital functions like balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion, arousal

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27
Q

The hindbrain divides to form the ___ and ___

A

Myelencephalon and metencephalon

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28
Q

What is the myelencephalon. Where does it originate from and what does it become?

A

Originates from the hindbrain to become medulla oblongata

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29
Q

List the functions of the medulla oblongata

A

Regulates breathing, heart rate, and digestion

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30
Q

Define the metencephalon. Where does it originate from and what does it become?

A

Originates from the hindbrain to become the pons and cerebellum

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31
Q

List the functions of the pons

A

Contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and medulla

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32
Q

List the functions of the cerebellum

A

Maintains posture and coordination

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33
Q

Describe the functions of the midbrain

A

Receives sensory and motor information from body to trigger involuntary reflexes

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34
Q

The superior colliculus receives _ information

A

Visual

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35
Q

The inferior colliculus receives __ info

A

Auditory

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36
Q

The superior and inferior colliculus are part of the ___

A

midbrain

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37
Q

List the functions of the forebrain

A

Complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes; in charge of emotion and memory

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38
Q

The forebrain forms the ___ and ___

A

Telencephalon and diencephalon

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39
Q

The cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system are formed by the ____

A

telencephalon

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40
Q

The thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary, and pineal gland are formed by the ____

A

Diencephalon

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41
Q

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) detects ___ via ____

A

Broad patterns of neural activity via radioactive gas

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42
Q

____ produce cross sectional images of brain tissue

A

CT/CAT scans

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43
Q

What brain mapping technique detects radioactive sugar that has been inject, absorbed, and dispersed in the body

A

PET

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44
Q

What brain mapping technique uses magnetic fields and hydrogen atoms to detect hydrogen-dense regions of the body?

A

MRI

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45
Q

and fMRI measures changes in __ to monitor neural activity

A

blood flow

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46
Q

Describe the functions of the thalamus

A

Relay station for incoming sensory information and transmits info to regions of the cerebral cortex

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47
Q

The thalamus does not relay ___

A

smell

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48
Q

List the functions of the hypothalamus

A

Four F’s: feeding, fighting, flight, fornicating

Regulate metabolism, temperature, and water balance

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49
Q

What is the primary regulator of the autonomous nervous system?

A

The hypothalamus

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50
Q

List and describe the subdivisions of the hypothalamus:

A

1) Lateral hypothalamus: hunger center
2) Ventromedial hypothalamus: satiety center
3) Anterior hypothalamus: sexual behavior, sleep regulation, body temperature

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51
Q

The ___ hypothalamus is the hunger center

A

Lateral

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52
Q

The ___ hypothalamus is the satiety center

A

Ventromedial

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53
Q

The ___ hypothalamus is the sexual, sleep, and temperature center

A

Anterior

54
Q

Define vasopressin

A

Antidiuretic hormone

55
Q

Vasopressin and oxytocin is released from the ___

A

Posterior pituitary

56
Q

List the functions of the basal ganglia

A

Muscle movement coordination and relay of information to the brain and spinal cord

57
Q

What structures is the extrapyramidal system associated with and what is it’s function?

A

Information about the body is carried from the basal ganglia to the CNS

58
Q

The extrapyramidal system carries information to the central nervous system with the use of ___

A

Motor neurons

59
Q

What disease is associated with the destruction of parts of the basal ganglia?

A

Parkinson’s

60
Q

The limbic system is involved in ___ and ___

A

Emotion and memory

61
Q

Where is the septal nuclei found? What is it?

A

In the limbic system

Pleasure center

62
Q

The amygdala is part of the ___ system

A

Limbic

63
Q

The hippocampus is part of the ___ system

A

Limbic

64
Q

The hippocampus communicates with the limbic system via the __

A

Fornix

65
Q

Describe the functions of the anterior cingulate cortex

A

Higher order cognitive processes (i.e. impulse control and decision making)

66
Q

The cerebral cortex is also called the __

A

Neocortex

67
Q

Describe the functions of the prefrontal cortex

A

Is in charge of executive functions and supervision and direction of other brain regions

68
Q

The frontal lobe is made up of the ___ cortex and __ cortex

A

Prefrontal and motor

69
Q

The ___ and ___ brain structures communicate to regulate attention and alertness

A

Prefrontal cortex and reticular formation

70
Q

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

A

b); the prefrontal cortex tells you to remember something, but not what that something is

71
Q

Define association area and give an example

A

An area that integrates input from regions of the brain, i.e. the prefrontal cortex

72
Q

Define projection area and give an example

A

An area that performs rudimentary perceptual/motor tasks, i.e. the primary motor cortex

73
Q

Describe the functions of the primary motor cortex

A

Initiates voluntary motor movements by sending neural impulses down the spinal cord toward the muscles

74
Q

Broca’s area is typically found in the __ hemisphere

A

Dominant

75
Q

The (dominant/nondominant) hemisphere is typically left

A

Dominant

76
Q

The somatosensory cortex is found in the ___ lobe

A

Parietal

77
Q

List the functions of the parietal lobe

A

Somatosensory processing, spatial processing, orientation

78
Q

The visual cortex is found in the ___ lobe

A

Occipital

79
Q

The striate cortex is also called the ___ cortex

A

Visual

80
Q

Wernicke’s area is found at the ___ lobe

A

Temporal

81
Q

The hippocampus is located in the ___ lobe

A

Temporal

82
Q

Memory processing, emotion, and language occurs at the ___ lobe

A

Temporal

83
Q

What defines the dominant hemisphere?

A

Stimulation during language reception and production

84
Q

The (left/right) hemisphere is involved in analytic function, detail management, and language

A

Left

85
Q

The (left/right) hemisphere is involved in intuition, creativity, holistic integration, cognition, and spatial processing

A

Right

86
Q

Acetylcholine is found in:

a) the CNS only
b) the PNS only
c) both the CNS and PNS
d) neither the CNS or PNS

A

c)

87
Q

The loss of cholinergic neurons in the hippocampus is associated with what disease?

A

Alzheimer’s

88
Q

Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine are all __ amines

A

Catecholamines and monoamines/biogenic amines

89
Q

List the functions of epinephrine and norepinephrine

A

Alertness and wakefulness

90
Q

The primary neurotransmitter(s) of the sympathetic nervous system are

A

epinephrine and norepinephrine

91
Q

What neurotransmitter prompts the flight or fight response?

A

Epinephrine and norepinephrine

92
Q

(epinephrine/norepinephrine) acts as a local neurotransmitter

A

norepinephrine

93
Q

Low levels of epinephrine are associated with ___, whereas high levels are associated with ___

A

depression

Anxiety and mania

94
Q

Epinephrine is secrete by the ___ to act as a hormone

A

Adrenal medulla

95
Q

High concentrations of dopamine in the basal ganglia do what?

A

Smooth muscle movements and maintain postural stability

96
Q

A loss of dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia is associated with what disease?

A

Parkinson’s

97
Q

Serotonin is a ___amine

A

monoamine/biogenic amine

98
Q

List the functions of serotonin

A

Regulates eating, mood, sleeping, and dreaming

99
Q

Describe how GABA works and its purpose

A

GABA produces inhibitory postsynaptic potentials to help stabilize neural activity

100
Q

What neurotransmitter causes the hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic potential?

A

GABA

101
Q

Give 2 examples of proteinogenic amino acids

A

Glycine and glutamate

102
Q

List the mechanisms and functions of Glycine

A

Increases the chloride influx into the neuron to hyperpolarize the postsynaptic membrane

103
Q

Glycine is (inhibitory/excitatory)

A

Inhibitory

104
Q

Glutamate is (inhibitory/excitatory)

A

Excitatory

105
Q

Define neuromodulators/neuropeptides

A

Peptides involved in neurotransmission; do not act directly as neurotransmitters but rather increase or decrease the action of neurotransmitters.

106
Q

Neuromodulators/neuropeptides cause a chain of events in the (presynaptic cell/postsynaptic cell)

A

Postsynaptic cell

107
Q

Give an example of a neuromodulator

A

Epinephrine

108
Q

Neuromodulators are (slower/faster) and have (shorter/longer) effects than neurotransmitters

A

Slower; longer

109
Q

List the functions of endorphins

A

Pain management

110
Q

Which is faster: the endocrine or nervous system?

A

Nervous

111
Q

What brain structure links the endocrine and nervous systems?

A

Hypothalamus

112
Q

The anterior pituitary secretes hormones into the ____

A

Hypophyseal portal system

113
Q

Where on the kidneys are hormones secreted?

A

On the adrenal gland

114
Q

The adrenal medulla releases __ and __

A

Epinephrine and norepinephrine

115
Q

The adrenal cortex produces ___

A

Corticosteroids, testosterone, and estrogen

116
Q

Cortisol is a ___

A

Corticosteroid

117
Q

Define neurulation

A

Initial development of nervous system

118
Q

What is the first step of neurulation

A

The ectoderm overlying the notochord begins to furrow

119
Q

The neural groove is formed by the furrowing of the ___

A

Ectoderm

120
Q

Define neural crest

A

Cells at the edge of the neural fold

121
Q

The neural crest migrates to form the ___, ___, and ____

A

Dorsal root ganglia, melanocytes, calcitonin-producing cells

122
Q

Embryonic brain is formed by the ____

A

Folding of the neural tube

123
Q

The central nervous system is formed by the ___ during neurulation

A

Neural tube

124
Q

The alar plate differentiates into ___ and ___

A

sensory neurons and basal plate

125
Q

The basal plate differentiates into ___

A

Motor neurons

126
Q

The embryonic brain first consists of _ # of swellings with later differentiates into __#

A

3 then 5

127
Q

While the neural tube forms the ___ nervous system, the neural crest forms the ___ nervous system

A

Central; peripheral

128
Q

Define moro reflex

A

Reaction to abrupt head movements by flinging and retracting arms

129
Q

Define the babinski reflex

A

Big toe movement when foot is stroked

130
Q

Describe the general progression of social skills during development

A

Parent-oriented, to self-oriented, to other-oriented

MCAT (13 decks)

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