Chapter 3 Flashcards
What are neurons?
Brain cells, specialized in communication with each other
What is the cell body?
Center of neuron; builds new cell components
What are dendrites?
Branchlike extension that receive information from other neurons
What are the axons?
“Tails” of the neuron that spread out from the cell body and transmit information
What is the axon terminal?
Knob at the end of the axon containing synaptic vesicles filled with neurotransmitters
What are neurotransmitters (NTs)?
Chemical messengers that allow neuron to neuron communication
What is the synapse?
Space between neurons through which NTs travel
What is the synaptic vesicles?
Spherical sac containing neurotransmitters; travel the length of the axon to get to the axon terminal
What is the synaptic cleft?
Specific area of the gap in which neurotransmitters are released from the axon terminal
What are Glial cells?
Cells that are plentiful in the brain(Glue). 2 main types: Astrocytes and Oligodendrocytes
What are Astrocytes?
star shaped, abundant; increase reliability of neuronal transmission (communication); control blood flow to brain; development of embryos; found in blood-brain barrier (brains protective shield)
What are Oligodendrocytes?
Promotes new connections, healing, and produce the myelin sheath around axons
What is resting potential?
When there are not NTs acting on a neuron; more negative particles inside than outside the neuron
What is the threshold?
The membrane potential necessary to trigger an action potential
What is action potential?
Occurs when there is enough of a charge inside the neuron (threshold)
What is the absolute refractory period?
Time during which another action potential is impossible; limits maximal firing rate
What is graded potentials?
Postsynaptic potentials that can be excitatory or inhibitory depending on whether positively or negatively charged particles flow across the neutral membrane and in which direction they flow
What is excitatory postsynaptic potential? (EPSP)
Graded potential in a dendrite that is caused by excitatory synaptic transmission
What is inhibitory postsynaptic potential? (IPSP)
Graded potential in a dendrite that is caused by inhibitory synaptic transmission
What is electrical neurotransmission?
Communication inside neurons
What is chemical neurotransmission?
Communication between neurons
What are receptor sites?
Location that uniquely recognizes a neurotransmitter
What is reuptake?
Means of recycling neurotransmitters
What is Glutamate?
Associated with learning and memory;
An excitatory NTs and inreases the chance neurons will communicate;
Toxic in high doses, may contribute to schizophrenia and other mental disorders
What is GABA?
Associated with learning and memory;
An inhibitory NTs and dampers neural activity
What is Acetylcholine?
Influences arousal, selective attention, sleep and memory;
Neurons that connect to muscles release acetylcholine to trigger movement
What are Monamines?
Norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin and only contain one amino acid
What is Norepinephrine?
Controls brain arousal, mood, hunger and sleep
What is Dopamine?
Controls motor function and reward system
What is Serotonin
Controls mood, temp regulation, aggression and sleep cycles
What are Anandamides?
Influences eating, motivation, memory and sleep;
Binds to same receptors as THC
What are Neuropeptides?
Human made opioids act on the endorphin system;
Some neuropeptides regulate hunger, others learning and memory
What are psychoactive drugs?
Target the production or inhibition of certain NTs and impact mood, arousal, or behavior
What are opiates?
Mimic endorphins and increase activity
What are Antagonists?
Decrease activity, like dopamine blockers for schizophrenia
What are neural plasticity?
Plasticity describes the nervous systems ability to change
What is neurogenesis?
Creation of new neurons in the adult brain
What is the central nervous system (CNS)?
Sensory information comes into and decisions come out of
What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
The nerves outside the CNS
What is cerebral ventricles?
Fluid-filled pockets, also serve to protect the CNS
What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
A clear liquid, running through ventricles
What is the cerebral cortex?
The forebrain is the most developed area of the human brain, giving us our advanced intellectual abilities
What is the frontal lobe?
Performs executive functioning such as motor function, language, memory
What is the prefrontal cortex?
Responsible for thinking, planning, and language
What is the Broca’s area?
Language area in the prefrontal cortex that helps to control speech production
What is the parietal lobe?
Upper middle part of the cerebral cortex specialized for touch and perception
What is the temporal lobe?
Lower part of the cerebral cortex, plays a role in hearing, understanding language, and storing autobiographical memories
What is the Wernicke’s area?
Responsible for understanding speech
What is the occipital lobe?
Back part of cerebral cortex specialized for vision
What are cortical hierarchies?
When sensory information enters the brain, it first goes to that sense’s primary sensory cortex, then to the association cortex; processing becomes increasingly complex as information is passed up the network
What is the Basal Ganglia?
Forebrain structure that helps control movement;
Allows us to perform movements to obtain rewards and reinforcement;
Damage can contribute to Parkinson’s disease
What is the Limbic system?
The emotional centre of the brain that also has a role in smell, motivation, and memory
What is the hypothalamus?
Regulates and controls internal bodily states; controls the pituitary gland
What is the thalamus?
Relays information from the sense organs to primary sensory cortex
What is the amygdala?
Plays key role in fear, excitement and arousal
What is the hippocampus?
Plays a role in spatial memory; damage causes inability to form new memories
What is the brain stem?
Located at the back of the brain, connecting the cerebral cortex and spinal cord and performs some basic bodily functions
What is the reticular activating system?
Connects the forebrain and cerebral cortex and plays key role in arousal;
Damage can result in a coma
What is the midbrain?
Contributes to movement, tracking of visual stimuli, and reflexes triggered by sound
What is the hindbrain?
Below the midbrain, contains cerebellum, pons, and medulla
What is the cerebellum?
Plays a predominant role in our sense of balance and enables us to coordinate movement and learn motor skills
What is the pons?
Connects cortex to cerebellum and triggers dreams
What is the medulla?
Regulates breathing, heartbeat, and other vital functions;
Damage to Medulla can result in brain death
What is the spinal cord?
The thick bundle of nerves that conveys signals between the brain and the body
What are interneurons?
Neuron that sends messages to other neurons
What is the somatic nervous system?
Conveys information from the CNS to the muscles in the body, controlling and coordinating voluntary movement
What is the automatic nervous system?
Controls the involuntary actions of our internal organs and glands; has two divisions
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
Division is engaged during a crisis or after actions requiring fight or flight
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
Division controls rest and digestion
What is the endocrine system?
Is a system of glands and hormones controlling the secretion of blood-borne chemical messengers (Hormones)
What are hormones?
Molecules that influence particular organs and also help regulate emotions
What is the pituitary gland?
Releases hormones that influence growth, blood pressure, and other functions
What is oxytocin?
Released by pituitary gland, responsible for number of reproductive functions and plays role in maternal and romantic love
What are the adrenal glands?
Releases adrenaline and cortisol during states of emotional arousal; located on top of kidneys
What is cortisol?
Regulates blood pressure and cardiovascular function, as well as the use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats
What is adrenaline?
Boosts energy production in muscle cells, restricts it in others
What are the sexual reproductive glands?
Testes in males and ovaries in females;
Both sexes manufacture testosterone and estrogen
What is phrenology?
Study of skull size, weight and shape of cranium
What is electroencephalograph?
Measures electrical activity via electrodes placed on the skull;
Can tell which regions of the brain are active during specific tasks
What is neuroimaging?
Techniques which allow us to see brain structure, function or both
What is computed tomography (CT)?
Uses multiple X-rays to construct three-dimensional images
What is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)?
Uses magnetic fields to indirectly visualize brain structure
What is positron emission tomography (PET)?
Measures consumption of glucose-like molecules to give a picture of neural activity
What is functional MRI (fMRI)?
Uses magnetic fields to visualize brain activity
What is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)?
Applies strong and quickly changing magnetic fields to the surface of the skull that can either enhance or interrupt brain function
What is magnetoencephalography (MEG)?
Measures tiny magnetic fields generated by the brain
What is behavioral adaption?
Some organisms have adaptations that make them better suited to their environment
What is fitness?
Survive and reproduce at higher rates than other organisms
What is natural selection?
Adaptations then have a higher frequency in the population
What is the corpus callosum?
Connects the 2 hemispheres, allowing communication between them
What are chromosomes?
Inside each cell’s nucleus that carry genes; humans have 46, 23 from each parents
What is genotype?
Set of genes we have; can be dominant or recessive
What is phenotype?
Observable traits
What is heritability?
Percentage of the variability in a trait across individuals that due to genes
