Biology of Mind Flashcards
Why are psychologists concerned with human biology?
Because much of our behavior stems from our biology.
We are biopsychosocial systems in interaction.
How do biology and experience interact?
Plasticity enables our brain to adjust to new experiences, thereby being sculpted by both genes and life.
What are neurons, and how do the transmit information?
Neurons - The body’s speedy electrochemical information system. Components of the nervous system.
A neuron consists of a cellbody that recieves signals through its dendrites and further through the axon surrounded often by fat (myelin) that enable faster transmission.
The Glial cells support, nourish and protect neurons. They also play an important role in learning, memory and thinking.
“The action potential” for a neuron is when the signal travel fast enough for transmitting an electrical impulse. Always all or none process.
How do nerve cells communicate with other nerve cells?
When “the action potentials” reach the axon terminals, they stimulate the release of neurotransmitters.
Carries a message to the receptor sites on a recieving neuron.
Reuptake occur from the sending neuron that absorbs the excess neurotransmitters molecules in the synaptic gap.
If incoming signal is strong enough it will be carried on, generating its own action potential.
How do neurotransmitters influence behaviour, and how do drugs and other chemicals affect neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters may influence specific behaviours and emotions.
Acetylcholine (ACh) - enables muscle action, learning and memory.
Endorphins - are natural opiates released in response to pain and exercise.
- Agonists* - increases a neurotransmitter’s action
- Antagonists* - decrease a neurotransmitter’s action by blocking production or release.
What are the functions of the nervous system’s main divisions, and what are the three main types of neurons?
CNS
PNS: Somatic nervous system and the automatic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic)
Three main type sof neurons:
- Sensory (afferent) neurons - from senses to brain and spinal cord.
- Motor (efferent) neurons - carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.
- Interneurons - communicate within the brain and spinal cord and process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.
How do neuroscientists study the brain’s connections to behaviour and mind?
Clinical observations and lesioning (skada) reveal the general effects of brain damage.
Electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation can also reveal aspects of information processing in the brain.
MRI (anatomy)
EEG (elektiskt aktivitet)
MEG
PET
fMRI (anatomy and funktion)
What structures make up the brainstem,
and what are the functions of the brainstem, thalamus, reticular formation, and cerebellum?
Brain stem = the oldest part of the brain is responsible for automatic survival functions.
Medulla Oblongata - controls heartbeat and breathing)
Pons - helps coordinate movements and control sleep
The reticular formation - filters incoming stimuli, relays information to other brain areas, and affects arousal
Midbrain (mesencephalon) - associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wakefulness, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation.
Thalamus - brain’s sensory control center
Cerebellum - coordinates muscle movement and balance and enbales nonverbal learning and memory.
What are the limbic system’s structures and functions?
Limbis system is linked to emotions, memory and drives.
Include:
amygdala - involved in responses of aggression and fear
hypothalamus - directs various bodily maintenence functions, helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward.
hippocampus - helps process explicit, conscious memories
What four lobes make up the cerebral cortex, and what are thefunctions of the motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, and association?
The cerebral cortex -divided into two hemispheres
Each have four lobes: Frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobe.
The motor cortex - at the rear of the frontal lobes, control voluntary movements
The somatosensory cortex - at the front of the parietal lobes, registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
Most of the brain’s cortex is devoted to uncomitted association areas which integrate information involved in higher mental functions such as learning learning, remebering, thinking and speaking.
Our mental experiences arise from coordinated brain activity.
Do we really use 10 % of our brain?
The unresponsiveness of our association areas to electrical probing led to this false claim.
To what extent can a damaged brain reorganize itself, and what is neurogenesis?
Brain and spinal cord neurons usually do not regenerate. some neural tissue can reorganize in repsonse to damage,
Plasticity - new pathways are built and functions can migrate to other brain regions.
Reassignment of functions to different areas of the brain may also occur in blindness and deafness, or as a result of damage and disease.
The brain sometimes mends (reparerar) itself by forming new neurons, a process known as neurogenesis.
