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psych 1101 > Chapter 3 > Flashcards

Chapter 3 Flashcards

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1
Q

What was the original idea philosophers had about the brain? What did early scientists observe as well?

A

“enchanted loom;” brain is one big woven web of material (based on what brain looks like)

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2
Q

What did Santiago Ramón y Cajal do with regards to the brain?

A

new technique for staining neurons, highlighting different shapes and sizes; discovered 3 parts of neuron

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3
Q

What is the neuron’s cell body?

A

the largest component of neuron that coordinates the information-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive; contains neucleus

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4
Q

What are dendrites?

A

receive information from other neurons and relay it to cell body; comes from greek word for tree

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5
Q

What is the axon?

A

carries information to other neurons, muscles, or glands

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6
Q

What is the myelin sheath? What is it composed of?

A

an insulating layer of fatty material covering axons in many neurons; composed of glial cells

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7
Q

What are glial cells?

A

support cells found in the nervous system

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8
Q

Do the dendrites and axons of neurons touch each other?

A

no; small gap thats part of a synapse

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9
Q

What is a synapse?

A

the junction or region between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another

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10
Q

What are the three major types of neurons?

A

1) sensory neurons
2) motor neurons
3) interneurons

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11
Q

Sensory neurons receive info from _____ and convey it to ______ via ____________

A

receive information from the external world & convey info to brain via spinal cord

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12
Q

Motor neurons carry signals from ______ _____ to ____________ to produce ________; often have long _______

A

spinal cord; muscles; movement; axons

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13
Q

Interneurons connect ______ _____, _______ _____, or other _______

A

sensory neurons; motor neurons; interneurons

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14
Q

T/F Most of the nervous system is composed of interneurons

A

TRUE

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15
Q

What are the two stages of electrochemical action of neurons?

A

1) conduction

2) transmissions

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16
Q

What is conduction? Moves from the ______ to the _______

A

the movement of an electric signal within neurons, from the dendrites to the cell body, then throughout the axon

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17
Q

What is transmissions?

A

the movement of electrical signals from one neuron to another over the synapse

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18
Q

What is the neuron’s resting potential? What is it caused by?

A

the difference in electric charge between the inside and the outside of a neuron’s cell membrane; caused by a difference in concentration of ions

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19
Q

Describe briefly the process of chemical pumps and how they can create quick electrical impulses

A

Na+ pumped out, K+ ions are pumped inside neurons, creating potential energy; electrical stimulation opens pumps, flooding K+ out and Na+ in towards equilibrium, releasing electrical signal

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20
Q

What is an action potential?

A

An electrical signal that is conducted along a neuron’s axon to a synapse

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21
Q

In order for an action potential to occur, the electric shock has to reach a _______

A

threshold

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22
Q

What is a refractory period?

A

the time following an action potential during which a new action potential cannot be initiated

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23
Q

What is the name of the processes by which the electric charge travels down an axon? Describe the process

A

saltatory conduction; the action potential dominos/jumps across nodes of Ranvier, creating action potentials each time and thus transferring the signal

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24
Q

What clumps in places down the axon?

A

myelin sheath

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25
Q

What do axons normally end in? Describe them. What are they filled with?

A

terminal buttons, knoblike structures that branch out from the axon; filled with vesicles

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26
Q

What do vesicles contain? Describe them

A

neurotransmitters, chemicals that transmit information across the synapse to a receiving neuron’s dendrites

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27
Q

The dendrites of a receiving neuron contain _____, which are?

A

receptors; parts of the cell membrane that receive neurotransmitters and either initiate or prevent a new electric signal

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28
Q

What three ways are neurotransmitters cleared out of the synapse?

A

1) reuptake into the sending neuron
2) broken down by enzymes in the synapse (enzyme deactivation)
3) binding to autoreceptors in sending neuron; they signal cell to stop releasing neurotransmitters when theres excess

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29
Q

The action potential travels down the length of the ____ to the ______ ______, where it stimulate the release of ______ from ______ into the ______

A

axon; terminal buttons; neurotransmitters; vesicles; synapse

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30
Q

Define acetylcholine

A

a neurotransmitter involved in a number of functions, including voluntary motor control

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31
Q

Define Dopamine

A

a neurotransmitter that regulates motor behavior, motivation, pleasure, and emotional arousal

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32
Q

Define Glutamate

A

major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain; enhances transmission of info between neurons

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33
Q

Define GABA

A

opposite of glutamate; primary inhibitor neurotransmitter in brain; tends to stop firing of neurons

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34
Q

Define norepinephrine

A

involved in states of vigilance, or a heightened awareness of dangers in the environment

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35
Q

Define Serotonin

A

involved in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, eating, and aggressive behavior

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36
Q

Define endorphins

A

chemicals that act within the pain pathways and emotion centers of the brain

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37
Q

What are agonists?

A

drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter

38
Q

What are antagonists?

A

drugs that block the function of a neurotransmitter

39
Q

Amphetamine is a popular drug that stimulates the release of ______ and ______; also prevents _____

A

norepinephrine and dopamine; reuptake

40
Q

Amphetamine and cocaine are both strong _____ (type of drugs)

A

agonists

41
Q

Methamphetamine affects pathways for _____, ______, and _____ at the neuron’s _______

A

dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine; synapses

42
Q

T/F Meth has agonists and antagonist effects

A

TRUE

43
Q

Prozac is a ____ type of drug that works how?

A

agonist; blocks re-uptake of serotonin

44
Q

What is propanalol?

A

Part of class of drugs called beta blockers that obstruct a receptor site for norepinephrine in the heart

45
Q

L-dopa is an _____ for dopamine; how?

A

agonist; dopamine is created by modifying L-dopa, so if L-dopa is ingested, neurons will make more dopamine

46
Q

Central nervous system is composed of what?

A

brain and spinal cord

47
Q

The peripheral nervous system connects the ____ to the body’s ___ and _____

A

CNS; organs; muscles

48
Q

Two divisions of PNS are:

A

1) somatic nervous system- set of nerves that conveys info between voluntary muscles and CNS
2) autonomic nervous system- set of nerves that prepares the body for action n challenging or threatening situations

49
Q

Two divisions of ANS are:

A

1- sympathetic= prepares body for action

2- parasympathetic = helps body return to normal resting state

50
Q

Name 8 attributes of sympathetic nervous system arousal

A

1) dilate pupil
2) relaxes bronchi
3) increases heartbeat
4) stops digestive activity
5) stimulates glucose release from liver
6) stimulates kidney secretion
7) relaxes bladder
8) stimulates ejaculation in males

51
Q

What is a reflex arc?

A

a neural pathway that controls reflex actions

52
Q

The spinal cord is continuous with this part of the brain; define it

A

hindbrain, an area of the brain that coordinates info coming into and out of the spinal cord

53
Q

Name for structures that make up the hindbrain

A

1) medulla
2) reticular formation
3) cerebellum
4) pons

54
Q

Define medulla

A

an extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration

55
Q

Define reticular formation

A

regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal

56
Q

Define cerebellum

A

a large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills

57
Q

Define the pons

A

a structure that relays info from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain

58
Q

What sits on top of the hindbrain? What two structures compose it?

A

midbrain; tectum and tegmentum

59
Q

Define tectum

A

orients an organism in the environment

60
Q

Define tegmentum

A

involved in movement and arousal

61
Q

The forebrain is divided into what?

A

cerebral cortex and subcortical structures

62
Q

Define cerebral cortex

A

outermost layer of the brain, visible to the naked eye, divided into 2 hemispheres

63
Q

Define subcortical structures

A

areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the center of the brain

64
Q

Define Thalamus

A

it relays and filters info from the senses and transmits info to the cerebral cortex

65
Q

Define hypothalamus

A

regulates body temperature, thirst, hunger, and sexual behavior

66
Q

What is the limbic system?

A

a group of forebrain structures including the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, and the amygdala; where the subcortical structures meet the cerebral cortex

67
Q

Define hippocampus

A

critical for creating new memories and integrating them into a network of knowledge so that they can be stored indefinitely in other parts of the cerebral cortex

68
Q

Define amygdala

A

located at the horns of the hippocampus, plays a central role in many emotional processes, particularly the formation of emotional memories

69
Q

Define basal ganglia

A

set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements

70
Q

Define corpus callosum

A

connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of info across hemispheres

71
Q

What are the raised parts of the cortex called? What about the indentations?

A

gyri; sulci

72
Q

What does the occipital lobe do?

A

processes visual information

73
Q

What does the parietal lobe do?

A

processes info about touch; contains somatosensory cortex

74
Q

What does the temporal lobe do?

A

responsible for hearing and language

75
Q

What does the frontal lobe do?

A

specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgment

76
Q

What are association areas?

A

composed of neurons that help provide sense and meaning to information registered in the cortex

77
Q

_______ ______ are active when an animal performs a behavior, such as reaching for or manipulating an object, and are also activated when another animal observes that animal performing the same behavior

A

Mirror neurons

78
Q

What is the main function of the pituitary gland?

A

releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands in the body

79
Q

What are epigenetic marks?

A

chemical modifications to DNA that can turn genes on or off

80
Q

What are the two widely studies epigenetic marks?

A

DNA methylation and histone modification

81
Q

Define DNA methylation

A

adding a methyl group to DNA; switches off gene

82
Q

Define histone modification

A

adding chemical modifications to proteins called histones that are involved in packaging DNA; switch genes on or off

83
Q

T/F epigenetic marks alter DNA sequences to affect gene expression

A

FALSE- they influence gene expression without altering underlying DNA sequence

84
Q

Heritability is a measure of the _______ of ______ traits among individuals that can be accounted for by ______ factors; calculated as a ______

A

variability; behavioral; genetic; proportion

85
Q

What is the ontogeny, compared with the phylogeny, of the brain?

A

Ontogeny is how the brain develops within a given individual; phylogeny is how it developed within a particular species (much slower process)

86
Q

What is the structural difference between the brain of a reptile or bird, and the brain of a mammal?

A

reptiles and birds have almost no cerebral cortex, whereas mammals have a highly developed cerebral cortex

87
Q

Language processing is a _____ (left/right) brain activity

A

left

88
Q

What is an electroencephalograph

A

a device used to record electrical activity in the brain

89
Q

How does the EEG record electrical activity in the brain?

A

electrodes are placed on outside of head and amplify electrical signals to make visual record

90
Q

Whats the difference between structural and functional brain imaging?

A

structural- info about basic structures in brain; damage

functional- activity of brain during tasks

91
Q

What does fMRI track in an active brain?

A

difference between oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin

psych 1101 (18 decks)

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