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MCAT Behavioural Sciences Review > Chapter 1: Biology and Behaviour > Flashcards

Chapter 1: Biology and Behaviour Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Contributions to Neuropsych: Franz Gall

A

Phrenology; associated development of a trait with growth of its relevant part of the brain

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2
Q

Contributions to Neuropsych: Pierre Flourens

A

Extirplation (aka ablation); concluded that different brain regions have different functions

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3
Q

Contribution to Neuropsych: William James

A

“Father of American psychology”; pushed for importance of studying adaptations of the individual to their environment

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4
Q

Contribution to Neuropsych: John Dewey

A

Credited with the landmark article on functionalism; argued for studying the entire organism as a whole

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5
Q

Contributions to Neuropsych: Paul Broca

A

Correlated pathology with specific brain regions, such as speech production from Broca’s area

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6
Q

Contributions to Neuropsych: Hermann von Helmholtz

A

First to measure the speed of a nerve impulse

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7
Q

Contributions to Neuropsych: Sir Charles Sherrington

A

First inferred the existence of synapses

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8
Q

Functions of the hindbrain

A

Balance, motor coordination, breathing, and general arousal processes like sleeping and walking —> vital functions for survival

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9
Q

Function of medulla oblongata

A

Regulation of breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure

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10
Q

Functions of pons

A

Contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and the medulla

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11
Q

Function of the cerebellum

A

Maintaining posture and balance, and coordinates body movements

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12
Q

Function of the midbrain

A

Receives sensory and motor info from the rest of the body; associated with involuntary reflex responses to visual or auditory stimuli

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13
Q

Superior colliculus receives ___________ input

A

Visual sensory

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14
Q

The inferior colliculus receives _________ input from the __________ _________

A

Auditory; auditory system

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15
Q

Function of the thalamus

A

Relay of sensory information, including all senses except for smell

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16
Q

Function of hypothalamus generally

A

Homeostatic functions like metabolism, temperature, and water balance; key player in emotional experiences during high arousal states; endocrine and autonomic regulation

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17
Q

Function of the lateral hypothalamus

A

Triggers eating and drinking; when the Lateral Hypothalamus is destroyed, one Lacks Hunger

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18
Q

Function of ventromedial hypothalamus

A

Satiety centre; when the VentroMedial Hypothalamus is destroyed, one is Very Much Hungry

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19
Q

Anterior hypothalamus function

A

Sexual behaviour; sleep and body temperature

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20
Q

Functions of posterior pituitary

A

Release of ADH and oxytocin

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21
Q

Function of pineal gland

A

Release of melatonin and regulation of circadian rhythms

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22
Q

Function of basal ganglia

A

Coordination of muscle movements as they receive information from the cortex and relay it to the extrapyramidal motor system —> basically, it helps make our movements smooth and our posture steady

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23
Q

Function of extrapyramidal motor system

A

Gathers information about body position and relays it to the CNS, but does not functional directly through motor neurone

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24
Q

Function of limbic system

A

Emotion and memory

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25
Q

Primary components of the limbic system (3)

A

Septal nuclei, amygdala, and hippocampus

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26
Q

Function of septal nuclei

A

Pleasure centre

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27
Q

Function of amygdala

A

Defensive and aggressive behaviours; lesions result in docility and hyper sexual states

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28
Q

Function of hippocampus

A

Consolidation of information into long-term memories, and redistribution of remote memories to the cerebral cortex

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29
Q

How does the hippocampus communicate with other portions of the limbic system?

A

The fornix

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30
Q

What is a gyrus?

A

The bumps on the cortex (I.e., the mountains)

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31
Q

What is a sulcus?

A

The folds in the cortex (I.e., the valleys)

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32
Q

Two basic regions of the frontal lobe

A

Prefrontal cortex and the motor cortex

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33
Q

Function of prefrontal cortex

A

Manages executive functions like attention, perception, memory, emotion, impulse control, and long-term planning by coordinating them in other areas of the brain

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34
Q

Define an association area

A

An area that integrates input from diverse brain regions

35
Q

Define projection area

A

Areas that perform more rudimentary or simple perceptual and motor tasks —> contrast of association area

36
Q

Location of the primary motor cortex

A

The prefectural gyrus, just in front of the central sulcus

37
Q

Location of the central sulcus

A

Divides the frontal and parietal lobes

38
Q

Function of primary motor cortex

A

Initiates voluntary motor movements

39
Q

Which lobe is Broca’s area located in?

A

Frontal lobe; generally the left hemisphere

40
Q

Location of the somatosensory cortex

A

Postcentral gyrus in the parietal lobe

41
Q

Location and function of Wernicke’s area

A

Temporal lobe; language reception and comprehension

42
Q

Function of temporal lobes (4)

A

Sound processing (auditory cortex), speech perception (Wernicke’s area), memory, and emotion (limbic system)

43
Q

Function of the forebrain

A

Complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioural processes; emotion and memory

44
Q

Function of the frontal lobe (3)

A

Executive function, impulse control, long-term planning (prefrontal cortex), motor function (primary motor cortex) and speech production (Broca’s area)

45
Q

Function of parietal lobes (2)

A

Sensation of touch, pressure, temperature and pain (somatosensory cortex); spatial processing, orientation, and manipulation

46
Q

Function of occipital lobe (1)

A

Visual processing

47
Q

Function of acetylcholine (4)

A

Voluntary muscle control, parasympathetic nervous system, attention, alertness

48
Q

Function of epinephrine and norepinephrine (3)

A

Fight or flight responses, wakefulness, alertness

49
Q

Function of dopamine (2)

A

Smooth movements, postural stability (also reward?)

50
Q

Function of serotonin (4)

A

Mood, sleeping, eating, dreaming

51
Q

Function of GABA and glucine

A

Brain “stabilization”

52
Q

Function of glutamate

A

Brain excitation

53
Q

Function of endorphins

A

Natural painkillers

54
Q

Three types of catecholamines

A

Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine

55
Q

Norepinephrine verses epinephrine

A

Norepinephrine more commonly acts at a local level as a neurotransmitter; epinephrine is more often secreted from the adrenal medulla to act systemically as a hormone

56
Q

Classification of serotonin

A

monoamine or biogenic amine

57
Q

Main inhibitory NT

A

GABA

58
Q

How does GABA act in the CNS?

A

Causes hyper-polarization of the postsynaptic membrane; inhibitory NT

59
Q

How does glycine act in the CNS?

A

By hyper-polarizing the postsynaptic membrane; inhibitory NT

60
Q

How does glutamate act in the CNS?

A

Excitatory NT

61
Q

How does acetylcholine act in the CNS?

A

Largely as a excitatory NT

62
Q

How does acetylcholine act in muscle cells?

A

Depends on the type of receptor; I.e., inhibitory in cardiac muscle cells, but excitatory in skeletal muscle cells

63
Q

Which NT does the efferent limb of the somatic nervous system use?

A

Acetylcholine

64
Q

Which NT does the parasympathetic nervous system use?

A

Acetylcholine

65
Q

How does the hypothalamus regular the anterior pituitary?

A

via the hypophyseal portal system

66
Q

Two parts of the adrenal glands

A

Adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex

67
Q

What does the adrenal medulla do?

A

Releases epi and norepinephrine as part of the sympathetic NS

68
Q

What does the adrenal cortex do?

A

Produces steroid hormones like cortisol, testosterone, and estrogen

69
Q

Define innate behaviour

A

Genetically programmed behaviour as a result of evolution; seen in all individuals regardless of environment or experiences

70
Q

Define learned behaviour

A

Behaviour learned through environment and experience

71
Q

Define adaptive value

A

Extent to which a trait or behaviour positively benefits a species by influencing the evolutionary fitness of the species, leading to adaptation through natural selection

72
Q

Define neurulation

A

When the ectoderm overlying the notochord begins to furrow, forming the neural groove surrounded by two neural folds

73
Q

Define neural crest

A

The cells at the leading edge of the neural fold

74
Q

The two plates of the neural tube

A

Alar plate and basal plate

75
Q

What does the basal plate differentiate into?

A

Motor neurons

76
Q

What does the alar plate differentiate into?

A

Sensory neurons

77
Q

What is the rooting reflex?

A

Automatic turning of the head in the direction of a stimulus that touches the cheek

78
Q

What is the Moro reflex?

A

Infants react to abrupt movements of their heads by flinging out their arms and then slowly retracting their arms and crying

79
Q

What is the babinski reflex?

A

Spreading of the toes with stimulation of the sole of the foot

80
Q

When does stranger anxiety develop?

A

Seven months

81
Q

When does separation anxiety appear?

A

One year

82
Q

When does parallel play develop?

A

Two years old

83
Q

When does awareness of gender identity develop?

A

Three

84
Q

What is the grasping reflex?

A

Closing fingers around object placed in the hand

MCAT Behavioural Sciences Review (2 decks)

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