Biology and Behaviour Flashcards
Transmit sensory information from receptors to the spinal cord and brain
Sensory neurons (afferent neurons)
Transmit information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands
Motors neurons (efferent neurons)
Most predominat neurons located in the brain and spinal cord between other neurons and are linked to reflexive behaiour
Interneurons
Use the ability of interneurons in the spinal cord to relay information to the source of stimuli causing a relfex while simultaneously routing it to the brain
relfex arc
The peripheral nervous system nerves
31 pairs of spinal nerves
12 pairs of cranial nerves
olfactory and optic nerves
Assoicated with sensory and motor neurons distributed throughout the skin, joints, and muscles
Somatic nervous system (voluntary)
Regulates heartbeat, temperature, respiration, digestion, and glandular secretions
Autonomic nervous system (involuntary)
Part of the autonomic system that acts to conserve energy
Parasympathetic nervous system
Roles of the parasympthetic nervous system
resting and sleeping states reduce heart rate contrict bronchi constrict pupils stimulates flow of salvia stimultes peristlis and secretion stimiluates bile reslease (rest and digest)
Symptathic nervous system roles
dilates pupils inhibits salivation relaces bronchi accelerates heartbeat stilumulates sweating or piloerection inhibits peristalsis and secretion simulates glucose production and release secreation of adrenaline and noradrenaline inhibits bladder contration stimulates orgasm (fight-or-flight)
Parasympathetic nervous system neurotransmitter
acetylcholine
Thick, three layered sheath of connective tissuive covering the brain
Meninges
Outer layer of meninges connected directly to the skull
dura mater
Fibrous, weblike middle layer of meninges
arachnoid mater
Inner layer of meninges connected directly to the brain
pia mater
Aqueous solution that nourishes the brain and spinal cord and provide protective cushion. Reabsorbed by the meninges
Cerebrospinal fluid
Contain cells that produce cerebrospinal fluid
Ventricles
Includes the hindbrain and midbrain
Brain stem
Group of neural structures including the septal nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex in the forebrain primairly associated with emotion and memory
Limbic system
Outer covering of the cerebral hemispheres linked to language processesing, problem solving, impulse control, and long term planning
Cerebral cortex
Assoicated with balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion, arousal processes - vital functioning - and contains the cerebellum, medulla oblongata, and reticular formation
Hindbrain (rhombencephalon)
Divides to form the mylenencephalon and metencephalon in the hindbrain
Rhombencephalon
Originates from the rhombencephalon and becomes the medulla oblongata in the hindbrain
Myelencephalon
Originates from the rhombencephalon and becomes the pons and cerebellum in the hindbrain
metacephalon
Controls heart rate, breathing, digestion vital reflexes (vomiting, coughing)
Medulla oblongata
Involved communication with the brain and breathing
Pons
Associated with refined motor movements - posture, balance, coordination (impaired by alcohol)
Cerebellum
Receives sensory and motor information from the rest of the body. Associated with involuntary reflex responses triggerd by visual or auditory stimuli. Includes the inferior (auditory) and superior (visual) colliculi
Midbrian (mesencephalon)
Associated with complex perceptual, cognitive, behavioural processes and is associated with emotion and memory. Contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganlia, limic system, and cerebral cortex
Forbrain (prosencephalon)
Divides to form telenchephalon and diencephalon
Prosencephalon
Originates from the prosencephalon and forms cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system in the forebrain
telencephalon
Originates from the prosencephalon and forms the thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, and pineal gland in the forebrain
Diencephalon
The study of the functions and behaviours associated with specific regions of the brain
neuropsychology
Created through electrical stimulation of specific brain regions
Cortical maps
Utilizes electrodes on scalp to generate electrical activity by larger groups of neurons
electroencephalogram (EEF)
Detects broad patters of neural activity based on increased blood flow to different parts of the brain. Relies on assumption that blood flow increases to regions of brain that are engaged in cognitive function. Uses radioactive gas.
Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)
Multiple X rays taken at different angles and processed by a computer to produce cross-sectional images of the tissue
Computed tomography (compted axial tomography) scan
Radioactive sugar is abosrbed into body and its dispersion and uptake throughout the targer tissue is imaged
Positron emission tomography scan
Magentic field interacts with hydrogen atoms to map out hydrogen dense regions of the body
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Measures changes associated with blood flow to characterize neural activity
Functional magnetic resonance imagaing (fMRI)
Structures surrounding the brain (most deep to most superficial)
meninges, bone, periosteum, and skin
Relay sation for incoming sensory information (except smell)
Thalamus
Hypothalamus - maintains and integrates with the endocrine systme through the hypophyseal portal system that connects it to the anterior pituitary
Feeding
Fighting
Flighting
(sexual) Functioning
Triggers eating and drinking (hunger centre)
lateral hypothalamus
satiety center
ventromedial hypothalamus
Regualtes sexual behaviour, sleep, and body temperature
Anterior hypothalamus
Site of release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH or vasopressin) and oxytocin
posterior pituitrary
Receives direct signals from the retina and secretes melatonin
Pineal gland
Coordinates smooth muscle movements and receives information from the cortex and relays this information to brain and spine
Basal ganglia
Gathers information about the bodies position and carries this information to the central nervous system
extrapyramial system (basal ganglia)
Diseases associated with destruction of basal ganglia
Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and obessive compulsive disorder
Comprised of a group of interconnected structures looping around the central portion of the brain and is primarily assoicated with emotion and memory. Contains the septal nuclei, amygdala, and hippocampus
limbic system
Pleasure center of brain - pleasure, pleasure-seeking behaviour, and addiction - part of limbic system
Septal Nuclei
Plays an important role in defensive and aggressive behaviours - part of limic system
Amygdala
Plays a vital role in learning and memory processes (especially longterm memory). Consolidates memories and communicates with other parts of the limic systmem through an extension called the fornix
Hippocampus
Enables communicaton between the hippocampus and other portions of the limbic system
Fornix
The inability to establish new long-term memories due to damage of hippocampus
anterograde amnesia
Memory loss of events prior to brain injury
retrograde amnesia
Functions in regulation of impulse control and decision making
Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Outer surface of the brain. The most recent brain region to evovle. Invovled in complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioural processes
Cerebral cortex (neocortex)
Bumps and folds of the cerebral cortex that provide increased surfac area
gyri and sulci
Halves of the cerebrum
cerebral hemispheres
Four lobes of topic cerebral cortex
Frontal Parietal Occipital Temporal (F-POT)
Regions of frontal lobe
Prefrontal cortex (executive function - supervises) Motor cortex Broca's area - speech production (dominant hemisphere only)
Function of the prefrontal cortex
Supervises processes such as perception, memory, emotion, impulse control, and long-term planning. Communicates and intergrate infromation from other regions of brain - association area
Integrates information from diverse regions of the brain
Association area
Areas of the brain assicated with rudimentary percepual and motor tasks
Perceptual areas
Located on the precentral gyrus in front of the central sulcus and is a projection area
primary motor cortex
Initates voluntary motor movements by sending neural impulses down the spinal cord toward the muscles
primary motor cortex
The neurons in the motor cortex are arranged systematically according to the parts of the brain they are assoicated with
motor humunculus
Associated with touch, temperature, and pain. Central region of lobe is associated with spatial processing and manupulation, and orientation
parietal lobe
Located on the postcentral gyrus just below the central suclus and invovled in somatosensory information processing. A projection area that is a destination for all incoming sensory signals for touch, pressure, temperature, and pain
somatosensory cortex
The lobe located at the rear of the brain and contains the visual or striate cortext
occipital lobe
The region in the temporal lobe that is the primary site of sound processing including speech, musics, and other sound information
Auditory cortex
Region of temporal lobe that is associated with langauage reception and comprehension
Wernicke’s area
Lobe associated with hearing, memory processing, emotion, and language. Includes auditory cortex, Wernicke’s area, and the limbic system
Temporal lobe
When one side of the brain communciates with the opposite side of the body
Contraleteral commuicates
When cerebral hemispheres communicate with the same side of the body
Ipsilateral communication
Hemisphere that is more stimulated during language reception and production and is primarily analytic in function, making it well-suited for managing detail.
Dominant hemisphere (left side usually)
Hemisphere assoicated with intuition, creativity, music cognition, and spatial processing
non-dominant hemisphere (usually right)
Associated with vital functioning (breathing, digestion)
Medulla oblongata
Assoicated with arousal and altertness
Reticular formation
Neurotransmitter linked to voluntary muscle control in the somatic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, attention, alterness. Found in CNS and PNS
Acetylcholine
Primary neurotransmitters of the sympathetic nervous system that are linked to fight or flight response, wakefulness, alertness.
Epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
Neurotransmitter linked to smooth movements and postural stability. High concentrations found in the basal ganglia. High levels assoicated with schizophrenia. Low levels assoicated with Parkinson’s disease
dopamine
Neurotransmitter (monoamine or biogenic amine) linked to mood, sleep, eating, dreaming. High levels - manic. Low levels - depression.
serotonin
Neurotransmitter linked to neural stabilization in brain. Hyperpolarize the postsynaptic membrane
GABA and glycine
Neurotransmitter that acts as a natural painkiller
Endorphins
A drug the mimics the action of some neurotransmitter
agonist
Drugs that act by blocking the action of neurotransmitters
antagonists
Neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine, that play a role in emotion
catecholamines (monoamines or biogenic amines)
Neurotransmitter that causes excitation in the brain
Glutamate
Slow acting peptide neurotransmitters that have longer effects including endorphins and enkephalins
Neuromodulators
An internal communication network that uses hormones as chemical messengers. Linked to the nervous system through thehypothalamus
the endocrine system
The system that connects the hypothalamus and pituitary gland through endocrine release of hromones
Hypophyseal portal system
The master gland located at the base of the brain which is divided into the anterior and posterior and secretes hormones into bloodstream that travel to other endocrine glands
pituitary gland
Glands located on top of kidneys. Adrenal medulla releases epinephrine and norepinephrine which is assoicated with sympathetic nervous system effetcs throughout the body and the adrenal cortex produces corticosteroids, testosterone and estrogen.
adrenal glands
Type of study that relies on the fact that genetically related individuals are more similiar genotypically than unrelated indviduals
Family studies
Compares concordance rates (liklihood that both twins exhibit the same trait) between monozygotic and dizygotic twins
Twin studies
Compare the similarities between biological relatives and adopted children to similarities between adoptive relatives and the adopted child
Adoption studies
The development of the nervous system where the ectoderm overlying the notochord begins to furrow, forming a neural groove surround by two neural folds. Cells at the leading edge of the fold (neural crest) migrate throughout body and form tissues while the remainder of the furrow becomes theneural tube which ultimately becomes the CNS. The neural tube has an alar plate which differentiates into sensory neurons and a basal plate which differeniates into motor neurons. The neurla tube invaginates and folds; the embryonic brain has three swellings which become five swellings in the mature brain.
Neurulaton
A behaviour that occurs in response to a given stimulus without higher cognitive input.
Reflexes
Automatic turning of the head in the directin of a stimulus that touches the cheek
rooting reflex
Infants react to abrupt movements of their heads by flinging thier arms, then slowly retracting their arms and crying. Usually dissappears after four months
Moro reflec
Toes automatically spread apart when the sole of the foot is stimulated
Babinski reflex
Infant closes fingers around object placed in hand
Grasping reflex
Movements from large muscle groups and whole body motion, such as sitting, crawling,and walking. Development occurs from head to toe and from core to the periphery
gross motor skills
Movements invovling the smaller muscles of the fingers, toes, and eyes. Include ability to track motion, draw, catch, and wave
Fine motor skills
children play alongside each other without influencing each other’s behaviour
parallel play
Three types of neurons in nervous system
Sensory (afferent)
Motor (efferent)
interneurons
Part of the autonomic nervous system that is activated by stress
sympathetic nervous system
Part of the autonomic nervous system that is activated by stress
sympathetic nervous system
Early theory that behaviour, intellect, and personality linked to brain anatomy
Franz Gall
Measured psychological attributes by measuring the skull (false)
Phrenology
The first to study sections of brain though extirpation or ablation (similar to creating knockouts) on rabbits and pigeons - parts are removed from brain and the behavioural consequences are observed. Led to assertion that specific parts of brain have specific function
Pierre Flourens
Father of American psychology. Studied how minds adapt to the environment - functionalism - how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environment
William James
Inception of functionalism - article criticized the concept of reflex arc which breaks reaction into discrete parts. Believed that psychology should focus on the whole organism as it adapts to the environment
John Dewey
First to show that specific lesions led to specific behavioural deficits.
Studied a man who was unable to speak due to lesions on left side of brain - now called Broca’s region
Paul Broca
First to recognize synapses. He thought the synaptic transmission was an electrical process which is wrong - primarily chemical
Sir Charles Sherrington
