Chapter 3

Question 1

what is the most complex thing in the universe?

Answer 1

the brain, 1.36kg, gelatinous

Question 2

what kind of psychologists deal with the brain?

Answer 2

neuroscientists

Question 3

Neuroscientists study the nervous system. What is the nervous system?

Answer 3

a communication network consisting of nerve cells, both inside and outside the brain and spinal cord.

Question 4

Definition of Neurons

Answer 4

a bundle of nerve cells specialized for communication. There are tens of thousands of connections.

Question 5

Definition of Dendrites

Answer 5

Part of the neuron that are extensions for receiving receptor sites.

Question 6

Definition for Nucleus/ Cell Body

Answer 6

Part of the neuron that renews and manufactures proteins; receptor sites

Question 7

What are glial cells comprised of?

Answer 7

Astrocytes

Question 8

What make up the Blood Brain Barrier?

Answer 8

Astrocytes

Question 9

What is the Blood Brain Barrier?

Answer 9

coat of blood vessels

protects brain against disease and bacterial infections.

Question 10

What causes neuronal communication in neurons?

Answer 10

ion channels causing change in charge.
Change in charge causes a potential difference
(the flow of Na and K ions)

Question 11

potential difference

Answer 11

charge difference between the inside and outside of the neuron

Question 12

What does potential difference cause?

Answer 12

Resting Potential

Question 13

What is resting potential?

Answer 13

electrical charge difference across neuronal membrane.

Question 14

What is the charge difference in resting potential?

Answer 14

-60mV

Question 15

The inside and outside of the neuronal membrane is described as…

Answer 15

polarized (inside more negative than the outside)

Question 16

What is Action Potential?

Answer 16

abrupt electrical change

- charge becomes depolarized

Question 17

What does action potential result in?

Answer 17

The release of neurotransmitters

Question 18

Electrical charges travel down the……?

Answer 18

axons.

Question 19

Action Potential is described as an “all or….”

Answer 19

all or none – always full strength

Question 20

where does action potential occur?

Answer 20

trigger zone (near cell body) and continues along axons.

Question 21

when the membrane because depolarized, what is crossed?

Answer 21

the treshold potential.

Question 22

What is the absolute refractory period?

Answer 22

the brief interval which makes impossible to fire another AP

Question 23

rate of fire for neurons

Answer 23

over 100x a second.

Question 24

What limits the maximal firing rate of neurons?

Answer 24

ARP (absolute refractory period)

Question 25

What add together to cancel out charges?

Answer 25

EPSP or IPSP

Question 26

What does EPSP do to the cell?

Answer 26

bring cell closer to threshold to fire AP

Question 27

IPSP

Answer 27

moves cell farther from treshold to fire AP

Question 28

What is the myelin sheath comprised of?

Answer 28

glial cells insulate axons to and aids in speed up signal transmissions

Question 29

What is the node of ranvier?

Answer 29

gaps in myelin sheath – allows AP to jump.

Question 30

how does the myelin sheath connect to MS?

Answer 30

in multiple sclerosis, own cells are attacking myelin.

Question 31

Neurotransmission process

Answer 31

1. NT synthesis
2. NT storage in vesicles
3. NT release into synapse
4. NT bind to receptor sites on dendrite
5. removal of NT from synapse (degradation or recycling)

Question 32

different neurotransmitters have different effects on the nervous system…

Answer 32

they can excite or inhibit

Question 33

what do neurons use to send information?

Answer 33

electrical activity

Question 34

Electroencephalogram

Answer 34

measures brain generated electrical activity

- electrodes on face

Question 35

Neuroimaging is either one of two main categories..

Answer 35

brain structure or brain function

Question 36

two neuroimaging techniques to see brain structure

Answer 36

MRI and CT scan

Question 37

two neuroimaging techniques to see brain function

Answer 37

fMRI
PET
MEG
TMS

Question 38

CT scan

Answer 38

big rotating machine around head, 3D X Ray of brain

Question 39

MRI

Answer 39

whole body, magnetic field study,

measures energy released by hydrogen atoms

Question 40

PET - Positron Emission Tomography

Answer 40

red, white, green, and blue pictures
how is brain changing in response to different emotions or activities
-

Question 41

what does the PET measures?

Answer 41

consumption of glucose after being injected with radioactive glucose
- has a 4-6 second delay

Question 42

fMRI -functional magnetic resonance imaging

Answer 42

measures changes in blood oxygen level

- better time than PET

Question 43

plasticity over development steps

Answer 43

1. growth of dendrites
2. synaptogenesis
3. pruning
4. myelination

Question 44

what is pruning?

Answer 44

death/retraction of axons (70%), meant to streamline communication
- can cause infantile autism because too many are killed off.

Question 45

how does being exposed to rich environments support the theory of neural plasticity?

Answer 45

think about the mice. Changes occur as we learn, synapses perform better with new stimuli

Question 46

stem cells

Answer 46

potential to differentiate into variety of specialized cells

Question 47

neurogenesis

Answer 47

creation of new neurons in the adult brain