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Introduction to Psychology > Bio-psychology > Flashcards

Bio-psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Genetic Variation

A
  • The variation in alleles and genes, both within and among the population
  • Begins with egg, and about 100 million sperms whereby fertilization occurs
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2
Q

Egg and Sperm

A
  • The egg travels via the Fallopian tube, from the ovary to the uterus to be fertilized by the sperm
  • Contains 23 chromosomes each
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3
Q

Chromosomes

A
  • Long string of genetic material called Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
  • Each chromosomes is a sequence of DNA that make up genes
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4
Q

Genes

A

•Genes determine the specific human characteristics, also known as traits (e.g., height, eye color)

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5
Q

Allele

A

•A specific version of a gene (same gene, but different variation)

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6
Q

Zygote

A

•Created when 23 chromosomes from the egg and the sperm pairs up

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7
Q

Phenotype

A
  • Refers to the expression of the trait (e.g, how it looks/function)
  • Inherited physical characteristics
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8
Q

Genotype

A
  • Refers to a pair of alleles for a trait

* A genetic make up of that individual

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9
Q

Polygenic

A

•A trait that is controlled by multiple genes

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10
Q

Homozygous

A

•2 copies of the same alleles

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11
Q

Heterozygous

A

•Combination of allele for a given gene

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12
Q

Gene Mutation

A
  • A sudden permanent change in a gene

* It is harmful and lethal; rarely beneficial

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13
Q

Range of Reaction

A
  • Asserts that our genes set the boundaries within which we can operate
  • Our environment interacts with the genes to determine where in that range we will fall
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14
Q

Epigenetics

A

•Looks beyond the genotype itself and studies how the same genotype can lead to very different phenotypes

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15
Q

Identical Twins

A
  • Single fertilized egg that splits

* Genetic material is exactly the same

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16
Q

Fraternal Twins

A
  • Two different eggs fertilized by different sperms

* Genetic material varies

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17
Q

Nervous System

A

•Composed of 2 basic cell types – glial cells and neurons

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18
Q

Glial Cells

A
  • Supportive to the neurons physically and metabolically
  • Provide scaffolding on which nervous system is built
  • Allow neuronal communication
  • Insulation to neurons
  • Transport nutrients and waste products
  • Mediate immune responses
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19
Q

Neurons

A
  • Interconnected processors; essential for all of the tasks of the nervous system
  • Central building blocks of the nervous system
  • 100 billion strong at birth
  • Outer surface is made up of semipermeable membrane
  • Surrounded by extracellular fluid, and contains intracellular fluid
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20
Q

Semipermeable Membrane

A

•Allows smaller molecules/molecules without an electrical charge to pass through

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21
Q

Nucleus

A

•Located in the soma/cell body

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22
Q

Soma

A
  • Keeps the cell functioning and holds the cell’s DNA

* Branching extensions known as dendrites

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23
Q

Dendrites

A
  • Inputs sites where signals are received from other neurons
  • Transmitted electrically across the soma and down a major extension known as axon
  • Ends at multiple terminal buttons
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24
Q

Terminal Buttons

A

•Contains synaptic vesicles that house neurotransmitters

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25
Q

Axons

A
  • Carries signals between the dendrites and the terminal buttons
  • Range in length from a fraction of an inch to several feet
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26
Q

Myelin Sheath

A
  • Coats the axon and acts as an insulator; increasing the speed at which the signals travels
  • Crucial for normal operation of neurons within the nervous system
  • Loss of insulation can be detrimental to normal function
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27
Q

Synaptic Vesicles

A
  • Release neurotransmitters into the synapse where communication between neurons occurs
  • Synapse – Small space between two neurons
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28
Q

Neuronal Membrane

A
  • Separates extracellular and intracellular fluid
  • Critical role; electrical signal that passes through the neurons depends intra- and extracellular fluids being electrically different (membrane potential)
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29
Q

Resting Potential

A
  • Neuron’s membrane potential is held in a state of readiness
  • Ions line up on either side of the cell membrane, ready to rush across the membrane when neuron gets active and when the membrane opens its gates
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30
Q

Threshold of Excitation

A

•Refers to the level of neural depolarization that is necessary to generate an action potential

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31
Q

Peak Action Potential

A

•Happens when the neuron opens protein channels in its membrane

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32
Q

Depolarization

A
  • Difference between the electric charge on the inside and the outside of the cell membrane
  • When the cell becomes positively charged (or less negative)
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33
Q

Repolarization

A

•Change in membrane potential that returns it to a negative value just after the depolarization phase of an action potential which has changed the membrane potential to a positive value

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34
Q

Hyperpolarization

A

•The membrane potential becomes more negative at a particular spot on the neuron’s membrane

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35
Q

Electrical Charge

A

•Caused when charged molecules (ions) dissolve in the fluid

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36
Q

Ions Movement

A
  • Ions in high concentration areas move to low concentration areas
  • Positive ions move to areas with negative charge
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37
Q

Psychotropic Medications

A

•Drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance

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38
Q

Acetylcholine

A
  • Involves in muscle action and memory

* Increase arousal, enhance cognition

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39
Q

Dopamine

A
  • Involves in mood, sleep, learning

* Increase pleasure, suppress appetite

40
Q

Norepinephrine

A
  • Involves in heart, intestines and alertness

* Increase arousal, suppress appetite

41
Q

Beta-endorphin

A
  • Involves in pain and pleasure

* Decrease anxiety and tension

42
Q

Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

A
  • Involves in brain function and sleep

* Decrease anxiety and tension

43
Q

Glutamate

A
  • Involves in memory and learning

* Increase learning and enhance memory

44
Q

Serotonin

A
  • Involves in mood and sleep

* Modulate mood and suppress appetite

45
Q

Agonists

A

•Mimic a neurotransmitter of the receptor site; strengthen its effect

46
Q

Antagonists

A

•Blocks/impede the normal activity of a neurotransmitter at the receptor

47
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A

•Comprised of brain and spinal cord

48
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A
  • Connects the CNS to the rest of the body

* Made up of thick bundles of axons, known as nerves

49
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A
  • Associated with activities traditionally thought of as conscious or voluntary
  • Involved in the relay of sensory and motor information to and from the CNS
50
Q

Motor Neurons

A
  • Carry instructions from the CNS to the muscles

* Efferent (moving away from) fibers

51
Q

Sensory Neurons

A
  • Carry sensory information to the CNS

* Afferent (moving towards) fibers

52
Q

Automatic Nervous System

A
  • Controls our internal organs and glands
  • Generally considered to be outside the realm of voluntary control
  • Subdivided to sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions
53
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A
  • Involved in preparing the body for stress-related activities
  • Adaptive and increase chances of survival (stressful or high-arousal situations)
54
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

•Associated to returning the body to routine, day-to-day operations

55
Q

Homeostasis

A

•A state of equilibrium, in which biological conditions (such as body temperature) are maintained in optimal levels

56
Q

Spinal Cord

A
  • Connects the brain to the outside world; routes messages to and from the brain
  • Has it own system of automatic reflexes, called reflexes
  • Functionally organized in 30 segments, corresponding to the vertebrae
57
Q

Medulla Oblongata

A
  • Lowest part of the brain stem; found below the pons and above the spinal cord
  • Controls basic processors of life (breathing and digestion)
  • Regulates cardiovascular and respiratory functions
58
Q

Baroreceptor

A

•Fastest mechanism to regulate acute blood pressure changes via controlling heart rate, contractility, and peripheral resistance.

59
Q

Vertebrae

A

•Protects the spinal cord

60
Q

Cerebrospinal Fluid

A

•Cushions the spinal cord

61
Q

Spinal Reflex

A

•Allow the body to react extraordinary fast

62
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A
  • Located at the surface of the brain

* Very uneven, characterized by a distinctive patterns of folds/bumps, known as gyri; and grooves known as sulci

63
Q

Gyri and Sulci

A

•Allow us to separate the brain into functional centers

64
Q

Longitudinal Fissure

A
  • Most prominent sulcus

* Deep groove that separates the brain into two halves

65
Q

Left and Right Hemispheres

A

•Connected by thick bond of neural fibers known as corpus callosum

66
Q

Corpus Callosum

A
  • 200 million axons
  • Allows the two hemispheres to communicate
  • Process information on one side to the other
67
Q

Brain Lateralization

A

•A phenomenon in which a skill or function is preferably controlled by one side of the brain over the other, causing the hemispheres to have specialized functions

68
Q

Forebrain

A
  • Largest part of the brain (divided into 4 lobes)

* Contains cerebral cortex and a number of other structures that lie beneath the cortex

69
Q

Subcortical Structures

A
  • A group of diverse neural formations deep within the brain

* Include thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and the limbic system

70
Q

Frontal Lobe

A
  • Located in the forward part of the brain, extending back to the fissure known as central sulcus
  • Involves in reasoning, motor control, emotion and language
  • Contains motor cortex – planning and coordinating movement
71
Q

Parietal Lobe

A
  • Process information from the body’s senses

* Contains somatosensory cortex – process sensory information (e.g., touch)

72
Q

Occipital Lobe

A
  • Contains primary visual cortex

* Interprets incoming visual information

73
Q

Temporal Lobe

A
  • Associated with hearing, memory, emotion and some aspects of language
  • Contains auditory cortex – process auditory information
74
Q

Prefrontal Cortex

A

•Responsible for higher-level cognitive functions

75
Q

Broca’s Area

A
  • Located at prefrontal cortex
  • Essential for language production
  • Damage – difficulty producing language in any form
76
Q

Wernick’s Area

A
  • Located in temporal lobe
  • Responsible for speech comprehension
  • Damage – able to produce sensible language, however, individuals will be unable to understand it
77
Q

Thalamus

A
  • Involve in the sensory relay of the brain

* All senses (except smell) are routed through the thalamus before being directed to the other areas for processing

78
Q

Limbic System

A

•Involved in motivation, emotion, learning, and memory

79
Q

Midbrain

A

•Comprised of structures located deep within the brain between the forebrain and hindbrain

80
Q

Reticular Formation

A
  • Extends up into the forebrain and down into the hindbrain

* Regulates sleep and wake cycle, arousal, alertness and motor activity

81
Q

Substantia Nigra and Ventral Tegmented Area (VTA)

A
  • Located in the midbrain
  • Contains cell bodies that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine
  • Critical for movement
  • Involved in mood, reward, and addiction
82
Q

Hindbrain

A
  • Located at the lower back part of the brain

* Contains medulla, pons and cerebellum (together known as brain stem)

83
Q

Medulla

A

•Controls the automatic nervous system (e.g, breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate)

84
Q

Pons

A
  • Connect the brain and spinal cord

* Regulates brain activity during sleep

85
Q

Cerebellum

A
  • Receives messages from muscles, tendons, joints and structures in our ears
  • Control balance, coordination, movement and motor skills
  • Process procedural memory or memory involved in learning and remembering how to perform tasks
86
Q

Computerized Tomography (CT) scan

A
  • Taking a number of x-rays of a particular section of an individual’s body or brain
  • Pass through different densities at different rate
  • Often used to determine if someone has a tumor or significant brain atrophy
87
Q

Position Emission Tomography (PET) scan

A
  • Create pictures of the active brain and shows brain’s activity
  • Provide little details
  • Requires the brain to be exposed to radiation
88
Q

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A
  • Individual is being placed inside a machine that generates strong magnetic field
  • Tissues of different densities give off different signals
  • Magnetic field – causes the hydrogen atoms in the body’s cell to move
  • Magnetic field turned off – hydrogen atoms emit electromagnetic signals as they return to their original position
89
Q

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

A

•Shows changes in brain activity over time by tracking blood flow and energy levels

90
Q

Electroencephalography (EEG)

A
  • Measures brain’s electrical activity
  • An array of electrodes is being placed around an individual’s head
  • Result in a printout of the electrical activity and brainwaves – shows both amplitude and frequency (m/s)
91
Q

Endocrine System

A

•Consists a series of glands that produce hormones

92
Q

Hormones

A
  • Secreted into the bloodstream and travels throughout the body
  • Slower to take effects and longer lasting
  • Affects any cells that contain receptors for them – send signals
  • Regulates all sorts of bodily functions – controlled through the interactions between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland
93
Q

Pituitary Gland

A
  • Descends from the hypothalamus at the base of the brain
  • Its messenger hormones controls all the other glands in the endocrine system
  • Mostly carries out instructions from the hypothalamus
  • Secretes growth hormones, endorphins for pain relief and number of key hormones that regulate fluid in the body
94
Q

Thyroid Gland

A
  • Releases hormones that regulate growth, metabolism and appetite
  • Disease: Hyperthyroidism – thyroid secretes too much thyroxine – cause agitation, bulging eyes, and weight loss
95
Q

Adrenal Gland

A
  • Sit atop our kidneys

* Secretes hormones involved in the stress response (e.g., epinephrine and nor-epinephrine)

96
Q

Pancreas

A
  • An internal organ

* Secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar levels (insulin and glucagon)

97
Q

Gonads

A
  • Secrete sexual hormones – important in reproduction
  • Mediate both sexual motivation and behavior
  • Female: Ovaries – estrogens and progesterone
  • Male: Testes – androgen (e.g., testosterone)

Introduction to Psychology (16 decks)

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