brain, bodies, and behavior Flashcards
(44 cards)
agonists
mimics, a drug that has chemical properties similar to a particular neurotransmitter and thus mimics the effects of the neurotransmitter.
antagonists
block, a drug that reduces or stops the normal effects of a neurotransmitter.
the central nervous system (CNS),
made up of the brain and the spinal cord
The brain stem
is the oldest and innermost region of the brain. It controls the most basic functions of life, including breathing, attention, and motor responses. The brain stem includes the medulla, the pons, and the reticular formation.
peripheral nervous system (PNS),
the neurons that link the CNS to our skin, muscles, and glands.
Acetylcholine (ACh)
A common neurotransmitter used in the spinal cord and motor neurons to stimulate muscle contractions. It’s also used in the brain to regulate memory, sleeping, and dreaming.
Alzheimer’s disease is associated with an undersupply of acetylcholine. Nicotine is an agonist that acts like acetylcholine.
Dopamine
Involved in movement, motivation, and emotion, Dopamine produces feelings of pleasure when released by the brain’s reward system, and it‘s also involved in learning.
Schizophrenia is linked to increases in dopamine, whereas Parkinson’s (old lady with uncontrollable movement) is linked to reductions in dopamine (and dopamine agonists may be used to treat it).
Dop MME!!
Dopamine: motivation, movement and emotion
Endorphins
Released in response to behaviors such as vigorous exercise, orgasm, and eating spicy foods.
Endorphins are natural pain relievers. They are related to the compounds found in drugs such as opium, morphine, and heroin. The release of endorphins creates the runner’s high that is experienced after intense physical exertion.
HOM-E
endorphines: heroine, opium and morphine
Serotonin
Involved in many functions, including mood, appetite, sleep, and aggression.
Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, and some drugs designed to treat depression (known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs) serve to prevent their reuptake.
Ser SAM
Serotonin: Sleep, Appetite, Mood (aggression)
Glutamate
The most common neurotransmitter, it’s released in more than 90% of the brain’s synapses. Glutamate is found in the food additive MSG (monosodium glutamate).
Excess glutamate can cause overstimulation, migraines and seizures.
The “ old brain”
including the brain stem, medulla, pons, reticular formation, thalamus, cerebellum, amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus—regulates basic survival functions, such as breathing, moving, resting, feeding, emotions, and memory.
amygdala
re two almond-shaped groups of nuclei located deep and medially within the temporal lobes of the brain in complex vertebrates, primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional reactions, the amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.
the limbic system
The limbic system supports a variety of functions including adrenaline flow, emotion, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and olfaction. It includes the amygdala, the hypothalamus, and the hippocampus.
limb HAH!
hypothalamus
amygdala
hippocampus (long term memory)
the cerebral cortex
provides humans with excellent memory, outstanding cognitive skills, and the ability to experience complex emotions, this is not part of the old brain
medulla
the area of the brain stem that controls HEART RATE AND BREATHING.
Med- heart and lung
medulla, heart rate and breathing
pons,
a structure in the brain stem that helps control the movements of the body, playing a particularly important role in balance and walking. sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder control, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture. Mainly known for respiration
reticular formation.
Running through the medulla and the pons is a long, narrow network of neurons
thalamus
is the egg-shaped structure above the brain stem that applies still more filtering to the sensory information that is coming up from the spinal cord and through the reticular formation, and it relays some of these remaining signals to the higher brain levels.
thalamus is also important in sleep because it shuts off incoming signals from the senses, allowing us to rest.
cerebellum
consists of two wrinkled ovals behind the brain stem. It functions to coordinate voluntary movement.
hypothalamus
a brain structure that contains a number of small areas that perform a variety of functions, including the important role of linking the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. TAN HATS thirst and water anterior pituitary neurophysis (posterior pituitary)
hunger and satiety
autonomic regulation
temperature
sexual urges
hippocampus
consists of two “horn” that curve back from the amygdala. The hippocampus is important in storing information in long-term memory.
like the girl from 50 first dates. hippo like adam sanders
cerebral cortex
the outer bark-like layer of our brain that allows us to so successfully use language, acquire complex skills, create tools, and live in social groups
corticalization.
The folding of the cerebral cortex
glial cells (glia),
cells that surround and link to the neurons, protecting them, providing them with nutrients, and absorbing unused neurotransmitters
