Chapter 3: Bio & environmental Flashcards
Neurons
Specialized cells composed of a dendrites, cell body and axon.
Myelin
White lipid that increases the efficiency of communication in the brain surrounding nerve fibers.
Pruning
Unneeded cells and connections become terminated (ex: decrease in gray matter in frontal brain area - adolescence)
Central Nervous System
Brain + Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System
The nerves outside of the CNS transmitting messages to and from it, composed of the autonomic and somatic system.
Somatic System
Sensory organs and muscles engaged in sensory processes and voluntary movement.
Autonomic system
Aids in involuntary regulation (activates/deactivates) of states of arousal and emotion.
Endocrine system
Collection of glands intricately involved in bodily functions through the release of hormones.
Hindbrain
-pons: relays info
- medulla: regulates heart function and breathing
- cerebellum: Movement & cognitive processing
Hindbrain
-pons: relays info
- medulla: regulates heart function and breathing
- cerebellum: Movement & cognitive processing
Midbrain
Contains fibers that connect the hindbrain and upper brain regions. It also influences arousal states (ex; walking, sleeping).
The hindbrain and the midbrain form the brain stem.
Forebrain
2 cerebral hemispheres connected by the corpus collosum, with 4 brain regions.
Neuron composition
Cell body, dendrites and axon
neurotransmitter
chemical messengers released into the synaptic cleft - exciting or inhibiting neurons making them less/more likely to fire an impulse.
Prenatal
Prior to birth
Perinatal
Around the time of birth
Postnatal
After birth
Teratogens
Harmful/toxic substances exposed to the fetus, entered via the mother’s bloodstream.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Extreme end of spectrum for adverse affects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
Plasticity
The brains ability to adapt at restoring itself or at transferring functions to undamaged brain areas.
Behaviour Genetics
Study of genetic influences on individual differences.
Genetic code
The order of four nucelotides (adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine) appear in particular regions of a gene. Sequences is the bsis for transcription (for messanger mRNA) which is then translated for the manufacturing of proteins.
Genotype
Combination of alleles an individual expresses for a specific gene