Chapter 2 Flashcards
1
Q
What are neurons and the three types of neurons?
A
Neurons are specialized cells that conduct impulses through the nervous system
1. Afferent neurons
2. Efferent neurons
3. Interneurons
2
Q
Afferent Neurons
A
Relay information from the senses to the brain and spinal cord
3
Q
Efferent Neurons
A
Send information from the central nervous system to the glands and muscles
4
Q
Interneurons
A
Carry information between neurons
5
Q
Four main parts of the Neuron
A
Cell Body
Dendrites
Axon
Synapse
6
Q
Cell Body
A
Carries out life-sustaining functions
7
Q
Dendrites
A
Receive signals from other neurons
8
Q
Axon
A
Sends signals to other neurons, muscles, and glands
9
Q
Synapse
A
Junction between neurons
10
Q
How messages are transmitted through the nervous system (4)
A
Resting potential
Action Potential
“All or None” Law
Refractory Period
11
Q
Resting Potential
A
Slight negative electrical potential of the axon membrane of a neuron at rest
12
Q
Action Potential
A
Sudden reversal of a resting potential, which initiates the firing of a neuron
13
Q
All or None Law
A
A neuron either fires completely or does not fire at all
14
Q
Refractory Period
A
Short resting period after firing during which a neuron cannot fire again
15
Q
Speed of an Action Potential
A
Influenced by the Myelin Sheath
Nodes of Ranvier
16
Q
Myelin Sheath
A
White, Fatty coating on some axons
Makes action potential travel up to 100 times faster
17
Q
Nodes of Ranvier
A
Gaps in the Myelin Sheath
18
Q
What are Neurotransmitters?
A
Chemical substances that transmit messages between neurons
19
Q
Eight major neurotransmitters (two main ones)
A
Acetylcholine —
Dopamine
Norepinephrine
Epinephrine
Serotonin—
Glutamate
GABA
Endorphins
20
Q
Acetylcholine
A
Affects movement, learning, memory, REM Sleep
21
Q
Dopamine
A
Affects movement, attention, learning, reinforcement, pleasure
22
Q
Norepinephrine
A
Affects eating, alertness, wakefulness
23
Q
Epinephrine
A
our bodies natural pain killer
Affects metabolism of glucose, energy release during exercise
24
Q
Serotonin
A
affects mood, sleep, appetite, impulsivity, agreession
25
Glutamate
Active in areas of the brain involved in learning, thought, and emotion
26
GABA
Facilitates neural inhibition in the central nervous system
27
Endorphins
Provide relief from pain and produce feelings of pleasure and wellbeing
28
Central nervous system
the brain and spinal cord
29
Peripheral nervous system
the nerves connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body
30
Four Structures found in the brain
Medulla
Reticular Formation
Pons
Cerebellum
31
Medulla
Controls heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, coughing, swallowing
32
Reticular formation
Plays a crucial role in arousal and attention
screens sensory messages entering the brain
33
Pons (3)
plays a role in body movement
influences sleep and dreaming
found in the hindbrain
34
Cerebellum (5)
Helps the body execute smooth, skilled movements
Regulates muscle tone and posture.
found in the hindbrain.
the largest structure in the human brain.
its functions include language, planning, and logic.
35
Midbrain
Links the physiological functions of the hindbrain to the cognitive functions of the forebrain
36
Substantial Nigra
controls unconscious motor movements
37
Thalamus
a relay station for information flowing into or out the brain
found in the forebrain
38
Hypothalamus
regulates hunger, thirst, sexual behavior. body temperature, and a wide variety of emotional behaviors
found in the forebrain
39
Amygdala
structure in the limbic system that plays an important role in emotion
found in the forebrain
40
Hippocampus
structure in the limbic system that plays a central role in storing new memories, responses to new or unexpected to new or unexpected stimuli, and navigational ability
41
what are the two subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system?
somatic nervous system
autonomic nervous system
42
somatic nervous system
consists of all sensory nerves and motor nerves
43
autonomic nervous system
transmits messages between the central nervous system and the glands, the cardiac muscle, and the smooth muscles . two parts: sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system
44
Sympathetic nervous system
mobilizes the body’s resources during stress and emergencies
45
Parasympathetic nervous system
brings the heightened bodily responses back to normal following an emergency
46
Electroencephalogram(EEG)
a record of brain-wave activity made by a machine called an electroencephalograph. Electrical activity in the brain is detected by electrodes placed on the scalp
47
CT scan
computerized axial tomography . uses x-rays to produce cross-sectional images of the brain
48
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging . produces high-resolution images of the structures of the brain
49
PET scan
positron emission tomography. reveals activity n various parts of the brain based on blood flow, oxygen use, and glucose consumption
50
Functional MRI (FMRI)
provides images of both brain structure and function. can identify location of brain activity more precisely and rapidly than PET scan
51
what are the components of the cerebrum?
cerebral hemispheres, corpus callosum, cerebral cortex
52
cerebral hemispheres
the left and right halves of the cerebrum
53
corpus callosum
connects the two hemispheres
54
cerebral cortex
thin outer covering of cerebrum. responsible for higher mental processes of language, memory, and thinking
55
the left hemisphere of the cerebrum
controls the right side of the body, handles most language functions, is specialized for mathematics and logic
56
the right hemisphere of the cerebrum
controls the left side of the body. processes music , interprets emotional messages conveyed by the tone of the voice and gestures. is specialized for visual-spatial relations
57
psychological functions associated with the frontal lobes
motor cortex, broca’s area, association areas
58
Motor cortex
area that controls voluntary body movement
59
Broca’s area
area in the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that controls the production of the speech
60
Association areas
areas involved i thinking, planning for the future, impulse control
61
Somatosensory cortex
found in the parietal lobes. strip of tissue at the front of the parietal lobes where touch, pressure, temperature, and pain register in the cortex
62
Occipital lobes
involved in the reception and interpretation and interpretation of visual information
63
primary visual cortex
area at the rear of the occipital lobes where vision registers in the cortex
64
primary auditory cortex
area in each temporal lobes where vision where hearing registers in the cortex
65
wernicke’s area
language area in the left temporal lobe involved in comprehending spoken language and formulating coherent speech and written language
66
what are the major processes at work in the developing brain?
synaptogenesis, pruning, myelination, plasticity
67
Synaptogenesis
development of synapses as a result of growth of dendrites and axons
68
Pruning
the process by which the developing brain eliminates unnecessary or redundant synapses
69
Myelination
development of myelin sheaths around axons
70
Myelination
development of myelin sheaths around axons
71
Plasticity
ability o the brain too reorganize itself in response to internal and external input and to compensate for damage
72
How do the brains of men differ from women brains(3)
women’s brains have equal portions of gray and white matter in the left and right hemispheres while men’s brains have a lower portion of white matter in the left hemisphere than the right. 2-women have more gray matter in the area of the brain that controls emotions. 3- navigational information is processed in different parts of the brain in men and women, women use right parietal cortex and right frontal cortex, men use left hippocampus
73
how do differences in men and women’s brain effect their actions? (2)
men have superior ability in spatial tasks. women have superior ability to perceive emotions
74
endocrine system
a system of ductless glands that manufacture hormones and secrete them into the bloodstream
75
major glands in the endocrine system (7)
pituitary glands, pineal gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, thymus land, adrenal glands, gonads
76
Pituitary gland
the “master gland”. located in the brain, releases hormones that activate other endocrine glands
77
Pineal gland
locoated deep in the brain. secretes the hormones melatonin which controls sleep/wakefulness cycles
78
Thyroid gland
located below the voice box, produces thyroxine, which regulated rate at which food is metabolized
79
parathyroid glands
attached to the thyroid, produce parathyroid hormone which helps the body absorb minerals from the diet
80
thymus gland
produces hormones that are essential to immune system functioning
81
adrenal glands
release hormones that prepare the body for emergencies and stressful situations
82
Gonads
the ovaries in females ad testes in males. produces sex hormones
83
Genes
segments of DNA located on chromosomes that transmit all heredity traits
84
Chromosomes
rod shaped structures in the nuclei of cells that contain all genes and carry emetic information to make a human being
85
Behavior genetics
a field of research that uses twin and adoption studies to investigate the relative effects of heredity and environment on behavior
86
Patterns of inheritance evident in the transmission of genetic traits
dominant-recessive pattern
multifactorial inheritance
sex-linked inheritance
87
Dominant-recessive pattern
a set of inheritance rules in which one dominant gene causes a trait to be expressed, but two recessive genes are required for expression of a recessive trait
88
multifactorial inheritance
a pattern of inheritance in which a train is influenced by both genes and enviornment
89
sex linked inheritance
involved genes on the X and Y chromosomes
(ex: red-green color blindness)
90
Twin studies
examine identical(monozygotic) and fraternal(dizygotic) twins
if identical twins are more alike on a trait, the trait is assumed to be more influenced by heredity
if identical and fraternal twin pairs do not differ on a trait, the trait is assumed to be more influenced by the enviornment
91
Adoption studies
compare adopted children’s abilities and traits to those of adoptive parents and biological parents
