Chapter 3: Biology of Behavior

Question 1

What is a chromosome?

Answer 1

Long thread of DNA wrapped around protein

Question 2

How many chromosomes do you inherit from each parent?

Answer 2

23 from each (23 pairs)

Question 3

What is the genome?

Answer 3

Total amount of your unique DNA

Question 4

What is a gene?

Answer 4

Segment of Dna that codes proteins to form bodily structures

Question 5

What is an allele?

Answer 5

Different form of same gene. Matched set of genes, one allele from each parent.

Question 6

What is a genotype?

Answer 6

genetic makeup

Question 7

What is a phenotype?

Answer 7

makeup of observable characteristics

Question 8

Polygenic vs Monogenic

Answer 8

Monogenic - trait determined by single gene

Polygenic - trait determined by multiple genes

Question 9

What is heritability?

Answer 9

extent that a characteristic is influences by genetics

Question 10

Identical vs fraternal twins

Answer 10

Fraternal Twins - two eggs same sperm

Identical Twins - same egg same sperm, split in two

Question 11

How does one study heritability?

Answer 11

twin adoption studies

Question 12

What is epigenetics?

Answer 12

study of changes in the ways genes are expressed (turned on)

Question 13

What are the components of the nervous system?

Answer 13

Central Nervous System
-Brain
-Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System (all other nerve cells)
-Somatic Nervous System (transmit sensory info)
-Autonomic Nervous System (involuntary systems)
-Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight)
-Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest/Digest)

Question 14

What is the role of the nervous system?

Answer 14

Controls all actions and automatic processes of body

Question 15

What does the central nervous system control?

Answer 15

brain and spinal cord

Question 16

What does the peripheral nervous system control?

Answer 16

all other nerve cells in body

Question 17

What does the somatic nervous system control?

Answer 17

in charge of skeletal muscles (voluntary behavior)

Question 18

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

Answer 18

Involuntary systems and behavior

Question 19

What does the sympathetic nervous system control?

Answer 19

Fight or Flight

Question 20

What does the parasympathetic nervous system control?

Answer 20

Relaxation (rest and digest)

Question 21

What cells hold the CNS together?

Answer 21

Glial cells

Question 22

What is a Neuron?

Answer 22

cells that process/transmit information throughout the nervous system. building blocks of the nervous system.

Question 23

How does information travel in nervous system?

Answer 23

Within neurons in form of electrical signals

Question 24

How does information travel between neurons?

Answer 24

Through neurotransmitters

Question 25

What are the parts of a Neuron? Draw it.

Answer 25

Soma - Cell body, contains nucleus
Axon - transmits electrical impulse
Dendrites
Myelin Sheath
Synapse

Question 26

What are the types of Neurons?

Answer 26

Sensory - receive incoming signals from sensory organs
Motor - take commands from brain to muscle
Inter - connect neurons in brain

Question 27

What is an action potential?

Answer 27

positive charged impulse that moves down neuron

Question 28

What is a resting potential?

Answer 28

Charge difference between inside/outside of neuron at rest

Question 29

How does a neurotransmitter transmit?

Answer 29

Once the electrical activity reaches a threshold the cell fires (like trigger pressure on a gun)

Question 30

Describe the electrochemical process of the action potential in a neuron.

Answer 30

The electrical impulse travels across axon to terminal button

The neurotransmitter vesicles in terminal button burst because of electricity

The contents are released into the open space between terminal button/dendrite

Question 31

What are the common neurotransmitters and their purpose?

Answer 31

• Acetylcholine: learning, memory, sleep
• Dopamine: control muscles; pleasure/reward feelings
• Epinephrine: Fight or Flight
• Norepinephrine: stress emotion
• Serotonin: emotional states (anger/anxiety)
• GABA: Main inhibitory, slows CNS
• Glutamate: Main excitatory

Question 32

What are the three regions of the brain?

Answer 32

Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain

Question 33

What is the Hinbrain?

Answer 33

Oldest region, regulates survival functions (breathing, heartrate etc). Consists of:

1) Medulla - breathing, heart rate, blood pressure
2) Pons - sleep and arousal
3) Cerebellum - movement, balance, fine motor skills

Question 34

What is the Mid brain?

Answer 34

Auditory & visual processing, voluntary body movement, and reticular formation

Question 35

What is the Forebrain?

Answer 35

• Thalamus: sends sensory info to correct part of brain
• Limbic System: controls motivation and emotion
  - Hypothalamus: control pituatary gland
  - Hippocampus: learning and memory
  - Amygdala: basic emotions
  - Basal Ganglia: voluntary motor control
  - Cingulate Gyrus: attention
• Cerebrum
  - Cerebral Cortex: thought, planning, perception.
  - Frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital lobes

Question 36

What is contralateral control?

Answer 36

Left side of brain controls right side of the body and vice versa.

• Left side of brain: main language center
• Right side of brain: simple comprehension
• Right visual field: processed in left side of brain
• Left visual field: processed in right side of brain

Question 37

What is split brain research?

Answer 37

Corpus Collusum separated, studied which side of brain did what.

Question 38

What is the endocrine system?

Answer 38

communicates with hormones carried throughout the body

Question 39

What is the pituatary gland

Answer 39

secretes hormones that control release of hormones elsewhere in the body

Question 40

What is the adrenal gland?

Answer 40

Releases hormones in response to stress and emotions

Question 41

What are the common glands in the endocrine system?

Answer 41

Thyroid: metabolism

Pancreas: regulates blood sugar

Kidneys (adrenal gland): Cortisol, adrenaline, sex

Testes/Ovaries: sex hormones