brain mechanisms and behavior Flashcards
philosopher believed in the “mind & body exist as aspects of the same entity” theory
Aristotle
philosopher(s) believed in the “mind and the soul are spiritual entities existing separately” theory
Renee Descartes and Leibniz
behaviorist who moved away from consideration of the spiritual/mental
John B. Watson
the nervous system is divided into
central and peripheral nervous systems
the central nervous system consists of
brain and spinal cord
the peripheral nervous system is divided into
sensory division and motor division
the motor division of the PNS is divided into
autonomic and somatic nervous systems
the autonomic nervous system is divided into
sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions
the early name of the forebrain (cerebrum)?
prosencephalon
the early name of the midbrain?
mesencephalon
the early name of the hindbrain (brainstem + cerebellum)?
rhombencephalon
the prosencephalon is divided into
telencephalon and diencephalon
the telencephalon consists of
cerebrum and cerebral hemispheres
the diencephalon consists of
thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus
the mesencephalon consists of
tectum, tegmentum, corpora quadrigemina, cerebral peduncles
the rhombencephalon is divided into
metencephalon and myelencephalon
the metencephalon consists of
cerebellum and pons
the myelencephalon consists of
medulla oblongata
the forebrain consists of
cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus (limbic system)
the midbrain consists of
tectum and tegmentum
the hindbrain consists of
cerebellum, pons, medulla
what is the cerebral cortex? what lobes does it consist of
- largest part of the brain, associated with higher brain functions
- consists of the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital lobes
what is the frontal lobe responsible for? (5)
- reasoning / planning
- parts of speech
- movements
- emotions
- problem solving
what is the parietal lobe responsible for? (3)
- controls movement
- orientation
- recognition
what is the occipital lobe responsible for? (2)
- visual perception
- processing
what is the temporal lobe responsible for? (4)
- control perception
- recognition of auditory stimuli
- memory and speech
why is the cerebral cortex very wrinkled in shape?
the brain is more efficient because there is an increase in surface area of the brain and the amount of neurons within it
what is the right brain hemisphere responsible
creativity
what is the left brain hemisphere responsible
logical abilities
what is the corpus callosum?
a bundle of axons that connects the two brain hemispheres together
what is the cerebellum responsible for?
- regulation and coordination of movement
- posture and balance
what is the limbic system and what does it consist of?
- known as the emotional brain
- consists of thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus
what is the thalamus responsible for?
a centre for pain perception
what is the hypothalamus responsible for?
- to regulate homeostasis, emotion, thirst, hunger
- the control of the autonomic nervous system
what is the amygdala responsible for?
involved in memory, emotion, fear
where is the amygdala located?
- part of the telencephalon
- located in the temporal lobe
what is the hippocampus responsible for?
- learning, memory
- converting short-term memory into long-term memory
what is the brainstem? what is it responsible for?
- most simple part of brain
- underneath the limbic system
- responsible for breathing, heart beat, blood pressure
what is the midbrain responsible for?
vision, hearing, eye movement / body movement
what are the medulla and pons responsible for?
have centers of vital functions such as breathing / heart beat
a neuron’s _____ is what distinguishes it from other cells
shape
every branching of the neuronal axon, it has a terminal button at the end also called the _____ where chemicals are released
pre-synaptic end
the messages that are sent through the axon, from the body to the terminal button, are called ______?
action potentials
what are the two structures the peripheral nervous system consists of?
nerves and ganglia
what are nerves?
- an enclosed (cable-like) bundle of axons
- provide a pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons to the peripheral organs
what are ganglia?
the lumps that are attached to nerves and contain the somas of neurons
which neurons help carry information to the central nervous system from the periphery?
afferent neurons
which neurons help carry information away from the CNS and towards the periphery?
efferent neurons
most neurons can anatomically be characterized in 4 ways, what are they?
- unipolar
- bipolar
- multipolar
- anaxonic
dendrite and axon emerging from same process
unipolar (pseudounipolar) neuron
axon and single dendrite on opposite ends of the soma
bipolar neuron
two or more dendrites, separate from the axon
multipolar neuron
axons cannot be distinguished from dendrites
anaxonic neuron
what are neuroglia?
non-neuronal cells that maintain homeostasis, form myelin, and provide support and protection for neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems
in the CNS, glial cells include
oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, ependymal cells and microglia
in the PNS, glial cells include
schwann cells and satellite cells
astrocytes
- have numerous projections that link neurons to their blood supply
- form the brain blood barrier
- regulate the external chemical environment of neurons
oligodendrocytes
produce the myelin sheath
ependymal cells
involved in the creation and secretion of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
shwann cells
- provide myelination to axons in the PNS
- have phagocytotic activity and clear cellular debris that allows for regrowth of PNS neuron
satellite cells
help regulate the external chemical environment
function of the myelin sheath
provides insulation to the axon that allows electric signals to propagate more efficiently
acetylcholine
- voluntary muscle control
- parasympathetic NS
- attention/alertness
epinephrine (and norepinephrine)
- fight-or-flight responses
- wakefulness/alertness
dopamine
smooth movements, postural stability
serotonin
mood, sleep, eating, dreaming
GABA
brain stabilization
endorphins
natural painkillers
