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MCAT > Brain and Behavior > Flashcards

Brain and Behavior Flashcards

1
Q

Franz Gall Theory

A

Part of the brain responsible for traits will grow as that trait is developed - measured psychological attributes by measuring the skull

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2
Q

Who measured psychological attributes by measuring the skull?

A

Franz Gall

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3
Q

Pierre Flourens

A

Observed behavioral consequences of removing various parts of the brain - found that specific parts of the brain have functions and removal of one weakens the whole brain

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4
Q

Who was the first major study of functions of major portions of the brain?

A

Pierre Flourens

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5
Q

Ablation

A

Removal of various portions of the brain

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6
Q

William James

A

Functionalism - system of thought that studied how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments

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7
Q

Who is considered the father of american psychology?

A

William James

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8
Q

John Dewey

A

Believed that organisms react to a stimulus as a whole rather than by the reflex arc (breaks reactions into discrete parts)

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9
Q

Paul Broca

A

Demonstrated that specific functional impairments are linked to brain lesions

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10
Q

Who examined behavioral deficits in those with brain damage?

A

Paul Broca

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11
Q

Broca’s area

A

Portion of the left brain responsible for the motor portion of language

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12
Q

Where in the brain is Broca’s area?

A

Frontal lobe

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13
Q

If someone is unable to form language properly, what part of the brain is affected?

A

Broca’s Area, frontal lobe

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14
Q

Herman Von Helmholtz

A

Measured the speed of a nerve impulse

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15
Q

Who first measured the speed of a nerve impulse?

A

Herman Von Helmholtz

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16
Q

Sir Charles Sherrington

A

Discovered the existence of synapses

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17
Q

Who discovered the existence of synapses?

A

Sir Charles Sherrington

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18
Q

What was wrong with Sir Charles Sharrington’s understanding of synapses?

A

Thought transmission was electrical, now we know it is primarily chemical

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19
Q

Are sensory neurons afferent or efferent?

A

Afferent

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20
Q

What neurons transmit from body to the brain?

A

Sensory, afferent

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21
Q

Are motor neurons afferent or efferent?

A

Efferent

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22
Q

What neurons transmit from brain to the body?

A

Motor, efferent

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23
Q

Sensory neuron function

A

Transmit sensory information from receptors in the body to the brain and spinal cord

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24
Q

Motor neuron function

A

Transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands

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25
Q

What are interneurons and where are they primarily found?

A

Linked to reflexive behavior and are found mostly in the brain and spinal cord

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26
Q

What makes up the central nervous system?

A

Brain and spinal cord

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27
Q

What makes up the peripheral nervous system?

A

Nerve tissues and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord

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28
Q

What is the PNS broken into?

A

Somatic and Autonomic Systems

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29
Q

What is the autonomic system broken into?

A

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic systems

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30
Q

What part of the nervous system is the somatic system part of?

A

Peripheral

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31
Q

What part of the nervous system is the autonomic system part of?

A

Peripheral

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32
Q

What part of the nervous system is the sympathetic system part of?

A

Autonomic, Peripheral

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33
Q

What part of the nervous system is the parasympathetic system part of?

A

Autonomic, Peripheral

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34
Q

What is the function of the somatic system?

A

Sensory and motor information

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35
Q

What is the function of the autonomic system?

A

Involuntary and internal organ function

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36
Q

Which system is the fight or flight response?

A

Sympathetic system

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37
Q

Which system is the rest and digest response?

A

Parasympathetic

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38
Q

What activates the sympathetic system?

A

Stress

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39
Q

When one is stressed, what system is activated?

A

Sympathetic

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40
Q

What are meninges?

A

Thick sheath of connective tissue covering the brain

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41
Q

What tissue makes up the meninges?

A

Connective

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42
Q

What is the function of the meninges?

A

Protects the brain, anchors brain within the skull, reabsorbs CSF

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43
Q

What do the hindbrain and the Midbrain make up?

A

Brainstem

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44
Q

Which sections of the brain make up the brainstem?

A

Hindbrain and midbrain

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45
Q

What are the three structures of the hindbrain?

A

Cerebellum
Medulla Oblongata
Reticular Formation

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46
Q

Where is the cerebellum found?

A

Hindbrain

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47
Q

Where is the medulla oblongata found?

A

Hindbrain

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48
Q

Where is the reticular formation found?

A

Hindbrain

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49
Q

What are the two structures of the midbrain?

A

Inferior and superior colliculi

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50
Q

Where is the inferior colliculi found?

A

Midbrain

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51
Q

Where is the superior colliculi found?

A

Midbrain

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52
Q

What are the five structures of the forebrain?

A 
Cerebral cortex
Basal Ganglia
Limbic System
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
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53
Q

Where is the cerebral cortex found?

A

Forebrain

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54
Q

Where is the basal ganglia found?

A

Forebrain

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55
Q

Where is the limbic system found?

A

Forebrain

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56
Q

Where is the thalamus found?

A

Forebrain

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57
Q

Where is the hypothalamus found?

A

Forebrain

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58
Q

Where is visual sensory input processed?

A

Superior colliculi

59
Q

Where is auditory input processed?

A

Inferior colliculi

60
Q

What is the main function of the inferior and superior colliculi?

A

Sensorimotor reflexes caused by auditory and visual stimulus

61
Q

What is responsible for refined motor movements such as balance?

A

Cerebellum

62
Q

What structure is heavily affected by alcohol?

A

Cerebellum

63
Q

What is the main function of the cerebellum?

A

Refined motor movements

64
Q

What is the main function of the medulla oblongata?

A

Vital functions including breathing and digesting

65
Q

What is the main function of the reticular formation?

A

Arousal and alertness

66
Q

What structure is responsible for breathing?

A

Medulla Oblongata

67
Q

What structure is responsible for digesting?

A

Medulla Oblongata

68
Q

What structure is responsible for arousal?

A

Reticular formation

69
Q

What is neuropsychology?

A

Study of functions and behaviors associated with specific regions of the brain

70
Q

What is created through electrical stimulation of brain cells?

A

Cortical maps

71
Q

What do cortical maps show?

A

When specific parts of the brain are electrically stimulated, they light up - shows regions of the brain responsible for functions

72
Q

What does regional cerebral blood flow show?

A

Broad patterns of neural activity based on blood flow

73
Q

What is the primary function of the thalamus?

A

Relay station for incoming sensory information and sorts and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex

74
Q

What sensory input does the thalamus not process?

75
Q

What structure sorts and transmits sensory information to the cerebral cortex?

76
Q

What is the primary function of the hypothalamus?

A

Maintains homeostasis and is a key player in high arousal states

77
Q

What three structures make up the hypothalamus?

A

Lateral
Ventromedial
Anterior

78
Q

What is the primary function of the lateral hypothalamus?

A

Hunger center

79
Q

Where is the hunger center found?

A

Lateral hypothalamus

80
Q

What is the primary function of the ventromedial hypothalamus?

A

Satiety center (signals to stop eating)

81
Q

Where would someone who suffers from incontrollable hunger have a brain lesion (likely obese)?

A

Ventromedial hypothalamus

82
Q

Where is the satiety center?

A

Ventromedial hypothalamus

83
Q

What is the primary function of the anterior hypothalamus?

A

Sexual behavior, sleep, body temperature

84
Q

What glands are associated with the hypothalamus?

A

Posterior pituitary

Pineal Gland

85
Q

What hormones does the posterior pituitary release?

A

ADH

Oxytocin

86
Q

What hormone does ADH represent and what is another name for it?

A

Antidiuretic hormone

Vasopressin

87
Q

What hormones does the pineal gland release?

88
Q

What does melatonin regulate?

A

Circadian rhythms

89
Q

What is the primary role of the pineal gland?

A

Regulating biological rhythms

90
Q

What is the primary function of the basal ganglia?

A

Coordinate muscle movement by receiving information from the cortex and relaying it to the brain/spinal cord

91
Q

What structure is responsible for smooth muscle movements and posture?

A

Basal ganglia

92
Q

What is the extrapyramidal motor system?

A

Gathers information about the body position and relays it to the CNS

93
Q

Where does the extrapyramidal motor system function?

A

Basal ganglia

94
Q

What disorders are associated with dysfunction of the basal ganglia?

A

Parkinsons
OCD
Schizophrenia

95
Q

What neurotransmitter is associated with the basal ganglia?

96
Q

A person with Parkinsons is likely to have issues with which brain structure?

A

Basal Ganglia

97
Q

Which side of the brain is dominant in the majority of people?

98
Q

What is the primary function of the limbic system?

A

Emotion and memory

99
Q

What main structure is primarily responsible for memory and emotion?

A

Limbic System

100
Q

What structures make up the limbic system?

A

Septal Nuclei
Amygdala
Hippocampus

101
Q

What is the primary function of the septal nuclei?

A

Pleasure center

102
Q

Where is the primary pleasure center?

A

Septal nuclei

103
Q

What is the primary function of the amygdala?

A

Defensive and aggressive behaviors such as fear and rage

104
Q

Where do aggressive behaviors such as fear come from?

105
Q

What is the primary function of the hippocampus?

A

Long-term memory and learning

106
Q

What is the fornix?

A

Long projection from the hippocampus used for communication

107
Q

What part of the hippocampus is responsible for communication?

108
Q

Someone with an inability to form new memories would have an injury in what part of the brain?

A

Hippocampus

109
Q

What is anterograde amnesia?

A

Inability to establish new long-term memories

110
Q

What brain structure is involved with anterograde amnesia?

A

Limbic system, specifically the hippocampus

111
Q

What is retrograde amnesia?

A

Memory loss of events that occurred before an injury occurred

112
Q

What are the four regions of the cerebral cortex and where is each found?

A

Frontal - forehead
Parietal - behind frontal and above occipital
Occipital - back bottom
Temporal - in front of occipital, under frontal

113
Q

What is the primary function of the frontal cortex?

A

Executive functions

114
Q

What is the primary function of the temporal cortex?

A

Auditory / Hearing functions

115
Q

Which cortex would Wernicke’s area be found in?

116
Q

What is the primary function of Wernicke’s area?

A

Language reception and comprehension

117
Q

Where would someone who is able to comprehend language have a lesion?

A

Wernicke’s area, temporal lobe

118
Q

What is the primary function of the occipital lobe?

A

Visual functions

119
Q

What is the primary function of the parietal lobe?

A

Response to touch, pain, and temperature

120
Q

Where is the primary motor cortex found?

A

Between frontal and parietal lobes

121
Q

What part of the cortex is responsible for voluntary muscle movements?

A

Primary motor cortex

122
Q

Where is the somatosensory cortex found?

A

Behind to motor cortex, between frontal and parietal lobes

123
Q

What function is acetylcholine responsible for?

A

Voluntary muscle movement, PNS, attention, and alertness

124
Q

Which neurotransmitter may have a role in Alzheimers?

A

Acetylcholine

125
Q

What neurotransmitter is associated potentially with schizophrenia?

126
Q

What is the primary function of serotonin?

A

Mood, sleep, eat, dream

127
Q

What are the brain stabilizing neurotransmitters?

A

GABA and glycine

128
Q

What are GABA and glycine responsible for?

A

Brain stabilization

129
Q

What is the brain exciting neurotransmitter?

130
Q

What is glutamate responsible for?

A

Brain excitation

131
Q

What are endorphins responsible for?

A

Natural pain killers

132
Q

Does the nervous or endocrine system work faster usually?

133
Q

Where are epi and nor-epi secreted from?

A

Adrenal glands

134
Q

Where are corticosteroids secreted from?

A

Adrenal glands

135
Q

Where are sex hormones secreted from?

A

Adrenal glands

136
Q

What hormones do the adrenal glands secrete?

A

Epi
Norepi
Corticosteroids
Sex hormones

137
Q

What are the gonads?

A

Sex glands

138
Q

At what age does stranger anxiety start?

139
Q

At what age does separation anxiety start?

140
Q

At what age does parallel play start?

141
Q

What is parallel play?

A

Children play alongside one another but do not influence the others’ play

142
Q

At what age does gender identity start?

143
Q

At what age do children conform to their peers?

144
Q

At what age do children start feeling romantic feelings?

MCAT (31 decks)

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