Chapter 3- Biological Bases Of Mental Life And Behaviour Flashcards
What are the main parts of a neuron!
Dendrites- branch like extensions. Receive inputs from other cells
Cell body- includes a nucleus. Determines how that particular neuron will manipulate the input from the dendrites. It passes the manipulated input to the dendrites of other neurons through the axon.
Axon- long extension from the cell body. Transmits information to other neurons. Two or more offshoots it collateral branches.
What are neurons ? And what are the three types?
Are the basic units of the nervous system.
Sensory neurons- transmit information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system (brain).
Motor neurons- transmit commands from the brain to the muscles and glands of the body
Interneurons- connect neurons with one another mostly in the brain and spinal cord
What is the role of a
Neurotransmitter?
Transmits information from one neurons to another as they are released into the synapse where they bind with receptors in the membrane of the postsynaptic neuron which produces grades grades potentials that can excite or inhibit the postsynaptic neuron from firing
What is excitatory and inhibitory of the neurotransmitter?
Excitatory- depolarize the postsynaptic cell Membrane, making an action potential more likely
Inhibitory- hyperbola rise the membranes reducing the likelihood the postsynaptic neuron will fire.
What are the types of neurotransmitters (hormones) and their roles ?
Glutamate - excitation of neurons
GABA- inhibition of neurons
Dopamine- emotional arousal, pleasure and reward; voluntary movement and attention
Serotonin- sleep and emotional arousal, aggression, pain regulation, mood regulation
Acetylcholine- learning and memory
Endorphins and enkephalins- pain relief and elevation of mood
What are the two nervous systems ? Briefly explain the role of each.
Central nervous system- directs psychological and basic life processes, responds to stimuli
Peripheral nervous system- carries information to and from the central nervous system
What is the function of the spinal cord and what nervous system is it a part of?
Part of the central nervous system. It receives sensory input, sends information to the brain, responds with motor output.
What is the function of the brain? What are its three main parts? What nervous system is it part of?
The brain directs psychological activity, processes information and maintains life supports. It is divided into three main parts : the forebrain, the midbrain and the hindbrain. The brain is part of the central nervous system
What are the main parts of the forebrain and their functions?
Hypothalamus - regulates emotions and drives ( hunger, thirst, sex, aggression)
Thalamus- relays sensory messages to the cortex
Limbic system - emotion, movement, learning and memory
Basal ganglia- movement and judgement
Cerebral cortex- flexible construction of sequences of voluntary movements. Allows discrimination among complex sensory patterns. Ability to think symbolically.
What are the main parts of the cerebral cortex and their functions?
Occipital lobe- vision
Parietal lobes- touch, spatial orientation, nonverbal thinning
Frontal lobes - abstract thinking and planning. Damage can result in personality change.
Temporal lobes- hearing, language, visual pattern recognition
What are the main parts of the hindbrain and their functions?
Medulla- breathing, heartbeat
Cerebellum- muscle movement, balance, perception and cognition
Reticular formation- arousal, screens incoming sensory messages
What are the main parts of the kid rain and their functions?
Tectum- vision and breathing
Tegmentum- movement associated with Parkinson’s disease
The somatic nervous system is part of the the peripheral nervous system, what is its function?
Coneys sensory information to the central nervous system and sends motor messages to muscles
The autonomic nervous system is also part of the peripheral nervous system, what is its function?
Autonomic nervous system- serves basic life functions, such as the beating of the heart and response to stress
What are the two nervous systems and their functions that stem from the autonomic nervous system?
Sympathetic nervous system- readies the body is response to threat - fight or
Flight response. Activates the organism
Parasympathetic nervous system- calms the body down. Maintains energy. Returns the body to normal after threat
What are the six stages if communication between neurons ?
- Resting state - sodium cannot enter, or is actively pumped out of the neuron. The cell is Negatively charged.
- Depolarization- sodium enters the dendrites and cell body making the cell less negatively charged
- Graded potential- change is cell voltage is passed down dendrites and cell body
- Action potential - if the change in axon voltage surpasses a threshold the axon suddenly lets in a surge of sodium
- Neurotransmitter release - the action potential causes terminal buttons to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
- Chemical change transmitted- down depending on the facilitation or inhibitory nature of the neurotransmitter released the voltage of the cell membrane receiving the message become depolarized or hyper polarized and the process repeats
What is the myelination?
Coasting of the cells. Gives parts parts of the brain a white appear cell.
It is insulation for the axis from chemical and physical stimuli that may interfere with the transmission of nerve pulses. Dramatically increases the speed of transmitting messages
How do graded potentials differ from action potentials?
Graded potentials diminish in stranger as they travel along the cell membrane while also accumulating if this cumulative electrical ripple crosses a certain threshold depolarization occurs resulting in the neuron firing. The shift of polarity across the membrane and subsequent restoration of the testing potential is called and action potential.
What is the function of the pituitary glad?
Releases hormones that stimulates and regulated other glands
What is the function of the thyroid gland?
Release hormones that control growth and metabolism
What is the function of the adrenal glands ?
Secretes adrenalin and other hormones during emergencies
what is the function of the gonads?
Tested for males and ovaries for females. They influence sexual development and behaviour
How do the functions of the primary and association areas of the cortex differ?
Primary areas of the cortex receive sensory information and initiate motor movements while the association areas are involved in putting together perceptions, ideas and plans
Where does grey matter get its colour from ?
Cell bodies, dendrites and unmyelinated axons and dendrites
Where does the connection between neurons occur?
Synapse
Unlike graded potential, what potential has an ‘all or none’ quality ?
Action potential
Some people respond to msg in food with neurological symptoms such as tingling and numbing, because the ingredient activates what type of receptors in their brain ?
Glutamate
Which endocrine gland is more connected to the central nervous system than other endocrine glands ?
Pituitary gland
What nervous system prepares the body for fight or flight response ?
Sympathetic nervous system
Sexual activity is a good example of how which two nervous systems interact ?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic
Which area of the hindbrain is responsible for maintaining consciousness, regulating arousal levels and modulating the activity of neurons?
The reticular formation
What is the most important function of the hypothalamus?
Homeostasis
Which structure in the lambic system is involved in learning and remembering emotionally significant events?
Amygdala
