Ch 3: Biological Psychology Flashcards
neurons
nerve cells specialized for communication
glial cells
- create the myelin sheath, promote new connections
- astrocytes are most common which are involved w/ thought, memory, and the immune system | are also abundant in the blood-brain barrier
cell body (part of the neuron: PON)
cell’s life support center
axon (PON)
passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands
neural impulse (PON)
electrical signal traveling down the axon
terminal branches
from junctions w/ other cells
myelin sheath
covers the axon of some neurons and help spread neural impulse
action potential
- firing: all or nothing
- causes neurotransmitters to enter the synoptic cleft
- reuptake: constant process
- absolute refractory period
responses to neurotransmitters
- excitatory (increases firing)
- inhibitory (decreases firing)
- “firing”: when an action potential occurs
GABA
- inhibitory
- roles in learning, memory, and sleep
- alcohol and several anti-anxiety drugs increase activity
- undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, insomnia
glutamate
- excitatory
- associated with improved learning and memory
- abnormally high levels associated w/ mental disorders
Acetylcholine (ACh)
- mostly excitatory
- enables muscle action, learning, and memory
- low levels associated alzheimer’s disease
dopamine
- excitatory or inhibitory (depends on receptor)
- motor functions and psychological reward
serotonin
- inhibitory
- mood, hunger, sleep, arousal, pain
- antidepressants
endorphins
- inhibitory
- pain reduction
- narcotics: codeine, morphine, heroin
agonists
increase receptor site activity
antagonists
decrease receptor site activity
neural plasticity
- brain continuously changes over time (changes are subtle depending on contextual factors)
cerebral cortex (CNS)
analyzes sensory brain functions
- frontal lobe
- parietal lobe
- temporal lobe
- occipital lobe
basal ganglia (CNS)
- structure of the forebrain
- intracortical structure
- controlled movement and motor planning
limbic system (CNS)
emotional center of the brain
- thalamus
- hypothalamus
- amygdala
-hippocampus
cerebellum (CNS)
balance
brainstem (CNS)
- midbrain
- pons
- medulla
lateralization
many brain functions rely on more than one hemisphere
left hemisphere (cerebral cortex: CC)
- speech comprehension/production
- phonology
- making facial expressions
- motion detection
right hemisphere (CC)
- simple speech and writing
- tone of voice
- perceptual grouping
- face perception
split brain patients
- involves splitting the two hemispheres in half
frontal lobe (CC)
- executive functioning
- structures: prefrontal cortex, motor cortex, broca’s area
parietal lobe (CC)
spatial perception
occipital lobe (CC)
visual information
temporal lobe (CC)
- auditory cortex
- wernicke’s area: speech comprehension
- language, autobiographical memory
spinal cord
- bundle of nerves
- 2 lane highway
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
- connects rest of the body to the CNS
- somatic system
- autonomic system
somatic system (PNS)
voluntary movement
autonomic system (PNS)
involuntary movement, automatic functions
- sympathetic: fight or flight
- parasympathetic: rest and digestion
endocrine system: ES (PNS)
- glands that release hormones into the bloodstream
pituitary gland (ES)
- controls blood pressure, regulates physical growth
oxytocin
associated with love, affiliation, and reproduction
adrenal gland (ES)
- emergency center
- adrenaline
- cortisol
- released in times of stress
- sympathetic system
reproduction (ES)
- testes: testosterone
- ovaries: estrogen
- all sexes have both hormones, but amounts vary according to sex
nature (genes)
- chromosomes inside each cell’s nucleus carry genes
- humans have 46
- random errors in genes (mutations) occur when passing them on
genotype
the genetic makeup of an organism
phenotype
set of observable characteristics of an organism
behavioral genetics
- tries to estimate the influence of nature and nurture on traits
- some traits are highly inheritable, while others are less so
- methods: family studies, twin studies, adoption studies
biological psychologists
researchers who study the relation between behavior and the nervous system
phrenology
link to personality traits and bumps on someone’s head
electroencephalograph (EEG)
measures electrical activity generated by the brain
electrodes
small devices placed on the scalp’s surface
neuroimaging
branch of medical imaging that focuses on the brain
- allows us to look into the brain’s structure and/or function
CT scans
a 3 dimensional reconstruction of multiple x-rays taken through a part of the body
MRI
shows structural detail using the release of energy from water in biological tissues following exposure to a magnetic field
- use radio waves
PET scan
measures changes in the brain’s activity in response to stimuli
- requires the injection of radioactive glucose-like molecules into patients
fMRI
measures the change in blood oxygen level as brain activity increases
neuroselection
placing unwanted confidence in evidence derived from brain-imaging studies
deep brain stimulation
a neurosurgical procedure that implants battery-powered electrodes within the brain to provide electrical stimulation directly to certain areas
transcranial magnetic stimulation
applies strong magnetic fields to the surface of the skull to create electrical fields in the brain that can either enhance of interrupt brain function
- the only noninvasive brain imaging technique
ruling out rival hypotheses
have important alternative explanations for the findings been excluded?
correlation vs causation
can we be sure A causes B?
falsifiability
can the claim be disproved?
replicability
can the results be duplicated in other studies?
generalizability
do these findings and conclusions reflect the diversity of the human experience?
extraordinary claims
is the evidence as strong as the claim?
