Define Concepts

Question 1

Thyroid gland

Answer 1

one of the main endocrine organs; needs iodine to secrete hormones; TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) controls the release of thyroid hormones T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothryronine) involved in metabolism and cell vitality as well as calcitonin, which is involved in mobilizing calcium towards bones/teeth. The parathyroid glands are glands on the posterior surface of the thyroid.

Question 2

Gonad

Answer 2

the testes and the ovaries; organs producing gametes; endocrine glands that govern reproduction and development/maintenance of secondary sex characteristics through production of gonadal hormones androgens, estrogens, and progestins

Question 3

Melatonin

Answer 3

a hormone that impacts the circadian rhythm; synthesized from serotonin in the pineal gland; impacts seasonal changes in reproductive behavior in many species of animals; in humans and mammals it has sleep and circadian cycle effects

Question 4

Neuromuscular junction

Answer 4

synapse between a neuron and a muscle cell; each motor unit has a neuron with one axon branching into several axon terminals which form neuromuscular junctions; the nerve impulse activating these fibers releases Ach, which activates receptors on the motor end plate of the muscle fiber, causing a contraction

Question 5

Insulin

Answer 5

pancreatic hormone; secreted by beta cells to promote movement of glucose into hungry cells; diabetics do not have enough insulin to mobilize glucose to starving cells

Question 6

Episodic memory

Answer 6

autobiographical memory; explicit memories involving context (information regarding when and under what conditions episode occurred, order of events) for the particular events (i.e., episodes) of one’s life; organized in a temporal or spatial context; specific to time and place, usually a single event

Question 7

Posterior pituitary gland

Answer 7

stores and releases hormones made by the hypothalamus (oxytocin and ADH); composed of neuronal tissue

Question 8

Releasing factor

Answer 8

hormone released hypothalamus to control the anterior pituitary gland secretions of GH, prolactin, ACTH, FSH, LH, and TSH via portal circulation

Question 9

Parathyroid glands

Answer 9

found on the posterior surface of the thyroid gland (2 on each side); produces parathyroid hormone, which is involved in pulling calcium back from bones/teeth into blood

Question 10

Essential amino acids

Answer 10

are building blocks to proteins that our body cannot make on its own (need them from food); 9 in adults and 10 in infants; vegetarian need to be careful and consume food with complete amino acids

Question 11

Intravascular liquid enviroment

Answer 11

blood, used for understanding processes such as various forms of physiological hunger; additionally, used for homeostatic processes such as balancing levels of calcium through calcitonin and PTH

Question 12

Motor unit

Answer 12

one motor neuron stimulating several muscle cells; each motor unit has a neuron with one axon branching into several axon terminals which form neuromuscular junctions

Question 13

Hypertonic solution

Answer 13

salty side, with a higher concentration of solutes; water moves in due to osmotic pressure; following a meal, the intravascular compartment is highly salty (hypertonic) in comparison to the cellular cytoplasm

Question 14

Osmosensory receptors

Answer 14

receptors in the brain in the OLVT area of the 3rd ventricle that measure levels of salt in the blood; if levels are high they stimulate the hypothalamus to elevate blood pressure, produce an antidiuretic response, and trigger thirst reactions and drinking

Question 15

Baroreceptors

Answer 15

receptors in the large veins and heart that detect drop in blood pressure returning from heart and communicate this information to the hypothalamus; they result in inhibited drinking, reduction of blood pressure, and promotion of kidneys excretion of water and salts

Question 16

Vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone)

Answer 16

ADH; hormone released by the posterior pituitary gland that stimulates water retention and reduces the amount of urine produced by kidneys; absence of ADH can result in body dehydration; can support social engagement; at the core of the male lust/sexual system; hypovolemic thirst triggers the hypothalamus to release vasopressin (acting on the kidneys to reduce water loss) and triggering thirst reactions

Question 17

Peristalsis

Answer 17

propelling food; occurs in most of the alimentary canal—the pharynx, esophagus, stomach (chyme), duodenum/small intestine, and large intestine

Question 18

Omnivore

Answer 18

human beings are omnivores, even vegetarians; an animal or person that eats both plants and animals

Question 19

Glucagon

Answer 19

a pancreatic hormone (secreted by alpha cells) that converts glycogen back to glucose during times that blood insulin levels are low, raising blood glucose levels. Antagonistic to insulin.

Question 20

Glycogen

Answer 20

unused glucose is converted to glycogen, a carbohydrate, and transferred for short-term storage in the liver when insulin levels are high; glucagon converts glycogen back into glucose when insulin is low (glycogen is the storage form of glucose)

Question 21

Organizing effects

Answer 21

hormonal influence on sex differentiation that impacts the development of sex organs early in life until puberty ; includes Wolfian and Mullerian hormonal influences; influenced more by genes than the environment; usually irreversible

Question 22

Activating effects

Answer 22

hormonal influence on sex differentiation that impacts sexual activity and behavior and secondary characteristics from puberty and on; begins with gonadal stimulation of puberty, which involves Leptin; influenced more environmentally; can be reversible

Question 23

Satiety head factors

Answer 23

variables triggering desire to eat or feel satisfied which involve your head (e.g., taste, smell, vision)—factors involving your senses

Question 24

Testis-determining factors

Answer 24

in early embryonic development (1st month of gestation); SRY gene (sex determining region on the Y chromosome) produces a protein (Testis determining factor) which triggers maculation of the gonads

Question 25

Adrenal medulla

Answer 25

inside of the adrenal gland which releases epinephrine and norepinephrine in response to perceived stressors which potentiate and prolong sympathetic response; hypothalamus oversees the ANS by helping to stimulate the adrenal medulla via sympathetic intervention (sympathetic preganglionic axons)

Question 26

Mullerian system

Answer 26

ducts that are the precursors of internal female sex organs in a fetus; has the capacity to develop into female ducts (e.g., the uterus, upper part of the vagina, and the fallopian tubes); continues if not exposed to testicular hormones during development

Question 27

Wolffian system

Answer 27

ducts that are precursors of internal female sex organs in a fetus; has the capacity to develop into male reproductive ducts (e.g., seminal vesicles and the vas deferens); in developing males, this system is stimulated and the Mullerian system is inhibited

Question 28

Locus coeruleus

Answer 28

part of the limbic system; a cluster of neurons in the brain stem mediated by norepinephrine; part of the amygdala-brainstem pathway; stimulated by the amygdala during fight-flight response; maintains systemic alertness with continuous norepinephrine infusion; hyperactivity of the LC is linked to fight-flight response under chronic traumatic exposure

Question 29

Anterior pituitary gland

Answer 29

the larger pituitary gland that synthesizes its own hormones; controlled by the hypothalamus through releasing hormones (RH) and inhibiting hormones (IH) and made of epithelial cells; 6 hormones: GH, prolactin, ACTH, FSH, LH, and TSH

Question 30

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

Answer 30

ACTH; stress response, secreted by the anterior pituitary gland to stimulate the adrenal cortex release of cortisol (produce many components of stress response)

Question 31

Parathyroid hormone

Answer 31

PTH; a hormone released by the parathyroid gland in response to low calcium levels in the blood; signals osteoclasts to degrade bone matrix and release calcium into the blood

Question 32

Procedural memory

Answer 32

memory of performance; involved with skilled actions; some form of implicit memory; not necessarily conscious; controls behaviors without the need to memorize facts or experiences (e.g., driving); usually skilled a actions; the system of “how things work”; Basal Ganglia

Question 33

Primacy effect in memory

Answer 33

effect of rote memory; tendency to have better recall for items from the beginning of a list

Question 34

Rote memory

Answer 34

mechanical (tape recorder), no organization; improves throughout childhood then stable; primacy and recency are important; type of short-term memory; middle developmentally

Question 35

Working memory

Answer 35

aka, frontal memory; initiates processing (through executive functioning) to organize information for retention purposes (e.g., clustering in CVLT); type of short-term memory; temporary memory that is necessary for the successful performance on tasks you’re currently working on; comes last developmentally

Question 36

Template memory

Answer 36

similar to rote memory; it’s like echoing something (repeat after me); 4 year old’s can repeat long sentences without comprehension; type of short-term memory; comes first developmentally

Question 37

Cardiac muscle

Answer 37

(myocardium) this muscle is found only in the heart; striated, but involuntary; muscle fibers are cushioned by small amounts of soft connective tissue; contract at a fairly regular and steady rate, controlled by pacemaker; can be stimulated to contract faster by nervous system

Question 38

Motor pool

Answer 38

all the motor neurons innervating the fibers of a single muscle

Question 39

Mesolimbic dopaminergic circuit

Answer 39

the reward and well-being system; part of the seeking/desire system (the innate explorer; mediates appetitive desire; addictive); goal-directed, contributor to learning, social bonds, seeking safety, etc.; needs to be recruited in psychotherapy