Ch. 1: Biology and Behavior Flashcards
What group do sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons belong to?
Nerve cells
What do sensory neurons do? What is another name for them?
Transmit sensory info FROM receptors TO spinal cord and brain; also called afferent neurons
What do motor neurons do? What is another name for them?
Transmit motor info FROM the brain and spinal cord TO muscles and glands; also called efferent neurons
Mnemonic for remember afferent vs. efferent neurons
Afferent neurons ascend in the cord to the brain; efferent neurons exit the cord on their way to the rest of the body
Defn: interneuron
The most numerous neuron type; located in the brain and spinal cord, linked to reflexive behavior
Defn: reflex arcs
Neural circuits that control reflexive behavior involving interneurons
Components: central nervous system
Brain and spinal cord
Components: peripheral nervous system
Nerve tissue and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord
Goal: peripheral nervous system
Connect the CNS to the rest of the body
Components: somatic nervous system
Sensory and motor neurons distributed throughout the skin, joint, and muscles
Goal: autonomic nervous system
Regulate heartbeat, respiration, digestion, glandular secretions, body temperature (manages involuntary muscles assoc. with internal organs and glands) AUTOMATIC
Goal, body states: parasympathetic nervous system
Conserve energy; associated with resting and sleeping states
What effects does the parasympathetic nervous system have on the body?
- Constricts pupils
- Stimulates saliva
- Constricts bronchi
- Slows heartbeat
- Stimulates peristalsis and secretion
- Stimulates bile release
- Contracts bladder
Mnemonic: Parasympathetic vs. sympathetic nervous systems
PARASYMPATHETIC: rest and digest
SYMPATHETIC: fight or flight
Main neurotransmitter assoc. with the parasympathetic nervous system?
ACh (Acetylcholine)
Body state: sympathetic nervous system
Stress
What effects does the sympathetic nervous system have on the body?
- Dilates pupils
- Inhibits salivation
- Relaxes bronchi
- Accelerates heartbeat
- Stimulates sweating or piloerection
- Inhibits peristalsis and secretion
- Stimulates glucose production and release
- Secretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline
- Inhibits bladder contraction
- Stimulates orgasm
Defn and goal: meninges
Thick, three-layered connective tissue sheath covering the brain
Protects the brain by keeping it anchored, resorbs CSF
Layers of the meninges
Outer: dura mater – direct to skull
Middle: arachnoid mater
Inner: pia mater – direct o brain
Defn and goal: cerebrospinal fluid
Aq. soln. that nourishes the brain and spinal cord, providing a protecting cushion
Defn and goal: brain ventricles
Specialized cells that produce CSF
3 main brain segments
hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain
Defn: brainstem
hindbrain + midbrain
most primitive brain region
Defn and goal: limbic system
Group of neural structures assoc. with emotion and memory
Aggression, fear, pleasure, pain
Defn and goal: cerebral cortex
Outer covering of the cerebral hemispheres
Assoc. with language processing, problem solving, impulse control, and long-term planning
Forebrain segments and overall goals
Cerebral cortex: complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes
Basal ganglia: Movement
Limbic system: emotion and memory
Thalamus: Sensory relay station
Hypothalamus: Hunger and thirst; emotion
Midbrain segments and overall goals
Inferior and superior colliculi: Sensorimotor reflexes
Hindbrain segments and overall goals
Cerebellum: refined motor movements
Medulla oblongata: Heart, vital reflexes (vomiting, coughing)
Reticular formation: Arousal, alertness
Pons: communication within the brain, breathing
Prenatal development pathway of the brain
Brain develops from neural tube
At first: 3 swellings that correspond to the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain
Hindbrain and midbrain later divided into two swellings each, creates 5 total swellings in the mature neural tube
5 segments of the embryonic brain
Telencephalon (cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system) + diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, pineal gland) = prosencephalon (forebrain)
mesencephalon = midbrain
metencephalon (pons and cerebellum) + myelencephelon (medulla oblongata) = rhombencephelon (hindbrain)
spinal cord
Location and main function: hindbrain
Located where the brain meets the spinal cord
Controls balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion, general arousal processes
VITAL FUNCTIONS NECESSARY FOR SURIVAL
Function: Medulla oblongata
Regulates vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, digestion
Function: Pons
Lies above the medulla, contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and the medulla
Function: Cerebellum
Helps maintain posture, balance, coordinates body movements
Damage to the cerebellum? Affects of alcohol on the cerebellum?
Causes clumsiness, slurred speech, loss of balance
Impairs cerebellum functioning –> affects speech and balance
Location and main function: midbrain
Just above the hindbrain
Receives sensory and motor info from the rest of the body
Assoc. with involuntary reflex responses triggered by visual or auditory stimuli
Mnemonic: superior vs. inferior colliculus
Superior = visual sensory input (consonants)
Inferior = auditory sensory input (vowels)
Main function: forebrain
Complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes; emotion and memory
EEG: long name + main goal
Electroenchephalogram
Place several electrodes on the scalp to study electrical activity generated by large groups of neurons
rCBF: long name + goal
regional cerebral blood flow
detects patterns of neural activity based on increased blood flow
CT: long name + process
computed (axial) tomography
x-rays taken at multiple angles, processed by computer to create crossectional images
PET: long name + process
positron emission tomography
radioactive sugar injected and absorbed; dispersion and uptake through target tissue imaged
MRI: long name + process
magnetic resonance imaging
magnetic field that interacts with H atoms to map out H dense body regions
fMRI: long name + process
functional MRI
spec. measures changes assoc. with blood flow
useful for monitoring neural activity
Defn: neurotransmitter
A chemical used by neurons to send signals to other neurons
Defn: agonist
A drug that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter
Defn: antagonist
Drugs that block the action of neurotransmitters