Biopsychology

Question 1

What is a genotype?

Answer 1

Genetic makeup

Question 2

What is a phenotype?

Answer 2

Inherited physical characteristics

Question 3

What are dominant alleles?

Answer 3

(capital letter) always result in phenotype

Question 4

What are recessive alleles?

Answer 4

(lower-case) results in the phenotype when two recessive genes are paired

Question 5

What is homozygous?

Answer 5

2 copies of the same allele

Question 6

What is heterozygous?

Answer 6

Combination of alleles

Question 7

What are genetic mutations?

Answer 7

Sudden, permanent change in a gene

Question 8

What are the two cell types?

Answer 8

Glial cells and neurons

Question 9

What are glial cells? What do they manufacture?

Answer 9

support system cells; they manufacture myelin

Question 10

What are neurons?

Answer 10

interconnected information processors. building blocks of the nervous system.

Question 11

What is a synapse?

Answer 11

space between two neurons

Question 12

What are receptors in neurons?

Answer 12

where neurotransmitters attach; vary in shape

Question 13

When does neuron’s membrane start?

Answer 13

at the resting potential

Question 14

What does “lock-and-key” mean regarding neurotransmitters?

Answer 14

Specific neurotransmitters fit specific receptors

Question 15

What is the action potential?

Answer 15

an explosion of electrical activity that is created by a depolarizing current.

Question 16

What releases neurotransmitters?

Answer 16

Synaptic vesicles

Question 17

What do neurotransmitters do?

Answer 17

used by the nervous system to transmit chemical messages between neurons

Question 18

What is reuptake?

Answer 18

Neurotransmitter pumped right back into the neuron that released it.

Question 19

What is an agonist?

Answer 19

Neurotransmitter which mimics a neurotransmitter at the receptor list

Question 20

What is an antagonist?

Answer 20

Neurotransmitter which blocks the activity of a neurotransmitter.

Question 21

What two things is acetylcholine involved in? What does it increase? What does it enhance?

Answer 21

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter which is involved in muscle action + memory and increases arousal + enhances cognition.

Question 22

What two things is beta-endorphin involved in? What does it decrease?

Answer 22

A neurotransmitter which is involved in pain, pleasure and decreases anxiety + tension.

Question 23

What three things is dopamine involved in? What does it increase? What does it suppress?

Answer 23

A neurotransmitter that is involved in mood, sleep, learning and increases pleasure + suppresses appetite.

Question 24

What two things does Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) involve in? What does it decrease?

Answer 24

A neurotransmitter that is involved in brain function and sleep. It decreases anxiety + tension.

Question 25

What two things is a glutamate involved in? What does it increase? What does it enhance?

Answer 25

A neurotransmitter involved in memory, learning and increases learning + enhances memory.

Question 26

What 3 things is norepinephine involved in and what does it increase and suppress?

Answer 26

A neurotransmitter involved in heart, intestines, alertness and increases arousal + suppresses appetite.

Question 27

What two things is serotonin involved in? What does it modulate? What does it suppress?

Answer 27

A neurotransmitter involved in mood and sleep. It modulates mood + suppresses appetite.

Question 28

What is the endocrine system?

Answer 28

Series of glands responsible for producing chemical substances.