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MCAT Behavioral Sciences > Biology and Behavior > Flashcards

Biology and Behavior Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Franz Gall

A

father of phrenology

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2
Q

Pierre Flourens

A

first to study the function of major parts of the brain; did this by expiration on rabbits and pigeons

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3
Q

extirpation aka ablation

A

surgically removing various parts of the brain to observe behavioral consequences

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4
Q

William James

A

father of American psychology; his view helped to form functionalism

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5
Q

functionalism

A

a system of thought in psychology that studied how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environment

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6
Q

John Dewey

A

his 1896 article is seen as the inception of functionalism; broke the process of reacting to a stimulus into discrete parts

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7
Q

Paul Broca

A

examined behavioral deficits of people with brain damage; found that a man who’d been unable to talk was unable because of a lesion in a specific area in his brain, Broca’s area

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8
Q

Hermann von Helmholtz

A

first to measure the speed of a nerve impulse; credited with the transition of psych into the natural sciences

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9
Q

Sir Charles Serrington

A

first inferred the existence of synapses

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10
Q

Sensory (afferent) neurons

A

transmit sensory info from receptors to the spinal cord and brain

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11
Q

motor (efferent) neurons

A

transmit motor info from the brain/spinal cord to muscles and glands

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12
Q

interneurons

A

found between motor and sensory neurons; most abundant

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13
Q

reflex arcs

A

control reflexes

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14
Q

central nervous system (CNS)

A

brain and spinal cord

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15
Q

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

A

nerve tissue and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord (olfactory and optic nerves, too)

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16
Q

somatic nervous system

A

consists of sensory and motor neurons

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17
Q

autonomic nervous system

A

regulates involuntary muscles associated with many internal organs and glands

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18
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A

main role is to conserve energy (lower heart rate, increase digestion); main neurotransmitter is acetylcholine

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19
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A

activated by stress; secretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline

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20
Q

meninges

A

thick sheath of connective tissue

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21
Q

Three layers of meninges

A

Dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater

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22
Q

Cerebrospinal fluid

A

aqueous solution in which the brain and spinal cord rest

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23
Q

ventricles

A

internal cavities of the brain; cells inside ventricles produce CSF

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24
Q

Brainstem

A

most primitive region of the brain

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25
Q

limbic sytem

A

group of neural structures assoc. with emotion and memory

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26
Q

cerebral cortex

A

outermost covering of the cerebral hemispheres; assoc. with complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioral processes

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27
Q

hindbrain (rhombencephalon)

A

controls balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion and general arousal processes such as sleeping and walking

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28
Q

myelencephalon

A

part of the hindbrain division; becomes medulla oblongata

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29
Q

metencephalon

A

part of the hindbrain division; becomes pons and cerebellum

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30
Q

medulla oblongata

A

lower brain structure responsible for regulating vital functions such as breathing, heart rate and blood pressure

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31
Q

pons

A

lies above medulla; contains sensory/motor pathways between cortex and medulla

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32
Q

cerebellum

A

helps maintain posture and balance and coordinates body movements

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33
Q

midbrain (mesencephalon)

A

receives sensory and motor info

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34
Q

colliculi

A

superior colliculus: receives visual sensory input

inferior colliculus: receives auditory sensory input

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35
Q

forebrain (prosencephalon)

A

assoc. with complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioral processes

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36
Q

telencephalon

A

part of forebrain division; forms cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and limbic system

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37
Q

diencephalon

A

part of forebrain division; forms thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland and pineal gland

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38
Q

neuropsychology

A

study of functions and behaviors assoc. with specific regions of the brain

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39
Q

cortical maps

A

using electrical impulses to determine functions of specific regions of brain

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40
Q

electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

involves placing several electrodes on scalp to study electrical activity generated by large groups of neurons

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41
Q

regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)

A

detects broad patterns of neural activity based on increased blood flow to different parts of the brain

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42
Q

computed tomography (CT)

A

multiple x-rays are taken at different angles and processed by a computer to cross-sectional images of the tissue

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43
Q

positon emission tomography (PET)

A

a radioactive sugar is injected and absorbed into the body; its dispersion and uptake throughout target tissue is imaged

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44
Q

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

A

uses a magnetic field to interact with hydrogens and map out hydrogen dense regions

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45
Q

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

A

uses the same technique as MRI but specifically measures for blood flow

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46
Q

thalamus

A

serves as relay station for all incoming sensory information besides smell

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47
Q

hypothalamus

A
  • key player in emotional experiences during high arousal states
  • controls some endocrine functions
  • regulate metabolism, temperature, and H2O balance
  • regulares autonomic nervous system
  • important in drive behaviors such as thirst, hunger, and sexual behavior
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48
Q

lateral hypothalamus

A

-detects when body needs more food or fluids

49
Q

ventromedial hypothalamus

A

-provides signal to stop eating

50
Q

anterior hypothalamus

A
  • controls sexual behavior

- regulates sleep and body temperature

51
Q

posterior pituitary

A
  • composed of axonal projections from hypothalamus

- releases antidiuretic hormone (ADH, aka vasopressin) and oxytocin

52
Q

pineal gland

A

secretes melatonin which regulates circadian rhythms

53
Q

basal ganglia

A
  • in the middle of brain, group of structures that coordinate muscle movement
  • help make movements smooth and posture steady
54
Q

extrapyramidal system

A

gathers info about body position and carries it to CNS, but does not function directly through motor neurons

55
Q

Parkinson’s disease

A
  • jerky movements and resting tremors

- caused by destruction of DA neurons in basal ganglia

56
Q

septal nuclei

A

one of the primary pleasure centers

57
Q

amygdala

A

plays an important role in defensive and aggressive behaviors

58
Q

hippocampus

A

plays vital role in learning and memory processes; helps consolidate information to form long-term memories

59
Q

fornix

A

long projection through with the hippocampus communicates with the rest of the brain

60
Q

anterograde amnesia

A

not being able to establish new long-term memories, can still remember things before brain injury

61
Q

retrograde amnesia

A

memory loss of events before brain injury

62
Q

gyri and sulci

A

bumps and folds in the brain, respectively

63
Q

cerebral hemispheres

A

the two halves of the cerebrum

64
Q

four lobes of the brain

A

frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital

65
Q

frontal lobe regions and main function

A

prefrontal cortex and motor cortex; executive function

66
Q

prefrontal cortex

A

manages executive function by supervising and directing the operations of other brain regions

67
Q

association area

A

an area that integrates input from diverse brain regions

68
Q

projection areas

A

perform more rudimentary/simple tasks

69
Q

precentral gyrus

A

the primary motor cortex is located on this; it lies just in front of the central sulcus

70
Q

primary motor cortex

A

initiates voluntary movement by sending neural impulses down the spinal cord toward the muscles

71
Q

Broca’s area

A

located in frontal lobe; vital for speech production; usually found in only one hemisphere (the dominant one)

72
Q

Parietal lobe

A

located to the rear of the frontal lobe

73
Q

somatosensory cortex

A

part of parietal lobe; involved in somatosensory information processing (touch, pressure, temp, pain)

74
Q

postcentral gyrus

A

just behind the central sulcus; the somatosensory cortex is located on it

75
Q

occipital lobe

A

located at the very rear of the brain; contains visual (striate) cortex; implicated in learning and motor control

76
Q

temporal lobe

A

assoc. with auditory cortex and Wernicke’s area

77
Q

auditory complex

A

primary site of most sound processing

78
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

associated with language reception and comprehension

79
Q

contralateral communication

A

one side of the brain communicates with the opposite side of the body

80
Q

ipsilateral communication

A

one side of the brain communicates with the same side of the body; this is true with respect to hearing

81
Q

brain hemisphere dominance

A

dominant hemisphere is considered the one most heavily used during language reception and production; most people are left-side dominant

82
Q

dominant hemisphere

A

primarily analytic in function (language, logic, math, etc)

83
Q

nondominant hemisphere

A

assoc. with intuition, creativity, music cognition and spatial processing

84
Q

acetylcholine

A
  • used to transmit nerve impulses to the muscles

- linked to attention and arousal

85
Q

catecholamines (monoamines/biogenic amines)

A
  • epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine

- all play important roles in the experience of emotions

86
Q

epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline)

A
  • involved in alertness and wakefulness
  • promote fight-or-flight
  • norepinephrine is local, epinephrine is systemic
87
Q

Dopamine

A
  • plays role in movement and posture

- found in high concentration in basal ganglia

88
Q

dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

A

-argues that delusions, hallucinations and agitation of the disease result from either foo much DA or an oversensitivity to DA

89
Q

serotonin

A
  • regulates modd, eating, sleeping and dreaming

- plays role in depression and mania

90
Q

GABA

A

produces inhibitory post-synaptic potentials; stabilizes neural stability in the brain; works by causing hyper polarization of postsynaptic membrane

91
Q

Glycine

A

inhibitory neurotransmitter in CNS; increases chloride influx into neuron, hyperpolarizing the post-synaptic membrane

92
Q

glutamate

A

excitatory neurotransmitter

93
Q

neuromodulators (neuropeptides)

A
  • peptides involved in neurotransmission

- slow and have longer effects

94
Q

endorphins and enkephalins

A

neuromodulators that work as painkillers produced in the brain; work similar to opioids

95
Q

endocrine system

A
  • works by releasing hormones

- relatively slow compared to neurotransmission

96
Q

hypophyseal portal system

A

directly connects hypothalamus and pituitary gland

97
Q

pituitary gland

A

master gland; anterior and posterior parts

98
Q

anterior pituitary gland

A

releases hormones that regulate activity; controlled by hypothalamus

99
Q

adrenal glands

A

located on top of kidneys; divided into adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex

100
Q

adrenal medulla

A

releases epinephrine and norepinephrine in conjunction with the sympathetic nervous system

101
Q

adrenal cortex

A

produces corticosteroids; contributes to sexual function by producing sex hormones

102
Q

corticosteroids

A

includes stress hormone cortisol

103
Q

sex hormones

A

testosterone and estrogen

104
Q

gonads

A

sex glands of the body; ovaries and testes

105
Q

libido

A

increased by sex hormones; contributes to mating and sexual function

106
Q

innate behavior

A

genetically programmed, seen in everyone

107
Q

learned behaviors

A

based on experience and environment

108
Q

adaptive value

A

extent to which a behavior or trait positively benefits a species

109
Q

concordance rates

A

refer to the likelihood that both twins exhibit the same trait

110
Q

neuralation

A

occurs when the ectoderm overlaying notochord begins to furrow, forming neural groove surrounded by two neural folds

111
Q

neural crest

A

cells at edge of neural fold; will migrate throughout bod to form disparate tissues

112
Q

neural tube

A

furrow of neuralation closes, forming this; becomes CNS

113
Q

alar plate and basal plate

A

parts of neural tube; alar becomes sensory neurons and basal becomes motor neurons

114
Q

primitive reflexes

A

found in babies, disappear with age

115
Q

rooting reflex

A

automatic turning of the head in the direction of a stimulus touching the cheek

116
Q

Moro reflex

A

infants react to abrupt movements of their heads by flinging out their arms, then slowly retracting them while crying

117
Q

Babinski reflex

A

causes the toes to spread apart automatically when the sole of the foot is touched

118
Q

grasping reflex

A

occurs when infant closes his or her finger around an object placed in their hand

MCAT Behavioral Sciences (6 decks)

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