Exam 1 Flashcards
What are the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex?
Frontal, Occipital, Temporal, Parietal
What is the difference between the CNS and the PNS?
CNS is the brain and spinal cord, mediates behavior
PNS is all neurons outside of the CNS, provides sensory and motor connections
What types of neurons are in the PNS?
Sensory, Motor, mixed
What’s the relationship between the flexibility of behavior of an organism and the kind of nervous system it has evolved?
The more complex and flexible the behavior, the more complex and varied the nervous system
What is mentalism?
an explanation of behavior caused by the nonmaterial mind (psyche)
Who was an advocate for mentalism?
Aristotle
What did Aristotle describe the psyche’s functions as?
responsible for consciousness, perceptions, emotions, imagination, opinion, desire, pleasure, pain, memory, reason
What is dualism?
the idea that behavior is controlled by both a nonmaterial mind and the physical body; body receives input from mind and the mind gives directions
Who proposed dualism?
Descartes
What was the main issue with dualism?
mind-body problem; how does a nonmaterial mind interact with a material body
What is materialism?
idea that behavior can be explained as a function of the nervous system without recourse to the mind
How did the nervous system evolve over time?
Neurons and muscles -> Nerve Net -> bilateral symmetry -> segmentation -> ganglia -> spinal cord -> brain
What do all chordates have in common?
bilateral symmetry, segmentation, and a spinal cord or brain encased in cartilage or bone
How is the evolution of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum related to behavioral complexity?
The increase in folds and size allowed for more surface area which allowed for more connections and behavioral complexity
What traits do all primates share?
Excellent color vision, eyes on the front of their head
When did Australopithecus live and what was their relative brain size?
3.8 million years ago, 500 cubic centimeters
When did Homo habilis live and what was their relative brain size?
2.8 million years ago, 700 cubic centimeters
When did Homo erectus live and what was their relative brain size?
1.6 million years ago, 1300 cubic centimeters
When did Homo neanderthalis live and what was their relative brain size?
1 million years ago, 1500 cubic centimeters
When did Homo sapiens show up and what is their relative brain size?
200,000 years ago, 1400 cubic centimeters
Did Homo sapiens coexist with other hominid species? If so, which one(s)?
Yes, Homo neanderthalis
What is the encephalization quotient?
Jerison’s quantitative measure of brain size obtained from the ratio of actual brain size to expected brain size, according to the principle of proper mass, for an animal of a particular body size
What are the challenges associated with being a fruit eater?
Must have excellent color vision and good motor skills to reach and grab the fruit, good memory to return to it, and good spatial skills to find it
How are the changes in facial morphology associated with brain size?
smaller masticatory muscles paved the way for smaller, more delicate bones in the head. Smaller bones allowed for changes in diet and access to more energy-rich food
What is neoteny?
process in which juvenile stages of predecessors become adult features of descendants; idea derived from the observation that more recently evolved species resemble the young of their common ancestors; this in turn causes them to retain certain features of behaviors of their young
What is lateral?
Towards the side of the body
What is dorsal?
Towards the top / above
What is ventral?
Towards the bottom
What is rostral?
Towards the beak
What is caudal?
Towards the tail
What is the coronal view?
A vertical slice from the front
What is a horizontal view?
A horizontal cut from the top
What is a sagittal view?
A lengthways cut from the side
What is afferent?
Neurons that transmit info TOWARDS the CNS
What is efferent?
Neurons that transmit information AWAY from the CNS
What is the order of the meninges from top to bottom?
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
What is the role of the corpus callosum?
To connect the two hemispheres for direct communication
What is the difference between gray and white matter?
Gray matter is primarily neuronal cell bodies and white matter is fat-rich myelin covered axons
What is the difference between a neuron and glial cell?
Neurons carry out the brain’s communication and glial cells aid and modulate the neuron’s activities
When is a bunch of axons called a nerve?
When it is OUTSIDE the CNS
When is a bunch of axons called a tract?
When it is INSIDE the CNS
Which part of the brain has changed the most in humans?
Forebrain
How many layers are there in the neocortex?
6
What is the role of the cerebellum?
coordinate complex movements
What is the role of the reticular formation?
associated with sleep-wake behavior and behavioral arousal
What is the role of the pons?
connect the cerebellum to the rest of the brain
What is the role of the medulla?
regulate vital functions
What is the role of the tectum?
sensory processing and production of orienting movement
What is the role of the superior colliculus?
Process optic nerve input and produce orienting movements
What is the role of the tegmentum?
movement-related, species-specific and pain perception functions
What is the role of the substantia nigra?
connects to the forebrain and helps to initiate movements
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
temperature regulation, eating, drinking, and sexual behavior
What is the role of the thalamus?
integration of sensory information
What is the role of the neocortex?
to construct a perceptual world and respond to that world
What is the role of the allocortex?
controls motivation, emotional states, and certain forms of memory
What is a dermatome?
body segment that corresponds to a segment of the spinal cord
What is the law of Bell and Magendie?
sensory fibers are always DORSAL and motor fibers are VENTRAL
What are the two divisions of the ANS?
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system?
Fight or flight
What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?
Rest and Digest
What is the neuron theory?
neurons are the nervous system’s functional units
What are the 3 main functional units of a neuron?
Dendrites, Axon, Soma
What is the role of an ependymal cell?
secrete CSF
What is the role of an astrocyte?
healing and repair of neurons
What is the role of microglial cells?
defensive function to remove dead cells
What is the roll of oligodendroglial cells?
forms myelin in the CNS
What is the role of Schwann cells?
forms myelin in the PNS
Is Tay-Sachs disease dominant or recessive?
Dominant
Is Huntington’s dominant or recessive?
Recessive
