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PSY 101 > Chapter 3 - Biology & Behavior > Flashcards

Chapter 3 - Biology & Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

Three Kinds of Neurons

A

Sensory (take info and send to brain), Motor (direct muscle movement), interneuron (integrate neural activity in given area, don’t send signals to CNS)

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2
Q

Structure of Neurons (Describe each part)

A

Dendrites (branch-like areas), cell body (gathers info here), axon (sends out signals across this outgrowth), terminal buttons (nodules at end of axon that release chemical signals into synapse)

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3
Q

Synaptic Gap (what is it?)

A

Where chemical signals travel between neurons over the synaptic cleft

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4
Q

Action Potential (definition)

A

aka neural firing, it’s an electrical signal that passes along the axon and causes a chemical release that transmit signals to other neurons

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5
Q

How is action potential produced?

A

two types of signals arrive at the dendrites (excitatory (+) - depolarize cell memb & inc chance of firing, or inhibitory (-) - hyperpolarize cell, dec chance of firing), if enough excitatory, then the cell can fire, meaning that sodium (+) then potassium (-) channels open as it depolarizes, so the cell reaches its action potential and fires (cell overall slightly negative)

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6
Q

How is action potential propagated?

A

Propagation is when the depolarization of the cell membrane as it travels along the axon from the cell body to the terminal buttons - Na and K channels open like dominoes, sped up by myelin sheath

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7
Q

All or none principle

A

idea that neuron will fire at same strength (potency) every time - it either fires or doesn’t there is no inbetween

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8
Q

Neurotransmitter (definition, importance)

A

chemical substances that carry signals from one neuron to another and are contained by vesicles in the terminal buttons, important because they carry signals across the synaptic cleft and bind to receptors on the other neuron, causing either an excitatory or inhibitory signal

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9
Q

Three major events that terminate a neurotransmitter’s influence in the synaptic cleft

A

Reuptake (consumed by the presynaptic terminal button), enzyme deactivation (when enzyme destroys neurotrans in the synaptic cleft), autoreception (autoreceptors monitor how much of a neurotrans has been released into the synaptic cleft and if it detects and excess, will stop its release)

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10
Q

How do drugs alter activity at the synapse? (major categories)

A

2 ways - agonists (drugs that enhance the actions of neurotransmitters), or antagonists (drugs that inhibit the actions of neurotransmitters)

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11
Q

How do agonist drugs work?

A

3 ways - inc how much of the NT is made in the terminal button so there are more in each vesicle, block reuptake, or mimic NT and bond to its postsynaptic receptor

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12
Q

How do antagonist drugs work?

A

3 ways - dec amount of NT made so less in each vesicle, destroy NT in synapse, or bind to its receptor and block it

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13
Q

Acetylcholine (major func?)

A

(NT) - major function - motor control over muscles, involved in botox!

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14
Q

Epinephrine (major func?)

A

(NT) - energy, used to be called adrenaline (fight-flight response)

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15
Q

Norepinephrine (major func?)

A

(NT) - arousal (alertness) and vigilance

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16
Q

Serotonin (major func?)

A

(NT) - emotional states and impusliveness, used in Prozac to treat depression

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17
Q

Dopamine (major func?)

A

(NT) - reward and motivation, depletion of dopa is part of Parkinson’s Disease

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18
Q

GABA (major func?)

A

(NT) - gamma-aminobutyric acid, inhibition of action potentials

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19
Q

Glutamate (major func?)

A

(NT) - Enhancement of action potentials

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20
Q

Endorphins (major func?)

A

(NT) - pain reduction, opiates like heroin and morphine do this too

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21
Q

substance P (major func?)

A

pain perception, capsaicin activates this in the brain

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22
Q

Broca’s area

A

small portion in the left frontal part of the brain crucial for the production of language

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23
Q

Brain stem

A

an extension of the spinal cord, it houses the structures that control functions associated with survival, such as breathing, swallowing, vomiting, urination, and orgasm

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24
Q

Cerebellum

A

a large, convoluted protuberance at the back of the brain stem - it is essential for coordinated movement and balance

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25
Q

Hypothalamus

A

a brain structure that is involved in the regulation of bodily functions, including body temperature, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels - it also influences our basic motivated behaviors

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26
Q

CNS

A

(central nervous system) the brain and spinal cord

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27
Q

PNS

A

(peripheral nervous system) all nerve cells in the body that are not part of the central nervous system. PNS includes the somatic and autonomic nervous systems

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28
Q

Thalamus

A

the gateway to the brain, it receives almost all of the incoming sensory information before that info reaches the cortex

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29
Q

Hippocampus

A

brain structure associated with the formation of memories

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30
Q

Amydala

A

brain structure that serves a vital role in our learning to associate things with emotional responses and in processes emotional info

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31
Q

Basal Ganglia

A

a system of subcortical structures that are important for the production of planned movement

32
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

the outer layer of the brain tissue, which forms the convoluted surface of the brain

33
Q

Occipital Lobes

A

regions of the cerebral cortex at the back of the brain, important for vision

34
Q

Corpus Callosum

A

The fibrous structure that connects the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex

35
Q

Parietal Lobes

A

regions of the cerebral cortex in-between the occipital and frontal lobes, important for the sense of touch and for conceptualizing the spatial layout of an environment

36
Q

Temporal lobes

A

regions of the cerebral cortex, around ears, important for processing auditory info, memory, and object and face perception

37
Q

Frontal lobes

A

regions of the cerebral cortex, important for movement and higher-level psychological processes associated with the prefrontal cortex

38
Q

prefrontal cortex (definition, famous case study patient, procedure that focuses on this region)

A

frontmost portion of frontal lobes, esp prominent in humans, important for attention, working memory, decision making, appropriate social behavior, and personality, damaged in Phineas Gage, targeted in lobotomies because it makes mental patients easier to manage - no personality, passive (late 1940s, early 1950s)

39
Q

Somatosensory homunculus

A

a distorted man based on which areas of the primary somatosensory cortex are most devoted to each body part

40
Q

Primary somatosensory cortex

A

strip at the front of the parietal lobe, grouping nearby sensations of the body

41
Q

Regions of the cerebral cortex

A

parietal, frontal, temporal, occipital

42
Q

primary components of the PNS

A

somatic and automatic nervous systems

43
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

component of PNS, it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the skin, muscles, and joints

44
Q

automatic nervous system (ANS)

A

component of the PNS, transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the CNS and the body’s glands and internal organs

45
Q

sympathetic division

A

division in the ANS, type of signal, prepares the body for action (fire alarm analogy)

46
Q

parasympathetic division

A

division of the ANS, type of signal, returns the body to its resting state

47
Q

Types of signals in ANS

A

sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions

48
Q

endocrine system

A

communication system that uses hormones (not electrochemical signals like in nervous sys) to influence thoughts, behaviors, and actions, works in conjunction with nervous system

49
Q

Hormones

A

chemical substances , released from endocrine glands, that travel through the bloodstream to targeted tissues - the tissues are subsequently influenced by hormones

50
Q

pituitary gland

A

a gland located at the base of the hypothalamus - it sends hormonal signals to other endocrine glands, controlling their release of hormones

51
Q

chromosomes

A

structures within the cell body that are made up of DNA, and DNA consists of genes

52
Q

genes

A

the units of heredity that help determine the characteristics of an organism, particular molecules on a DNA strand which give instructions to make distinct polypeptide

53
Q

dominant gene

A

gnee that is expressed in the offspring whenever it is present

54
Q

recessive gene

A

gene that is expressed only when it is matched with a similar gene from the other parent

55
Q

genotype

A

the genetic constitution of an organism, determined at the moment of conception

56
Q

phenotype

A

observable physical characteristics, which results from both genetic and environmental influences

57
Q

Behavioral genetics

A

the study of how genes and the environment interact to influence psychological activity

58
Q

monozygotic twins

A

identical twins, result of one zygote splitting in two and they share the same genes

59
Q

dizygotic twins

A

fraternal twins, two separate fertilized eggs so no more related than any 2 sibilings

60
Q

Why twin studies?

A

These allow us to look at the different between nature and nurture, since they have the same genes but can be raised in different environments

61
Q

heritability

A

a statistical estimate of the extent to which variation in a trait within a population due to genetic factors

62
Q

Misconceptions about heritability

A

refers to populations, not individuals, if height has .60 heritability, then 60% of height variation is genetic, not 60% due to genes, 40% from environ

63
Q

How do genes and the environment interact? How do genes influence behavior indirectly? (use Caspi study as example)

A

Nature and nurture are inextricably linked. In the study, they looked at 1000 kids, and if they displayed violent behavior. 2 metrics were used - MAO gene (low or high), and mistreatment by parents, and they found that if they were mistreated and had the low MAO gene, they were much more likely to be convicted of violent crimes

64
Q

plasticity

A

property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience, drugs, or injury - helps link nature and nurture

65
Q

synesthesia

A

cross-sensory experience (ex: image has a taste), like due to cross-wired neurons?, often associated with creative people

66
Q

phantom limb syndrome

A

in amputees, an intense sensations that the amputated body part still exists, and it seems that the cortex associated with that area then is used for the next closest area, and are activated by that nearby spot (face touch activates hand)

67
Q

Difference between phantom limb syndrome and synesthesia

A

Phantom limb is caused primarily by the environment (limb loss), whereas synesthesia is caused primarily by genetics

68
Q

Differences in male and female brains

A

Male brains are larger, different hormones, females may have language in both hemispheres (female stroke patients have better language skills)

69
Q

Name that NT! Motor control over muscles

A

Acetylcholine

70
Q

Name that NT! Energy

A

Epinephrine

71
Q

Name that NT! Alertness

A

Norepinephrine

72
Q

Name that NT! Emotional states and impulsiveness

A

Serotonin

73
Q

Name that NT! Reward and motivation

A

Dopamine

74
Q

Name that NT! Inhibition of action potentials

A

Yo GABA GABA

75
Q

Name that NT! Enhancement of action potentials

A

Glutamate

76
Q

Name that NT! Pain reduction

A

Endorphins

77
Q

Name that NT! Pain perception

A

Substance P

PSY 101 (6 decks)

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