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Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding > Chapter 3 > Flashcards

Chapter 3 Flashcards

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1
Q

Neuron

A
  • nerve cell specialized for communication
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2
Q

Draw a labelled diagram of a neuron

A

.

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3
Q

Dendrite

A
  • projection that picks up impulses from other neurons

- portion of neuron that receives signals

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4
Q

Axon

A
  • nerve fibre projecting from the cell body that carries nerve impulses
  • portion of the neuron that sends signals
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5
Q

Synaptic vesicles

A
  • spherical sac containing neurotransmitters
  • travel the length of the axon to the axon terminal
  • it bursts to release neurotransmitters when it reaches the end of the axon terminal
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6
Q

Node

A
  • gap in the myelin sheath of an axon which helps the conduction of nerve impulses
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7
Q

Myelin sheath

A
  • fatty coat that insulates the axons of some nerve cells, speeding transmission of impulses
  • glial cells wrapped around axons that act as insulators of the neuron’s signal
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8
Q

Cell body

A
  • materials needed by the neuron are made here

- aka soma

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9
Q

Neurotransmitters

A
  • chemical messenger specialized for communication from neuron to neuron
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10
Q

Synapse

A
  • terminal point of axon branch which releases neurotransmitters
  • space between two connecting neurons through which messages are transmitted chemically
  • consists of a synaptic cleft
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11
Q

Synaptic cleft

A
  • a gap into which neurotransmitters are released from the axon terminal
  • gap is surrounded by small patches of membrane on each side (one of the sending axon and one on the receiving dendrite)
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12
Q

Glial cell

A
  • cell in nervous system that plays a role in the formation of myelin and the blood-brain barrier, responds to injury, removes debris, and enhances learning and memory
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13
Q

Astrocytes

A
  • type of glial cell that communicate closely with neurons, control blood flow in the brain, and play a vital role in the development of the embryo
  • abundant in the blood-brain barrier (protective shield that insulates the brain from infection by bacteria and other intruders)
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14
Q

Oligodendrocyte

A
  • make up the myelin sheath
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15
Q

Resting potential

A
  • electrical charge difference (-60mV to -70mV) across the neuronal membrane, when the neuron is not being stimulated or inhibited (inside more negative than outside)
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16
Q

Threshold

A
  • membrane potential necessary to trigger an action potential
  • differs between neurons, but in many it is -55mV
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17
Q

Action potential

A
  • electrical impulse that travels down the axon, triggering the release of neurotransmitters
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18
Q

Absolute refractory period

A
  • time during which another action potential is impossible; limits maximal firing rates
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19
Q

Graded potentials

A
  • postsynaptic potentials that can be excitatory or inhibitory depending on whether positively or negatively charged particles flow across the neuronal membrane and in which direction they flow
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20
Q

EPSP

A
  • excitatory postsynaptic potential

- graded potential in a dendrite that is caused by excitatory synaptic transmission

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21
Q

IPSP

A
  • inhibitory postsynaptic potential

- graded potential in a dendrite that is caused by inhibitory synaptic transmission

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22
Q

Receptor site

A
  • location that uniquely recognizes a neurotransmitter
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23
Q

Reuptake

A
  • means of recycling neurotransmitters

- a process by which the synaptic vesicle reabsorbs the neurotransmitter

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24
Q

List the steps for an action potential to occur

A
  1. Resting state
  2. Depolarization
  3. Rising phase of the action potential
  4. Falling phase of the action potential
  5. Undershoot
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25
Q

Step 1: Resting State

A

-60mV to -70mV
nothing is happening
potassium ions concentrated inside

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26
Q

Step 2: Depolarization

A 
More positive charged ions enter
Sodium channels open
Sodium ions come into the cell
Cell is less polar (ie. less charged)
Once potential reaches -50mV, it hits the threshold and cell will “fire”
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27
Q

Step 3: Rising Phase

A

Reaches ~ +50mV

Potassium channels are closed, but sodium is rushing in causing this increase in charge potential

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28
Q

Step 4: Falling Phase

A

Sodium channel closes and potassium channels opens
The potassium ions move out because of charge concentration gradient AND because of concentration gradient
The potential is therefore dropping (positive potassium ions are leaving)

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29
Q

Step 5: Undershoot

A

Refractory period, membrane is hyperpolarized
More polarized (more negative) than resting potential
Much more difficult for cell to fire again
Short pause where the cell is too negative to get back to threshold; can’t fire

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30
Q

List 8 major neurotransmitters

A
  1. Glutamate
  2. GABA
  3. Acetylcholine
  4. Norepinephrine
  5. Dopamine
  6. Serotonin
  7. Endorphins
  8. Anandamide
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31
Q

Glutamate

A

Main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system; participates in relay of sensory information and learning

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32
Q

GABA

A

Main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system

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33
Q

Acetylcholine

A

Muscle contraction

Cortical arousal

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34
Q

Norepinephrine

A

Brain arousal and other functions like mood, hunger, and sleep

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35
Q

Dopamine

A

Motor function and reward

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36
Q

Serotonin

A

Mood and temperature regulation, aggression, and sleep cycles

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37
Q

Endorphins

A

Pain reduction

38
Q

Anandamide

A

Pain reduction, increase in appetite

39
Q

Monoamines

A
  • contain only one amino acid

- includes norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin

40
Q

How does the myelin sheath work?

A
  • Help speed up transmission of the action potential
  • Positive charge has to travel all the way down the axon
  • Myelin sheath made by glial cells wrap around the axon, prevent potassium/sodium from exiting
  • The action potential jumps between the gaps (nodes of ranvier)
  • Signal stays stronger and is transmitted faster
41
Q

Neural plasticity

A
  • ability of the nervous system to change
42
Q

Neural plasticity over development

A
  1. Growth of dendrites and axons
  2. Synaptogenesis, the formation of new synapses
  3. Pruning, consisting of the death of certain neurons and the retraction of axons to remove connections that aren’t useful
  4. Myelination, the insulation of axons with a myelin sheath
43
Q

Neural plasticity and learning

A
  • brains change as we learn
  • formation of new synapses
  • generating increased connections/communication among neurons
  • strengthening of existing synaptic connections, so that the neurotransmitters released into synapses produce a stronger and more prolonged response from neighbouring neurons (potentiation; long-term potentiation)
44
Q

Neural plasticity following injury/degeneration

A
  • adult neurogenesis: creation of new neurons in the adult brain
  • stem cells: use of undifferentiated cells to replace damaged neurons
45
Q

Structural plasticity

A
  • change in the shape of neurons
  • may be critical for learning
  • more elaborate dendrites, expansion of relevant brain areas
46
Q

Central nervous system

A
  • part of the nervous system containing the brain and spinal cord that controls the mind and behaviour
47
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A
  • nerves in the body that extend outside the central nervous system
  • consists of the autonomic and somatic nervous system
48
Q

Somatic nervous system

A
  • interacts with external environment
  • controls voluntary behaviour
  • afferent nerves carry sensory signals from sense receptors to the CNS
  • efferent nerves carry motor signals from the CNS to the skeletal muscles
49
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A
  • regulates internal environment
  • controls involuntary functions
  • afferent nerves carry sensory signals from the internal organs to the CNS
  • efferent nerves carry motor signals from the CNS to the organs
  • consists of sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (rest/digest)
50
Q

Spinal cord

A
  • part of the central nervous system
  • connects the brain to the rest of the body
  • acts as a medium for communication
  • contains interneurons
51
Q

Reflexes

A
  • connect sensory neurons directly to motor neurons via the interneuron in the spinal cord
  • forms a reflex arc
  • allows for actions to be completed much faster than they normally would if the information travelled up to the brain to be processed before going to the motor neurons
  • adaptive trait that helps our survival
52
Q

Forebrain

A
  • allows for human nature, thinking, panning, advanced intellectual abilities
  • consists of the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures
53
Q

Cerebral cortex

A
  • 2 hemispheres separated by the corpus callosum
  • gyrus = smooth raised surfaces, sulcus = indentations/fissures
  • consists of occipital, temporal, parietal, frontal lobes
54
Q

Occipital lobe

A
  • processes visual information
55
Q

Temporal lobe

A
  • processes auditory information
  • contains primary auditory cortex
  • Wernicke’s area: processing language
56
Q

Parietal lobe

A
  • processes information from touch

- somatosensory cortex: different folds of brain related to different body parts

57
Q

Frontal lobe

A
  • abstract thinking, language, memory, judgement, movement
  • motor cortex
  • Broca’s area: regulates/produces speech
58
Q

Broca’s area

A
  • located in frontal lobe

- helps to control speech production

59
Q

Wernicke’s area

A
  • located in the temporal lobe

- involved in understanding speech

60
Q

Subcortical structures

A
  • pituitary gland
  • basal ganglia
  • limbic system
61
Q

Pituitary gland

A
  • master gland that releases hormones that regulate and influence other glands and organs
  • controlled by the hypothalamus
62
Q

Basal ganglia

A
  • responsible for direct, intentional movement; control posture
63
Q

Limbic system (components + description)

A
  • emotional centre of the brain; the 4 f’s (feeding, fighting, fleeing, sex)
  • thalamus: receives and filters information from the senses to be sent to the cortex
  • hypothalamus: body temperature, thirst, sexual behaviour
  • hippocampus: creates new memories, sends them to the cerebral cortex for storage
  • amygdala: central role in emotion, creating emotional memories involving fear
64
Q

Midbrain

A
  • part of the brain stem that contributes to movement, tracking of visual stimuli, and reflexes triggered by sound
  • consists of two regions: tectum and tegmentum
  • tectum orients the organism in its environment to visual (superior colliculi) and auditory (inferior colliculi) stimuli
  • tegmentum is involved with movement and arousal; also helps orient the organism toward sensory stimuli
65
Q

Hindbrain

A
  • region below the midbrain that contains the cerebellum, reticular formation, pons, and medulla
  • an area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord
66
Q

Contralateral control

A
  • each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body
67
Q

Split brain patients

A
  • split brain patients have lack of communication between the two hemispheres due to the removal of the corpus callosum
  • disruption between the two sides, causing linked characteristics such as speech corresponding to bodily movement to become disjointed
68
Q

Hormone

A
  • chemical released into the bloodstream that influences particular organs and glands
  • they’re carried through our blood vessels unlike neurotransmitters (carried through nerves)
  • slower in their actions than neurotransmitters
  • outlast neurotransmitters in their effects; slower but more enduring
69
Q

List the major hormones

A
  • oxytocin
  • adrenalin
  • cortisol
  • sex hormones (testosterone/estrogen)
70
Q

Oxytocin

A
  • trust, reproductive functions
71
Q

Adrenalin

A
  • increases during stressful situations, heightens physical ability
72
Q

Cortisol

A
  • increases during stress, regulates blood pressure, cardiovascular function, bodily use of fats, proteins, carbohydrates
73
Q

Testosterone/Estrogen

A
  • sex hormones

- testosterone increases sex drive in males

74
Q

Corpus callosum

A
  • large band of fibres connecting the two cerebral hemispheres
75
Q

Medulla

A
  • an extension of the spinal cord that coordinates heart rate, circulation and respiration
76
Q

Reticular formation

A
  • responsible for regulation of sleep, wakefulness and arousal
77
Q

Cerebellum

A
  • largest structure of the hindbrain and controls fine motor skills
78
Q

Pons

A
  • structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain
79
Q

Endocrine system

A
  • system of glands and hormones that controls secretion of blood-borne chemical messengers
80
Q

EEG

A
  • electroencephalograph

- a device to measure brain’s electrical activity, using data from placing electrodes on multiple spots on the brain

81
Q

PET

A
  • positron emission tomography
  • uses radioactive glucose and a scanner to track where the radioactivity is located
  • brain uses glucose when it is active
82
Q

CT scan

A
  • computed tomography

- 3D reconstruction of multiple x-rays

83
Q

MRI

A
  • shows structural detail
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • measures the release of energy from hydrogen atoms in biological tissues following exposure to a magnetic field
  • good at detecting soft-tissues, such as brain tumours (unlike CT scan)
84
Q

fMRI

A
  • functional magnetic resonance imaging

- measures change in blood oxygen level

85
Q

TMS

A
  • transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • applies strong/quickly changing magnetic fields to the skull to create electrical fields in the brain
  • interrupt/enhance brain function in a specific region
  • can be used to see how TMS affects functioning; can infer causation
86
Q

MEG

A
  • magnetoencephalography
  • detects electrical activity in the brain by measuring tiny magnetic fields
  • reveals patterns of magnetic fields on the skull’s surface
  • strength is in its ability to track brain changes over milliseconds rather than second (like PET and fMRI)
87
Q

Lateralization

A
  • cognitive function that relies more on one side of the brain than the other
88
Q

Left hemisphere

A

fine-tuned language skills, making facial expressions, motion detection, speech comprehension/production

89
Q

Right hemisphere

A

coarse language skills, perceptual grouping, face perception

90
Q

Antagonist

A
  • a drug/ligand that blocks or dampens a biological response by binding to and blocking a receptor rather than activating it like an agonist
91
Q

Agonist

A
  • a drug/chemical that binds to a receptor and activates the receptor to produce a biological response
  • causes an action

Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (16 decks)

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