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Psych 101 > Biological Psychology > Flashcards

Biological Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the biological term for the cell body

A

soma

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2
Q

Where is a signal received in a neuron

A

dendrites

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3
Q

Where is the signal passes to from the dendrites

A

axon

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4
Q

How does action potential relate to neurons

A

if dendrites receive enough stimulation (excitable), the signal is passed down to the axon

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5
Q

What are axon terminals

A

the projections of the axons that are the final receivers of the signal before it is synapsed to the neighbouring neuron/target cell

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6
Q

What is a motor neuron

A

neuron that sends messages out to body tissues FROM the brain

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7
Q

What are sensory neurons

A

neuron that takes info from senses and carries them TO the brain (like touching a hot pan)

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8
Q

What are interneurons

A

neurons that communicate with EACH OTHER within the brain and spinal cord

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9
Q

What is resting potential

A

inside of neuron is more negative than the outside (ICF more -ve than ECF)

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10
Q

What happens when a neuron “fires”

A

when a neuron “fires”, channels open and close to allow pass-through of ions to redistribute charges

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11
Q

What is action potential

A

a shift in electrical charge, starting at the base of the axon and travelling down its length

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12
Q

How is the chemical gradient impacted by action potential

A

a resting cell should have +ve ions in the ECF, so when +ve ions enter the cell, the chemical gradient shifts to ‘equalize’ and depolarize

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13
Q

When does action potential occur

A

threshold of excitation (-55mV)

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14
Q

How is resting potential restored

A

opposing channels open and bring the charge back to its resting position (then these channels close as well and the cell is reset for action potential once again)

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15
Q

What substance is each axon surrounded by (think to bio 273 and what Schwann cells create)

A

myelin

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16
Q

What is the function of myelin

A

prevents action potential from occurring except for at the nonmyelinated nodes of ranvier

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17
Q

How do the nodes of ranvier make signal transmission faster

A

signal jumps from one node to the next (past myelin), travelling down the axon at a much faster rate

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18
Q

Briefly explain synaptic transmission

A

signal reaches axon terminals and neurotransmitters are released towards the neighbouring neuron that has neuroreceptors on its dendrites
- the neurotransmitters can bind to these dendrites and transmit the signal to the post-synaptic neuron

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19
Q

What are synapses

A

gaps between separate neurons

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20
Q

What are neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that carry the signal from one neuron to the next across the synapse via Ca2+ channels

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21
Q

What happens if not all neurotransmitters bind to the post-synaptic neuron

A

they are reabsorbed by the sending neuron

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22
Q

What is glutamate

A

a neurotransmitter linked to forming memories

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23
Q

What is GABA

A

a neurotransmitter that facilitates sleep and reduces arousal

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24
Q

What is acetylcholine

A

found at the neuromuscular junction (synapse between neuron and muscle fibre) that controls movement

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25
Q

What is serotonin

A

affects mood, sleep, hunger, etc. and may be linked to depression

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26
Q

What is dopamine

A

involved in mood, movement, reward, and learning

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27
Q

What is the basic mechanism of drugs

A

exogenous substance that alters a cells function

28
Q

Drugs can cause changes in two human aspects, what are they

A

physiology and behavior

29
Q

What is a psychoactive drug

A

alters perceptions and mood (otherwise known as psychedelics)

30
Q

How do drugs actually act on the body

A

affect the brain chemistry at synapses

31
Q

What is an agonist

A

increase or mimic neurotransmitters, which increases relaying of a signal
eg. black widow spider venom increases Ach causing violent muscle contractions

32
Q

What is an antagonist

A

block or inhibit effects of neurotransmitters, which decreases the effect of the signal
eg. Botulin blocks the release of ACh which causes paralysis
eg. Curare blocks ACh receptor sites, and causes paralysis

33
Q

Do we use only 10% of our brains?

A

obviously not

34
Q

What are the two subcomponents of the nervous system

A

CNS and PNS

35
Q

What are the two components of the CNS

A

brain and spinal cord

36
Q

What are the two components of the PNS

A

autonomic and somatic

37
Q

What are the two types of autonomic nerves

A

sympathetic and parasympathetic

38
Q

What is responsible for fight or flight

A

PNS, autonomic, sympathetic

39
Q

What is responsible for counteracting fight or flight

A

PNS, autonomic, parasympathetic

40
Q

What is phrenology

A

By Franz Gall
- the parts of the brain that are responsible for the traits and characteristics of an individual would be larger, therefore we would be able to feel those parts of the brain to the touch
- resulted in skull readings
- turned out to be wrong

41
Q

What are the three main parts of the brain

A

the hindbrain, the midbrain, and the forebrain

42
Q

What does the hindbrain consist of

A

brain stem: where the spinal cord meets the skull
- all functions automatic
- includes the medulla which controls breathing, heartbeat, etc.
- includes cerebrum which controls voluntary movement and important for balance

43
Q

What does the midbrain consist of

A

superior colliculus and inferior colliculus

44
Q

What does the forebrain consist of

A

thalamus: sensory switchboard… relays sensory info to appropriate brain regions
hypothalamus: (directly below thalamus) maintains homeostasis, including mechanisms like; thirst, hunger, sex drive, temp, etc.

hippocampus: consolidation of info from short term to long term memory and responsible for spatial memory as well
amygdala: center for emotions and behaviors, fear responses, and memory of emotional events

When all components are put together it is referred to as the limbic system**

45
Q

What is the cerebral cortex

A

the makeup of the brain: has 2 hemispheres, each comprised of 4 lobes (8 sections total)

46
Q

What is the frontal lobe responsible for

A

“things that make us human” and “executive” functions
- planning, goals, inhibition, personality, movement, etc.

47
Q

Who discovered the frontal lobe

A

Phineas Gage (a railroad foreman in 1848)
- metal pole was driven through his head, through the cheek and up out the back of his head
- damaged the left frontal lobe, and he survived with a completely changed personality

this example is used often to signify the importance of the frontal lobe function

47
Q

What example is frequently used to signify the importance of the frontal lobe

A

Phineas Gage (a railroad foreman in 1848)
- metal pole was driven through his head, through the cheek and up out the top of his head
- damaged the left frontal lobe, and he survived with a completely changed personality and lacking his previous executive skills

48
Q

What is the temporal lobe responsible for

A

speech production and language, auditory cortex, facial recognition

49
Q

What is aphasia

A
  • language impairment due to damage to the left temporal lobe
  • results in the inability to speak and/or understand what others are saying
50
Q

What is the parietal lobe responsible for

A

spatial attention and spatial sense

51
Q

What is spatial neglect

A

attention impairment to the right parietal lobe, which results in the failure to object in left space

52
Q

What is the occipital lobe responsible for

A

responsible for vision
- distinct groups of neurons are responsible for detecting shape, colour, movement
- other parts of the brain are recruited to help put all the information back together into a coherent picture

53
Q

All communication between hemispheres must cross the ___________ ____________

A

Corpus Callosum

54
Q

What are the 3 important components of the hindbrain and what do they do

A

brain stem
- spinal cord meets skull: basic survival processes
medulla and pons
- breathing and heartbeat
cerebellum
- controls voluntary movement: important for balance

55
Q

What are the 4 important components of the forebrain and what do they do

A

hippocampus
- consolidation of short-term memory to long-term: spatial memory
thalamus
- relays sensory info to appropriate brain regions
hypothalamus
- below the thalamus, related to balance: sex drive, hunger, thirst, temp, etc.
amygdala
- center for emotional and fear responses

56
Q

What is the limbic system

A

part of the brain involved in behavioural responses, especially behaviours attached to survival

57
Q

What does the frontal lobe control

A

planning, goals, inhibition, personality, and movement
- loss of function of the frontal lobe changes your entire personality essentially

58
Q

What does the temporal lobe control

A

speech conduction, auditory cortex and facial recognition
- loss of function of the temporal lobe could result in not recognizing others and aphasia

59
Q

What does the parietal lobe control

A

controls spatial attention and spatial sense

60
Q

What does the word spatial mean

A

relating to or occupying space
- spatial attention is the way in which you can distribute attention over a visual span

61
Q

How does damage to the right parietal lobe impact spatial attention

A

thinking about how images are processed by the brain, damage to the RIGHT side would result in not being able to see things on the LEFT side

62
Q

What does the occipital lobe do

A

controls vision and how the brain is able to process visual images

63
Q

What is the corpus collosum

A

the region in which all communication must pass between the two hemispheres of the brain

64
Q

What is the left side of the brain used for

A

language

65
Q

What is the right side of the brain used for

A

spatial ability

66
Q

What is a split brain patient

A

the two hemispheres are able to do both functions, therefore they independently respond to signals
- each hemisphere has its own response, it is not balanced between the two sides as it usually would be
- patients are thought to have “two minds”

Psych 101 (17 decks)

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