biology of mind and behavior Flashcards
brain plasticity
the brain’s ability to change
neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
what are the jobs of the neuron
- receives information from senses
- process the information
- sends the information to other neurons, muscles, or organs
what is a neuron
the basic unit of the nercous system
how many neurons does the brain have?
one hundred billion neurons
types of nerons
-sensory
-interneuron
-motor neuron
sensory neurons
receives input from senses
motor neurons
direct output from brain
interneuron
the “in-between message carrier”
are there more glial cells or neurons?
glial cells
what are glial cells
they fill the gap between neurons (glia = glue)
-the nutrition & maintenance of nerve cells
-some are involved in the brain’s immune response
-10 times more glial cells than neurons
what do dendrites do?
receive signals from other cells
nucleus
controls the entire neuron
cell body
organizes and keeps the cell function
cell membrane
protects the cell
axon
transfers signals to other cells and organs
meylin sheath
increases the speed of the signal
axon hillock
generates impulse in the neuron
schwann cells
produces the myelin sheath
what is the resting potential of neural impulses
-70 mV
action potential for neural impulses
firing about 40 mV
all or none law about 55 mV (once it hits 55, it shoots way up)
myelin
acts as an insulator
allows signal to travel more efficiently
what is multiple scerlosis?
a deteriorated myelin
what are the types neurotransmitters
-acetycholine
-dopamine
-norepinephrine
-serotonin
-GABA
-glutamine
-endorphine
acetylcholine (ACh)
-learning muscle memory
-muscle movement
-problems: alzheimer’s disease
dopamine (DA)
-movements, learning, attention, emotion
-problems: schizophrenia (too much) Parkinson’s (too little)
norepinephrine (NE)
-alertness and arousal
-Problems: depression, bipolar disorder
serotonin (5-HT)
-mood, hunger, sleep, arousal
-problems: depression, bipolar disorder
GABA
inhibitory action- CALMS (calms firing of cells)
-problems: generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, seizures, tremors (when gaba is abnormal)
Glutamate (Glu)
-excitatory action (increases firing of cells) memory
-problems: schizophrenia, migraines, seizures
endoprhins
-pain & pleasure
-problems: too much can alter body’s production of natural endorphins
how do neurotransmitters travel?
they cross the snyapse
excitatory vs inhibitory
excitatory: neuron more likely to fire
inhibitory: neuron less likely to fire
agonist vs antagonist
agonist: any molecule that increases the effect of the neurotransmitter
antagonist: any molecule that blocks or decreases the effect of a neurotransmitter
ex of agonist
codine and morphine are both opiods which kill pain, endorphins also kill pain, so its and agonist. if it acts like a transmitter, it is an agonist
agonist ______ a neurotransmitter’s normal effects and an antagonist ______ them.
amplifies
reduces
autonomic nervous system
-part of the peripheral nervous system
-sympathetic: fight or flight
-parasympathetic: rest and digest
the neuroendocrine system
-“slow” chemical communication system
-messenger: hormones secreted in bloodstream
-pituitary gland: master gland
-adrenal glands: involved in “fight or flight”
-slower than central nervous system
-longer lasting effects than CNS
electroencephalogram
-reads electrical activity of cells
-(EEG)
magnetoencephalogram (MEG)
- maps activity by recording magnetic fields from electricity in the brain
positron emission tomography (PET)
visualizes brain function
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
visualizes brain function
medulla
heartbeat and breathing
pons
sleep control & movement coordination
thalamous
receives sensory information relays to higher brain regions
cerebellum
coordination of movement and balance, involved in nonverbal learning and memory
lymbic system
associated with memory and drives
hippocampus
memory formation of facts, events, and spatial awareness
amygdala
linked to emotions, especially aggression and fear
hypothalamus
-maintenance and motivation
-homeostasis
-thirst & hunger
-linked to reward & pleasure via nucleus accumbens (in humans more likely to produce desire)
cerebral cortex
largest division in the brain. it si divided into two hemispheres, each of which is divided into four lobes
