Chappy 3: Biological Basis of Behaviour Flashcards
Electroencephalography
EEG
Brain function overtime (measures electrical potencials through electrodes on the scalp)
Define absolute refractory period
Minimum length of time after which an action potencial during which another action potencial cannot begin
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Pulse induces neurons in a target brain area to fire simultaneously, places them in brief refractory period - cognituve activities are surpressed
Define action potential
Electrical signals that form the basis of neuronal communication
Define afferent fibres
Carry information to CNS from PNS
Define autonomic NS
what are the subsets?
nerves that conect heart, blood, smooth vessels and glands (involuntary functions)
Sympathetic division: mobilizes resources for emergencies
Parasympathetic division: conserves bodily resources
Define CNS
Brain and spinal cord enclosed in sheaths (meninges), cerebrospinal fluid (nourishes brain and provides cushion) - fills ventricles
Functions of the spinal cord
movement and sensation
connects brain to body via PNS
Define PNS
what is the subset?
nerves that lie outside the brain/spinal cord
Somatic NS : nerves that connect to voluntary skeletal muscles and to sensory receptors (afferent + efferent fibres)
Axon
carried info AWAY from the soma
Larger axons: faster rate of transmission
Dendrites
specialized to RECIEVE info
Myelin Sheath
insulated material derrived from glial cells - 30x faster transmisson when axon is myelinated
deterioration: mutiple schlerosis
Terminal buttons
small knobs, secrete neurons
Synapses
the junction between neurons
syaptic celfts: gaps between neurons
Soma
cell body - contains the cell nucleus and much of the chemical machinery common to most cells
Neurons
Individual cells in the NS that recieve, intergrate and transmit information
Cerebral cortex
Thinking perceiving, producing and understanding language - processing
Cerebral hemispheres
hemispheric specialization
Left: linguistics, verbal processing
Right: non-verbal tasks, spatial tasking
Corpus callosum
connects cerebral hemispheres: near center of the brain
Post synaptic potencial
2 types
Not all or nothing!
Excitatory: increases probability of initiating an action potential
Ihibitory: decreases probability of initiating an action potential
Forbrain
Thalamus, Limbic system
Thalamus
Limbic system: hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus
Thalamus
all sensory info (except olfactory) must pass to get to cerebral cortex
Hypothalamus
limbic
basic bio needs (fuck, fight, feed, flee)
Amygdala
limbic
experience of emotion
Hippocampus
limbic
memory processes/consolidation of memories for factual information
Genotype/phenotype
Geno: genetic makeup
pheno: manifestation of genetic makeup
Genes
Basic units of heredity - natural selection operates on genes and not organisms
Leisioning
systematic distruction of certain parts of the brain (in animals) in order to study functions of specific areas
Glial cells
Support neurons - produce cerebrospinal fluid, forms the blood-brain barrier (keeps out foreign materials), immune system of the brain
May also send/receive chemical signals
Dysfunction: schizo, depression, Alzheimer’s, chronic pain
Hindbrain
Hints: Pons, Medulla, Cerebellum
back, bottom
Pons: connects brainstem with the cerebellum, involved in sleep and arousal
Medulla: attaches to the spinal cord - i charge of largely unconscious but vital functions ei: circulating blood, breathing and maintaining muscle tone
Cerebellum: “little brain” - coordination of movemet and to the sense of equilibrium, or physical balance
Hormones
regulatory substance transported in tissue fluids to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action (ex: insulin)
Split brain research
Gazzaniga: Hemispheres separated to reduce severity of epilepsy
Steps of AP
- Resting potential (-70mv) stable negative charge - uneven distribution of ions results in the cell having an electrical charge relative to outside
2 & 3. External stimulus + AP
(-70mv to max of +30mv) very brief shift frm negative to positive charge (NA+ rushes in)
3 & 4. Absolute refractory period
- Neuron returns to resting state
Reuptake
After excite or inhibit signal is sent, unused neurot are reabsorbed
Synaptic pruning: gradual removal of less active synapses
Post synaptic potential
spatial/temporal summation
Neurot + receptor molecule - reacting in cell membrane cause a postsynaptic potential (PSP, voltage change at a receptor site on a postsynaptic cell membrane)
spatial: combining of in+ex post pot as different but very close branches of dendrites
