Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards
Peripheral Nervous System
Includes somatic and autonomic NS.
Somatic = sends/receives sensory messages for voluntary motor movement
Autonomic = automatic or involuntary bodily functions (e.g., heart rate, breathing)
Autonomic Nervous System
Part of the Peripheral NS. Regulates automatic/involuntary bodily functions.
Divides into sympathetic and parasympathetic NS
Sympathetic Nervous System
Peripheral NS -> Autonomic NS -> one of two parts in ANS
The body’s “mobilizing” system or fight/flight system
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Peripheral NS -> Autonomic NS -> one of two parts in ANS
The body’s “energy conserving” system
Central Nervous System
Consists of spinal cord and the brain with sensory and motor neurons
Corpus Callosum
(Subcortical)
Allows for communication between hemispheres.
Limbic System
(Subcortical)
Forms the inner border of the cortex; referred to as the “primitive” brain. Includes thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and septum
Thalamus
(Subcortical -> Limbic System).
The major sensory relay center of the brain. Receives and processes sensory information (except smell)
Hypothalamus
(Subcortical -> Limbic System).
Serves a major role in homeostasis (e.g., regulating temp., hunger, thirst, sex, circadian clock, etc.)
Hippocampus
(Subcortical -> Limbic System).
Memory consolidation; stores new info and events of lasting memories
Amygdala
(Subcortical -> Limbic System).
Attaches emotional significance to sensory input (e.g., fear response, aggression, emotional memory)
Septum
(Subcortical -> Limbic System).
Moderates or decreases aggression. Damage can result in septal rage syndrome.
Basal Ganglia
(Subcortical).
Regulation and coordination of movement and with establishing posture.
An inhibitory function (putting on the brakes on movement)
Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease implicated
Pons and Medulla
(Brain stem)
Involved in sleep (REM), respiration, movement, and cardiovascular activity
Reticular Formation
(Brain stem)
Important for awareness, attention, and sleep
3 Main parts of a Neuron
Dendrites = receive information at receptor sites Cell Body (soma) = integrates information Axon = transmits information via axon terminals
Action Potential
An electrical impulse that creates cell to cell communication.
At rest, outside cell has excess of sodium (Na+), and inside has excess of potassium (K+)
When a stimulus of sufficient charge reaches neuron, sodium (Na+) rushes into cell and creates an electrical impulse. Potassium (K+) moves outside the cell
All or Nothing Principle
Concept that cell, once sufficiently stimulated, will fire to its fullest extent.
Neurotransmitters
Two types: agonist (enhances effect of NT) and antagonist (inhibits NT effect)
Two classifications: Exitatory (likely to increase likelihood of action potential) and inhibitory (likely to decrease action potential)
Acetlycholine (Ach)
Involved in voluntary motor movement (e.g., black widow spider poison effects this NT) and memory/cognition (e.g., AD is thought to effect this NT)
Dopamine (DA)
(one of two Catecholamine)
Involved in thought, movement, and emotion; linked to reward system
excess of this NT (schizophrenia) and decrease of this NT (e.g., Parkinson’s disease)
Norepinephrine (NE)
(one of two Catecholamine) or noradrenalin
Involved in mood
Decrease of this NT (depression)
Serotonin (5-HT)
Involved in mood, sleep, appetite, aggression, sexual activity, and pain perception. Produced by dietary modification of tryptophan.
Decrease of this NT (mood disorders)
GABA and Glycine
(An amino acid)
Inhibitory NT in the CNS. Have a calming effect
Decrease of this NT (anxiety, epilepsy)
Glutamate
(An amino acid)
Involved in mediation of fast excitatory synaptic transmission; Most common NT
Abnormal levels may result in schizophrenia, OCD, autism, and depression
Delerium
Rapid onset
Fluctuating course
Impairment in attention and awareness
Usually reversible
Alzheimer’s disease
Most common major NCD (80% of all cases) 5.2 to 5.4 million in US have it Prevalence increases with age Women > men progressive course Hallmark feature: memory impairment Drug treatment: Aricept and Cognex
Major Vascular NCD
Second most common NCD (10-15% of all cases)
Ratio 2:1 (Males:Females)
Onset is typically abrupt, course stepwise
Age of onset typically younger than AD
Major NCD with Lewy Bodies
Similar to AD but include visual hallucinations, sleep disturbance, and muscle rigidity or other PD features
Abnormal aggregations of protein alpha-synuclein (found in PD)
Parkinson’s disease
Movement disorder characterized by tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and shuffling gait
Neurocog Sx present as disease progresses
Major NCD due to this is considered subcortical, affecting speed and ExFn
Huntington’s disease
Sx present around 30 to 50 years of age
Early Sx include changes in personality and mood
Progressively deteriorating disease to major NCD
Choreiform movements (frequent, discrete, brisk jerking movements)
50% chance of passing it along to children
Major Frontotemporal NCD
Umbrella NCD term of disorders that affect the frontal and temporal lobes
Sx include: personality, disinhibition, behavioral changes, language deficits
Major NCD due to HIV infection
Secondary to specific viral infection
Sx include cognitive (memory, Att/Conc, and language), motor, and Bx/mood changes
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Rare, degenerative, fatal brain disorder
Average time from onset to death is 4-6 months
Results from an infectious misfold of protein (prion) that triggers other proteins throughout the brain to misfold
Hydrocephalus
Results from pathological accumulation of CSF
Wet, Wobbly, Wild
or
Urinary incontinence, unsteady gait, and confusion
NCD due to TBI
Secondary to head injury insult
may have PTA, LOC, structural changes
Substance/Medication induced Major NCD
NCD secondary to a substance
e.g., Korsakoff’s syndrome (thiamine deficiency)
Pseudodementia
NCD that results from depression
Typically in older adults
This disorder typically retains insight into Cog Sx while other NCD lose insight
Gate Control Theory of pain
Melzak and Wall
Refers to theory that sensations of pain are not directly related to activation of pain receptors, but rather they are mediated by neural gates in the spinal cord that allow these signals to the pain. Pressure (like rubbing area) can close the gate
Centralization of Pain Theory
Sensitization to pain occurs when the brain is exposed to repeated pain signals or nerve stimulation
Two main types of sleep
Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM)
Two types of waves when awake
Beta waves = characterize alertness and attention
Alpha waves = relaxation
Sleep cycle stages
Stage 1: light sleep (theta waves)
Stage 2: Body temp decreases, heart rate slows, sleep spindle activity
Stage 3: Transition between light and deep sleep (delta waves)
Stage 4: Deep sleep (delta waves)
Stage 5/REM: increased respiration rate and brain activity; muscles most relaxed; dreaming occurs
Effects of sleep deprivation
impairs memory, concentration, and decision-making
disrupts metabolism
increases stress hormones
Two seizure types
Generalized and partial
Generalized seizures
Affect the entire brain and involve LOC
Two types: tonic clonic and absence
Tonic Clonic seizures
(Generalized)
Also called grand mal
LOC and tonic activity (stiffening) followed by clonic (jerking)
Absence
(Generalized)
Also called petit mal
Lasts 1 to 30 seconds and begin with brief LOC
followed by blinking, roling of the eyes, blank stare, and slight mouth movements; posture retained
Partial seizures
Affects a specific area of one hemisphere
Two types: simple and complex
Simple partial seizures
(Partial)
No LOC; retained awareness
Complex partial seizures
(Partial)
LOC; commonly has automatism
Frequently preceded by an aura; commonly resulting from temporal lobe epilepsy
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Treatment that involves electric currents passing through areas of the brain to treat mental illness.
Used to treat severe depression and treatment-resistant bipolar, acute psychosis, or catatonia
May have some amnesia afterwards and possibly permanent
General Adaption Syndrome
Hans Selye’s model of response to long-term stress
Alarm = fight/flight response
Resistance = alarm resolves as body adapts
Exhaustion = Body becomes exhausted; significant decline in health
Health Belief Model
Rosenstock’s model posits that in addition to psychosocial factors, there are six constructs that predict health behavior; helps to design interventions for habitual unhealthy behaviors
