Chapter 2: Biology, Behavior & Thought Flashcards
Biopsychosocial System
Means that understanding behavior requires study of interactions among biological, psychological and social systems
Neural Plasticity
To be movable or changeable
Dendrites
Receives messages from other cells, works like a mailbox
Terminal Branches of Axon
Form junctions with other cells
Axon
Passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles or glands
Neural Impulse
To have action potential
Cell Body
The cell’s life support center
Myelin Sheath
Covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses
Ex. Multiple sclerosis
Chemical info goes…
IN
Electrical info…
PASSES THROUGH
Multipolar neuron
Motor neuron, meaning that it assists with mobility
Acetylcholine (ACH)
Plays a role in learning and memory as well as in motor movement and muscle contractions
Dopamine
-Related to movement, reward and pleasure systems
- the learning can be hijacked
What disease is an example of having too much dopamine?
Schizophrenia
Endorphins
-Naturally occurring opiates (painkillers) that are produced in the brain
- can also be hijacked
Agonist
-Anything that will increase neurotransmitters action
- usually used in the form of medication
Antagonist
-Anything that will decrease the neurotransmitters action
- usually used in the form of medication
Nervous System
A electrochemical communication network consisting of all nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems, basically a giant feedback system
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Anything of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Anything outside of the CNS, nerves that connect to the arms, legs and organs
Autonomic (automatic)
Self regulated actions that are out of a persons control, unconscious
Somatic
- bodily influence
- broken into 2 parts of sensory input and motor output
Sympathetic (arousing)
- dilated pupils, this happens because you can perceive more visual stimuli
- accelerated heartbeat
- inhibit digestion
- adrenaline produced
- relaxed bladder
Parasympathetic (calming)
-pupils contract
- slower heartbeat
- regulate digestion
- bladder contracts
Why do people with trauma often need therapy?
Because either the parasympathetic or the sympathetic sides are inbalanced so therapy helps to rebalance them, essentially 2 sides of the same coin and hardly compete
Sensory INput
Things coming into your body and brain, taking IN information
Motor OUTput
Controls skeletal muscles
Sensory Neuron
Sensory information coming in, about 2 million of these in the body
Motor Neuron
Motor output/movement, also about 2 million in the body
Interneurons
- BILLIONS in the body
- adaptive for us, activated in fail/save situations, survival mechanism
- live in a portion of the spinal cord and will instinctively take over so that information doesn’t need to be processed by the brain first
Endocrine System
A slow chemical and feedback system of communication, partners with the nervous system
Pituitary Gland
The master gland that is in charge of all other glands
Lesion
To kill or damage something
EEG
Measures electroactivity in the brain and measures brain waves, can also see a reduction. Most commonly used for people who experience seizures
MRI
A picture in time
FMRI
A video that tells you what part of the brain is using more or less than usual, a con is that it is very expensive
Hindbrain
- most primitive part of the brain
- the first thing built in the utero
- made up of the brain stem and spinal cord
- works like a elevator system
Medulla
- at the base of the brainstem
- regulates hear rate and breathing
- if you damage this you most likely will not live
