Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Behavioral Sciences > Biology and Behavior > Flashcards

Biology and Behavior Flashcards

1
Q

What is neuropsychology

A

study of the connection between the nervous system and behavior

often focuses on the functions of various brain regions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the three types of neurons in the nervous system

A

afferent (sensory)
efferent (motor)
interneurons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are reflex arcs

A

use the ability of interneurons in the spinal cord to relay information to the source of stimuli while simultaneously routing it to the brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What makes up the nervous system

A

CNS and PNS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What makes up the CNS

A

Central nervous system

brain and spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What makes up the PNS

A

Peripheral nervous system

most cranial nerves and spinal nerves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the divisions of the PNS

A

somatic (voluntary) and autonomic (automatic)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the divisions of the autonomic system

A

parasympathetic (rest and digest) and sympathetic (flight or fight)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the three subdivisions of the brain

A
  • hindbrain: contains the cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular formation
  • midbrain: contains the inferior and superior colliculi
  • forebrain: contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, and cerebral cortex
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are common methods for studying the brain

A

studying lesions, electrical stimulation and activity recording (EEG and regional cerebral blood flow)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What part of the brain contains the cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular formation

A

hindbrain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What part of the brain contains the contains the inferior and superior colliculi

A

midbrain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What part of the brain contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, and cerebral cortex

A

forebrain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What does the forebrain contain

A

thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, and cerebral cortex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What does the hindbrain contain

A

cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular formation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What does the midbrain contain

A

inferior and superior colliculi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the function of the thalamus

A
  • relay station for sensory information (except for smell)
  • receives sensory information and relays it to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex
  • in forebrain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is the function of the hypothalamus

A
  • maintains homeostasis
  • hunger and thirst and sexual drive
  • emotion
  • key player in experiences during high arousal states, aggressive behavior, and sexual behavior
  • controls some endocrine functions and autonomic nervous system
  • metabolism, temperature, and water balance
  • integrates with the endocrine system through the hypophyseal portal system that connects to the anterior pituitary

Four F’s: Feeding, Fighting, Flighting, Sexual functioning

  • in forebrain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the function of the basal ganglia

A
  • smoothen movements
  • help maintain postural stability
  • coordinated muscle movement and relay information to the brain and spinal cord
  • in forebrain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the function of the limbic system and what parts make up the limbic system

A
  • controls emotion and memory
  • septal nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus
  • all in forebrain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the function of the septal nuclei

A
  • involved with feelings of pleasure, pleasure seeking behavior, and addition
  • in limbic system, which is in forebrain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the function of the amygdala

A
  • controls fear (defense) and aggression

- in limbic system, which is in forebrain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the function of the hippocampus

A
  • consolidates memories and communicates with other parts of the limbic system through and extension called the fornix
  • learning and memory processing
  • helps form long term memories
  • in limbic system, which is in forebrain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are the four parts of the cerebral cortex

A
  • frontal
  • parietal
  • occipital
  • temporal
  • in the forebrain
  • complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is the function of the frontal lobe

A
  • controls executive function
  • impulse control
  • long-term planning
  • motor function
  • speech production
  • contains primary motor cortex
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is the function of the parietal lobe

A
  • sensations of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain
  • spatial processing
  • orientation
  • spacial manipulation
  • map reading, orientation in 3D
  • contains primary somatosensory cortex
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe

A
  • controls visual processing
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe

A
  • controls sound processing (auditory cortex)
  • speech perception (Wernicke’s area)
  • memory and emotion
  • contains auditory cortex and Wernicke’s area
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

The brain can be divided into two ____ hemispheres, which are ____ and _____.

A

cerebral

left and right

30
Q

The ___ hemisphere is usually dominant for language in most individuals

A

left

31
Q

What are meninges and the role they play in the body

A
  • thick sheath of connective tissue
  • composed of three layers (dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater)
  • help protect the brain
  • keep it anchored to the skull
  • reabsorbe CSF
32
Q

What is CSF

A

Cerebrospinal fluid

  • aqueous solution in which the brain and spinal cord rest
  • produced by specialized cells that line the ventricles ( internal cavities of the brain)
33
Q

What is the layer of the meninges and structures from brain to skin

A
  • brain
  • pia mater
  • arachnoid mater
  • dura mater
  • bone
  • periosteum
  • skin
34
Q

For the most part structures located at the base of the brain are associated with ____ behavior and structures located higher up are associated with ___ behavior

A
  • base = survival

- higher up = more complex

35
Q

What forms the brainstem

A
  • hindbrain and midbrain
36
Q

What is the most primitive part of the brain

A
  • brainstem (hindbrain and midbrain)
37
Q

What is the most recent evolutionary development of the human brain

A
  • cerebral cortex
38
Q

What is the role of the medulla oblongata

A
  • lower brain structure, in hindbrain

- regulating vital functions (breathing, heart rate, blood pressure)

39
Q

What is the role of the pons

A
  • contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and medulla
40
Q

What is the role of the cerebellum

A
  • lower brain structure, in hindbrain , mushrooming off the pons
  • helps maintain posture and balance
  • coordinates body movements
41
Q

What happens is the cerebellum is damaged

A
  • causes clumsiness, slurred speech, and loss of balance

- similar to the affects alcohol has on it

42
Q

What is the function of the superior colliculus

A
  • midbrain

- receives visual sensory input

43
Q

What is the function of the inferior colliculus

A
  • midbrain

- receives sensory information from the auditory system

44
Q

What is the main function of the midbrain

A
  • receives sensory and motor information from the rest fo the body
  • involuntary reflex response triggered by visual or auditory stimuli
  • superior colliculus and inferior colliculus - collectively called colliculi
45
Q

What part of the brain has the greatest influence on human behavior

A
  • forebrain

- not necessarily needed for survival but play a huge role in intellectual and emotional capacities

46
Q

The thalamus is a relay station for incoming sensory information, besides ___ information

A

smell

47
Q

What is the main function of the lateral hypothalamus

A

LH - Lacks Hunger

  • hunger center, has special receptors thought to detect when the body needs more food or fluids
  • triggers eating and drinking
  • if this part is removed there is absolutely no drive to eat
48
Q

What is the main function of the ventromedial hypothalamus

A

VMH - Very Much Hungry

  • satiety center
  • signals to stop eating
  • if there are brain lesions on this area it typically leads to obesity
49
Q

What is the main function of the anterior hypothalamus

A

AH - Asexual if destroyed

  • controls sexual behavior
  • stimulated - leads to sexual behavior
  • damaged - leads to lack of sexual behavior
50
Q

Parkinson’s diseases is the destruction of the ___ which can lead to the following symptoms

A
  • basal ganglia

- jerky movements and uncontrolled resting tremors

51
Q

Anterograde amnesia vs retrograde amnesia

A
  • not being able to establish any new long term memories, but old memories are intact
  • not being able to remember old memories but can make new ones
52
Q

What is the function of the Broca’s area

A
  • speech production

- in frontal lobe

53
Q

What is the function of the Wernicke’s area

A
  • language reception and comprehension

- in temporal lobe

54
Q

What is contralaterally in the brain

A
  • motor neurons on the left side of the brain activate movements on the right side of the body
55
Q

What is ipsilaterally in the brain

A
  • motor neurons on the right side of the brain activate movements on the right side of the body
56
Q

What are neurotransmitters

A
  • released by neurons to carry a single to another neuron or effector (muscle fiber or gland)
57
Q

Acetylcholine is

A
  • used by the somatic nervous system to move muscles
  • used by the parasympathetic nervous system
  • used by CNS for alertness
58
Q

Dopamine

A
  • maintains smooth muscle movements and steady posture
59
Q

Endorphins and enkephalins

A
  • natural pain killers
60
Q

What neurotransmitters act as natural pain killers

A

endorphins and enkephalins

61
Q

Ephinephrine and norepinephrine

A
  • maintain wakefulness and alterness
  • mediate fight or flight responses
  • epinephrine acts like hormone and norepinephrine acts more like neurotransmitter
  • released by adrenal medulla
62
Q

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

A
  • brain stabilizer
63
Q

glycines role as a neurotransmitter

A
  • brain stabilizer
64
Q

glutamates role as a neurotransmitter

A
  • excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain
65
Q

serotonin role as a neurotransmitter

A
  • modulates mood, sleep patterns, eating patterns, and dreaming
66
Q

What is cortisol

A
  • stress hormone released by adrenal cortex
67
Q

What is testosterone

A
  • mediate libido
  • increases aggressive behavior
  • released by adrenal cortex
  • testes also produce testosterone
68
Q

What is estrogen

A
  • mediate libido
  • released by adrenal cortex
  • ovaries also produce estrogen
69
Q

What are the bumps on the brain called

A

gyri

70
Q

What are the folds in the brain called

A

sulci

71
Q

What are seven of the most important neurotransmitters

A
  • acetylcholine
  • epinephrine and norepinephrine
  • dopamine
  • serotonin
  • GABA and glycine
  • glutamate
  • endorphins
72
Q

Glycine vs glutamate in the CNS

A
  • glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter

- glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter

Behavioral Sciences (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions