Chapter 3 Flashcards
Sensory neurons
Carry info from body’s sensory receptors to brain and spinal cord
Motor neurons
Carry info from brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands.
Interneurons
- Communicate within brain and spinal cord.
- Process info between sensory and motor neurons.
How does the endocrine system interact with the nervous system?
Hypothalamus influences pituitary gland, which influence other glands, which release hormones, which in turn influence the brain.
Neuroplasticity
Ability of the brain to reorganize after damage and build new pathways based on experience.
Motor cortex
A cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.
Somatosensory cortex
A cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
Association areas, specifically frontal lobes
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are involved in higher mental functions.
Judgment, planning, processing new memories.
Hippocampus and amygdala
conscious memory and emotional memory.
Thalamus
Relays messages between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex
Pons
Coordinates movements and control sleep.
Hypothalamus and pituitary gland
- Controls homeostatic functions.
- Helps govern endocrine system thru pituitary gland.
- Linked to emotion and reward.
Reticular formation
Helps control arousal/alertness.
Medulla
Controls heartbeat and breathing
Cerebellum
Voluntary movement and balance
The hindbrain includes
Cerebellum, pons, medulla, spinal cord
Limbic system function and components
Governs emotion, behaviour, long-term memory:
- Hypoththalamus
- Amygdala
- Thalamus
- Hippocampus
The Nuremberg Code is a set of ethicle principles for experiments that include:
- Voluntary consent
- Informed consent
- Minimize risks
- Risk-benefit analysis
- Qualified scientists
The Belmont Report
- Respect for persons
- Beneficience: the welfare of the participants should be the goal of the expirement.
- Justice
Parts of the cerebral cortex
Frontal lobe: decision-making, moral judgement, motor planning, language.
Occipital lobe: visual processing.
Parietal lobe: sensory integration (touch, temperature, pressure, pain).
Temporal lobe: auditory processing, memory, sensory integration (visual and audition).
Specialized functions of hemispheres
Left: literal interpretations of language.
Right: inferences, modulating speech, self-awareness.
Who was phineas gage and what does his case tell us?
- Gage suffered damage in his left frontal lobe.
- Behaviour and personality altered.
- Shows that function is localized in brain.
Glia
“Glue”
Provide myelin
Support and protect neurons
Action potential
- Resting: axon is polarized; stimulus starts change in voltage.
- Depolarization: influx of sodium ions.
- Repolarization: efflux of potassium ions.
- Hypoerpolarization: membrane potential is more negative than resting potential bc of efflux of potassium ions.
- Resting: membrane potential returns to resting voltage.
Conduction vs transmission
Conduction: electric signal within neurons.
Transmission: chemical signal between neurons over synapse.
What is we didn’t have myelin sheath?
- Signal would go at a slower, constant rate.
- May not make it to terminal.
Resting membrane potential
the difference in voltage between inside and outside of cell. Approx. -70 millivolts.
Refractory period
Pause between action potentials.
Threshold
Level of stimulation required to trigger neural impulse.
Agonist vs antagonists
Agonist: molecules that increase action of NT by binding to AND activating receptor.
Antagonist: molecules that inhibits/blocks action of NT by binding BUT NOT activating receptor.
Autonomic vs somatic nervous system
ANS (involuntary): self-regulated control of internal organs and glands.
SNS: body sensations and movement
