BRAINS, BODIES, AND BEHAVIOUR Flashcards

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1
Q

Nervous System

A

Information highway, a collection of hundreds of billions of specialized and interconnected cells through which messages are sent between the brain and the rest of the body

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2
Q

Central Nervous System

A

Made up of the brain and the spinal cord

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3
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

The neurone that link the CNS to our skin, muscles, and glands

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4
Q

Endocrine system

A

The chemical regulator of the body that consists of glands that secrete hormones and largely influence behaviour

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5
Q

Electrochemical process

A

An electrical charge moves through the neutron itself and chemicals are used to transmit information between neurons

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6
Q

Action potential

A

The change in electrical charge that occurs in a neuron when a nerve impulse is transmitted - all-or-nothing (the neuron either fires completely or it does not fire at all)

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7
Q

Refractory Period

A

A brief time after the firing of the axon in which the axon cannot fire again because the neuron has not yet returned to its resting potential

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8
Q

Synapses

A

Areas which the terminal buttons at the end of each axon of one neuron nearly touch the dendrites of another

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9
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

Chemical that relays signals across the synapses between neurons

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10
Q

Excitatory

A

Make the cell more likely to fire

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11
Q

Inhibitory

A

Make the cell less likely to fire

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12
Q

Reuptake

A

A process in which neurotransmitters that are in the synapse are reabsorbed into the transmitting terminal buttons, ready to again be released after the neuron fires

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13
Q

What do neurotransmitters regulate?

A

Appetite, memory, emotions, as well as our muscle action and movement

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14
Q

Agonist

A

A drug that has chemical properties similar to a particular neurotransmitter and thus mimics the effects of the neurotransmitter - increase activity at receptor sites

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15
Q

Antagonist

A

A drug that reduces or stops the normal effects of a neurotransmitter - decrease activity at receptor sites

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16
Q

Brain stem

A

The oldest and innermost region of the brain - regulates breathing, attention, and motor responses

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17
Q

Reticular formation

A

Long narrow network of neurons running through the medulla and the pons - filter out stimuli and relay the remainder of the signals to other areas of the brain

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18
Q

Limbic system

A

Brain area located between the brain stem and the two cerebral hemispheres, that governs emotion and memory. It includes the amygdala, the hypothalamus and the hippocampus

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19
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

The outer bark-like layer of our brain that allows us to successfully use language, acquire complex skills, create tools, and live in social groups

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20
Q

Corticalization

A

The folding of the cerebral cortex

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21
Q

Glial cells (glia)

A

Cells that surround and link to the neurons, protecting them, providing them with nutrients and absorbing unused neurotransmitters - cannot survive/function without

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22
Q

Contralateral control

A

Brain is wired such that in most cases the left hemisphere receives sensations from and controls the right side of body and vice versa

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23
Q

Motor cortex

A

Controls and executes movements by sending signals to the cerebellum and the spinal cord

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24
Q

Somatosensory cortex

A

Receives info from the skins sensory receptors and the movements of different body parts

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25
Q

Visual cortex

A

Processes visual information

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26
Q

Auditory cortex

A

Hearing and language

27
Q

Association areas

A

Sensory and motor information is combined and associated with our stored knowledge - learning, thinking, planning, etc.

28
Q

Neuroplasticity

A

Refers to the brains ability to change its structure and function in response to experience or damage - enables us to learn and remember new things and adjust to new experiences

29
Q

Neurogenesis

A

The forming of new neurons - originate deep in the brain and may migrate to other Brian areas where they form new connections with other neurons

30
Q

Brain lateralization

A

The idea that the left and the right hemispheres of the brain are specialized to perform different functions

31
Q

Corpus callosum

A

The region that connects the two halves of the brain and supports communication between the hemispheres

32
Q

Sensory (afferent) neuron

A

Carries information from the sensory receptors

33
Q

Motor (efferent) neuron

A

Transmits information to the muscles and glands

34
Q

Interneuron

A

Common neuron, responsible for communicating among the neurons

35
Q

Spinal cord

A

Long, thin, tubular bundle of nerves and supporting cells that extends down from the brain

36
Q

Reflex

A

Involuntary and instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus

37
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A

Regulates heart rate, breathing, and digestion (internal)

38
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

Controls external aspects

39
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

Fight-flight responses

40
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

Brings the body back to its normal state

41
Q

Homeostasis

A

The natural balance in the body’s systems

42
Q

Gland

A

Group of cells that function to secrete hormones

43
Q

Hormone

A

Chemical that moves throughout the body to help regulate emotions and behaviours

44
Q

Pituitary Gland

A

Regulates growth and secretes hormones that affect other glands (master gland)

45
Q

Pancreas

A

Fuel to produce and maintain stores of energy (blood sugar)

46
Q

Pineal gland

A

Secretes melatonin, wake-sleep cycle

47
Q

Thyroid and parathyroid gland

A

Determining how quickly the body uses energy and hormones, and controlling the amount of calcium in the blood and bones

48
Q

Adrenal glands

A

Regulate salt and water balance in the body, metabolism, the immune system and sexual development and function.

49
Q

Lesions

A

Allow the scientist to oversee any loss of brain function

50
Q

EEG

A

Records electrical activity produced by neurons, participant can move around and can observe changes over very fast time periods

51
Q

fMRI

A

Indicator of neural activity, pictures, associations, noninvasive

52
Q

TMS

A

First fMRI, deactivating a small brain region, causal conclusions

53
Q

Cadaver

A

Studying dead brains, structure not function

54
Q

Basal ganglia

A

Under the cortex, controls movement, issues with the basal ganglia can result in Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Parkinson’s disease

55
Q

Phrenology

A

The belief that the bumps on the top of your head mean that there is more brain there and therefore the traits that are attributed there are more prominent. This theory is garbage btw

56
Q

Left hemisphere of the brain

A

Verbal processing, speech, reading, writing - thicker

57
Q

Right hemisphere of the brain

A

Nonverbal processing, spatial tasks, musical, visual recognition - heavier and longer

58
Q

Primary Visual Cortex V1

A

Receives input from the thalamus

59
Q

Primary Visual Cortex V2

A

Processes and projects to other regions of the occipital lobe

60
Q

PVC dorsal stream

A

Guidance of movement

61
Q

PVC ventral stream

A

Object perception

62
Q

Synaptic consolidation

A

Structural changes in synaptic connection (can take hours to days)

63
Q

Systemic consolidation

A

Changes in the hippocampus (years?)