Biopsychology Flashcards
1
Q
Nerves
A
Bubbles of axons which transmit messages throughout the nervous system
2
Q
Nerve cell or neuron
A
- basic cell which makes up the nervous system
- comprises approximately 10% of brain cell
3
Q
Cell Body
A
soma
- directs activity of the neuron
- contains nucleus
4
Q
dendrites
A
- receive, potentially, messages from thousands of other neurons
- contain post-synaptic receptor sites
- send messages to the soma
5
Q
axons
A
- carry messages from the soma to the terminal buttons
- the action potential occurs here
6
Q
myelin sheath
A
- surrounds the axon with an isolative layer of glial cells
- keeps nerve signals from “short-circuting”
7
Q
Nodes of Ranvier
A
- gaps in the myelin sheath
- promotes the action potential
8
Q
terminal buttons
A
- aka axon terminals
- structures at the end of an axon
- contain synaptic vesicles
9
Q
synaptic vesicles
A
- structures within terminal buttons
- produces and stores neurotransmitters
10
Q
Neurotransmitters
A
- aks neurochemicals
- chemical messengers produced by the neuron
- responsible fro both healthy functioning an disorders
11
Q
What do neurotransmitters effect
A
- vital functions
- movement
- emotions
- cognition
- states of consciousness
12
Q
Types of neurotransmitters
A
- Acetylcholine
- Dopamine
- Endorphins
- GABA
- Norepinephrine
- Serotonin
- Glutamate
- Substance P
13
Q
Acetylcholine
A
- learning
- memory
- muscle contration
14
Q
Dopamine
A
- movement
- aspects of cognition
15
Q
Endorphins
A
-experience related to pain
16
Q
GABA
A
-inhibition of neural activity
17
Q
Norepinephrine
A
- arousal
- aspects of cognition
18
Q
Serotonin
A
- mood/emotion
- states of consciousness
19
Q
Glutamate
A
- memory
- an excitatory neurotranmitter
20
Q
Substance P
A
-effects pain signals
21
Q
Agonists
A
- psychoactive drugs which mining a neurotransmitter
- enhance the effect of natural neurotransmitters
22
Q
Antagonists
A
-psychoactive drugs which inhibit the effect of a neurotransmitter
23
Q
synaptic gap
A
- aka synapse
- area or gap between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the receptor sites of the neighboring neuron
24
Q
Receptor sites
A
- located on the dendrites in the postsynaptic area
- receive electrochemical signals
25
sensory neurons
- receive stimuli
- transduce
- communicate to the brain
26
motor neurons
-communicate messages to the brain
27
interneurons
- communicate within the CNS
| - "go between" the sensory and motor neurons
28
Glial cells
- support cells for neurons
- assist functions of neurons
- make up 90% of brain cells
29
Resting potential
- the potential to produce an impulse
| - involves negative and positive ions located near the inside and outside surfaces of the axon membrane
30
Depolarization
- a change in the resting potential
| - involves the exchange of positive and negative ions
31
stimulus threshold
-strength of stimulation necessary to effect depolarization
32
all-or-none principle
-stimulation is sufficiently strong for a neuron to fire or not
33
Action potential
- the effect of depolarization along the axon
- messages travel to the terminal button
- triggers the release of neurotransmitters
34
synaptic transmission
- the release of neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap
| - neurotransmitters bind to the receptor sites on the dendrites of the postsynaptic neurons
35
lock and key principle
- the molecular configuration of each neurotransmitter is like a key which fits the receptor sites
- describes the dynamic of neuron-chemical communication between neurons
36
re-uptake
-after the action potential, neurotransmitter molecules are absorbed into the presynaptic neuron
37
Central Nervous System (CNS)
major system within the nervous system which incorporated the brain and the spinal cord
38
Cerebral Cortex
- largest portion of the brain
- included a left and right hemisphere, each with 4 lobes
- includes localization and association areas
39
Processes involved in the cerebral cortex
- perception
- memory
- cognition
- language
- emotion
- decision-making
- voluntary movement
- basically everything human
40
hemispheres
- the left and right "halves" of the cerebral cortex
- each possesses specialized functions
- operate contra-laterally
41
Corpus callosum
-bundle of nerve fibers which connect the two hemispheres
42
Temporal lobe
- located in both the left and right hemispheres
- processes auditory stimuli
- left temporal lobe specializes in language
- right specializes in music
- abnormality involves aphasia
43
Auditory cortex
- located in both the left and right temporal lobes
- processes pitch and volume
- includes Wernicke's area
- right auditory cortex is key to understanding music and tone
- smell is processed in the anterior portions
44
Wernicke's area
- key to understanding written and spoken languages
| - located in the left temporal lobe
45
Occipital lobes
- includes the visual cortex
- processes light stimuli
- functions contra laterally
- abnormality involves alexia
46
Parietal lobes
- processes body sensations: warmth, cold, pain, pressure, texture, etc.
- also includes visual-spatial processing
47
Somatosensory cortex
- area of the parietal lobe
| - specific areas are dedicated to "touch" stimuli from the entire body
48
Frontal Lobes
- cognition
- control of emotions
- executive functioning: planning, organization, initiation of action
49
Motor cortex
- next to the somatosensory cortex
| - enables voluntary muscle control
50
Broca's area
- area of the left frontal lobe
| - controls muscle movements involved with speech
51
Limbic system
- the emotion-center of the brain
| - main structures are hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala (the hippos and amy)
52
Hypothalamus
- controls basic instincts: hunger, thirst, sex drive, and fear response
- controls the autonomic nervous system
- links the nervous system with the endocrine system
53
Hippocampus
-essential for the formation of long-term memories
54
Amygdala
- fear central
- processes strong emotion
- interacts with the hypothalamus and hippocampus to coordinate both a fight/flight response and to remember
55
Basal ganglia
- initiates movement
| - operant learning
56
Central core
structure located on top of the brain stem, just below the forebrain
57
Thalamus
- relays signals between the cerebral cortex and the brain stem
- involved in memory, alertness/consciousness
58
Cerebellum
- responsible for fine/integrated muscle movement
- posture
- equilibrium
- procedural//muscle memory
59
Brain stem
- the oldest structure of the brain
- lies at the top of the spinal cord
- systems maintain basic vital functions
- includes pons, medulla oblongata, and reticular formation
60
Pons
- bridge between both hemispheres of the cerebral cortex and the medulla and cerebellum
- involved with sleep and dreaming
61
Medulla oblongata
- controls respiration
- controls heartbeat
- controls blood pressure
62
Reticular formation
- on/off switch and filter/volume control for incoming stimuli
- network of neurons responsible for levels of arousal/consciousness from awake to asleep
63
Spinal cord
-major neural highway
-extends from the base of the brain to the base of the back
-comprised most of glial cells and interneurons
-conduit for most neural communications between the brain and peripheral nervous system
where complex reflexes occur
64
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
-links the CNS with the rest of the body
65
Somatic system
- provides info to the brain regarding skeletal muscles
| - stimulates voluntary muscle movement
66
Autonomic system
-controls involuntary automatic systems and organs (heart, intestines, eyes)
67
Sympathetic system
-causes arousal responses: increases heart rate, increases respiration, concentrates blood from internal organs to muscles, dilates pupils, prepares for survival response
68
Parasympathetic system
- counters the actions of the sympathetic system
| - calms, seeks homeostasis
69
Endocrine system
- system of glands which produces chemical messengers (hormones)
- hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and carry their messages to receptor sites throughout the body
70
Pituitary gland
-the master gland
-secretes hormones which signal/activate the other glands
-linked to the nervous system by the hypothalamus
-stimulates growth
-produces FSH
produces LH
71
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
-stimulates production of sperm and ova
72
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
-stimulates ovaries
73
Pineal gland
-produces melatonin
74
Melatonin
-regulates sleep cycle
75
Thyroid
-produces thyroxine
76
Thyroxine
-regulates metabolism
77
Parathyroid
-maintains calcium levels in the blood
78
Adrenal gland
-produces adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol
79
Adrenaline (epinephrine)
-prepares for fight/flight response
80
Cortisol
-associated with stress
81
Pancreas
-produces insulin and glucagon
82
Insulin and glucagon
-regulate blood-sugar levels
83
Ovaries
-produce estrogen and progesterone
84
Estrogen
- reproductive hormone
| - activates development of secondary sex characteristics
85
Progesterone
-maintains pregnancy
86
Testes
-produce testosterone
87
Testosterone
- reproductive hormone
| - activates development of secondary sex characteristics
88
EEG
- electroencephalograph
| - measures brain waves
89
CAT
- computerizes tomography
| - use of X-rays to produce static pictures
90
PET
- positron emission tomography
- radioactive glucose-like fluid injected into bloodstream
- generates images of brain activity as it metabolizes the glucose
91
MRI/fMR
- functional magnetic resonance imaging
| - produces high-resolution images of the brain
92
DTI
?
93
Hippocrates
- pre-socratic physician/philosopher
| - perceived illnesses as caused by physical sources
94
Plato
- student of Socrates
| - perceived the mind as located in the head
95
Franz Gall
- German anatomist and physiologist
| - pioneered localization of brain function leading to theory of phrenology
96
Phones Gage
- railroad worker from the 1800s
- had a serious accident which impacted/altered his personality
- classic case study on the relationship between the brain and behavior
97
Paul Broca
- French researcher
| - located an area in the left frontal lobe responsible for speech production (Broca's area)
98
Carl Wernicke
- German researcher
| - located the area in the left temporal lobe responsible for comprehending speech and reading (Wernicke's area)
99
Ramon Cajal
- considered the father of modern neuroscience
| - provided detailed drawings of the microscopic structure of brain cells
100
Wilder Penfield
- pioneer in neurosurgery
| - mapped many of the functions in the various areas of the brain
101
Sperry and Gazzaniga
- brain researchers in the area of split-brain research
- led to a greater understanding of the unique functions of each of the cerebral hemispheres and how the hemispheres communicate with each other
102
Behavioral genetics
-branch of biopsychology dealing with the relationship between our genetic makeup and our environment, and its influence on our behavior
103
Cell anatomy
- nucleus
| - chromosomes
104
Chromosomes
- DNA/RNA
- genes
- chromosomal abnormalities
105
Genes
- genotype: genetic make-up, inherited factors
| - phenotype: observable characteristics, the expression of genetic and non-genetic factors
106
Chromosomal abnormalities
- Turner syndrome
- Klinefelter's syndrome
- Down syndrome
107
Genetic research
-twins studies
-adoption studies
-temperament studies
family studies
108
Twin studies
Identical: twins with identical genetic make-up provide an ideal study of the relationship between inherited traits
- those reared together
- those reared apart
Fraternal:
-dizygotic
109
Heritability/Hereditability
?
110
Evolutionary Psychology
- branch of biopsychology which evaluates any topic in psychology in light of the principles of: natural selection, adaptation, mutation
- Sociobiology: meme theory
