Biology and Behavior Flashcards
Franz Gall (1758-1828)
- earliest theory that behavior, intellect and personality might be linked to the brains anatomy
- Developed doctrine of phrenology
- Thought that you could measure brain power by measuring the size of the skull
Pierre Flourens (1794-1867)
- first to study the major functions of the brain
- Extirpation/ablation done on pigeons and rabbits
Extirpation/ablation
various parts of the brain are surgically removed and the consequences are observed
William James (1842-1910)
- father of American psychology
- Functionalism
Functionalism
system of thought that studied how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environment
John Dewey (1859-1952)
- part of the inception of functionalism
- Believed that psychology should focus on the study of an organism as a whole as it functioned to adapt to the environment
Paul Broca (1824-1880)
- Examined behavioural defects of people with brain damage
- First to demonstrate that specific impairments could be linked to specific brain lesions
Broca’s Area
area of the brain where a lesion causes the person to be unable to talk. Found on the left side of the brain
Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894)
- measured the speed of a nerve impulse
- Turned psychology into a natural science field
Sir Charles Sherrington (1857-1952)
- found the existence of a synapse
- Thought it was an electrical process, but it is actually a chemical process
Sensory Neurons (afferent neurons)
transmit sensory information from receptors to the spinal cord and the brain
Motor Neurons (efferent neurons)
transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands
Interneurons
- found between the above two neurons and are the most abundant
- Mainly found in the brain and spinal cord and linked to reflexive behavior
Reflex Arc
neural circuits that control this behavior
Central Nervous System
composed of brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System
-composed of nerve tissue and fibers that are outside of the brain and spinal cord
-into the
somatic and autonomic nervous systems
Somatic Nervous System
sensory and motor neurons that are distributed throughout the skin, joints and muscles
Autonomic Nervous System
- regulates heartbeat, respiration rate, digestion, and glandular secretion
- Manages involuntary muscles that are associated with many internal organs and glands
- Can be subdivided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
Parasympathetic Nervous System
-main goal is to conserve energy
- “rest-and-digest”
-Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter responsible for parasympathetic
responses in the body
Sympathetic Nervous System
- activated by stress
- “flight-or-fight”
- Epinephrine is released into the bloodstream
Meninges
- thick sheath of protective tissue covering the brain
- three layers: dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater
Cerebrospinal fluid
- aqueous solution where the brain and spinal cord rest
- Produced by cells that line the ventricles
limbic system
group of neural structures that are primarily associated with emotion and memory
Cerebral Cortex
- Outer covering of the cerebral hemispheres
- Associated with many things such as language processing, problem solving, impulse control or long-term planning
Hindbrain (Rhombencephalon)
- Located where the brain meets the spinal cord
- Controls balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion and general arousal (sleep/wake)
- manages vital functions that are necessary for survival
Myelencephalon
- forms into the medulla oblongata from rhombencephalon
- responsible for regulating vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure
Metencephalon
- forms the pons and the cerebellum from rhombencephalon
- Pons lie above the medulla and contain the sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and the medulla
- Cerebellum helps in maintaining posture/balance & coordinates the body’s movements
Midbrain (mesencephalon)
- Receives sensory and motor information from the rest of the body
- Associated with involuntary reflex responses that are triggered by visual or audio stimuli
- Location of several prominent nuclei (two called colliculi)
Superior Colliculi
receives visual sensory input
Inferior Colliculi
receives sensory information from the auditory system
Forebrain (prosencephalon)
- Associated with complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioral processes
- Associated with emotion and memory
Telencephalon
forms the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system from the forebrain
Diencephalon
forms the thalamus, hypothalamus. Posterior pituitary gland and pineal gland from the forebrain
Neuropsychology
study of functions and behaviors associated with specific regions of the brain
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
involves placing electrodes on the scalp and the electrodes are used to record the electrical activity produced by the brain
Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)
detects broad patters of neural activity based on increased blood flow to different parts of the brain
Computed Tomography (CT)
multiple X-rays are taken at different angles and processed by a computer to cross-sectional slice images of the tissue
PET (positron emission tomography) scan
radioactive sugar is injected and absorbed into the body
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
uses a magnetic field to interact with hydrogen and map out hydrogen dense regions of the body
Function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
Uses same technique as MRI, but measures the changes associated with blood flow
Forebrain: Thalamus
- Serves as an important relay station for incoming sensory information
- Once information is received, the thalamus sorts and transmits them to the appropriate cerebral cortex
Forebrain: Hypothalamus
- subdivided into three sections
- serves homeostatic functions
- involved in emotional experiences during high arousal states
- helps in the control of some endocrine functions and the autonomic nervous system that is directly tied to its main function of maintaining homeostasis