Flashcards

Question 1

why learn about the brain?

Answer 1

knowing the “mechanics” of our brains increases our
understanding of people’s behaviour and our ability to
predict (and change) it

Question 2

what are neurons?

Answer 2

-hold all your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
-86 billion neurons in your brain

Question 4

What is the structure of cells?

Answer 4

● soma (cell body)
● dendrites
● axons

Question 5

What does the stoma (cell body) do?

Answer 5

● information processing
● keeps cell alive – energy, metabolism

● nucleus: DNA chromosomes

● surrounded by porous membrane

Question 6

what do dendrites do?

Answer 6

● receive information from other neurons

● relays information to the cell body

Question 7

what does the Axon do?

Answer 7

● carries information from the cell body
● carries information to other neurons
● covered by myelin sheath
● insulating fatty materials
● boosts transmission speed
● composed of glial cells
● support cells for neurons

Question 8

what does a synapse do?

Answer 8

● synapses are what allow us to think, feel, move
● junction between axon and dendrite

Question 9

What are the sensory neurons specialized for

Answer 9

● specialized endings on dendrites sensitive to
different stimuli
● convey info from the periphery to the spinal cord
(then to the brain)

Question 10

where are the motor neurons?

Answer 10

● from the spinal cord to muscles

Question 11

facts about the interneurons?

Answer 11

• connect neurons to neurons
  ● most common neurons
  ● specialized from-to types of neurons

Question 12

how do neurons talk to each other?

Answer 12

● electrochemical action
● conduction: within the neuron
- electrical
● transmission: neuron to neuron
● chemical signals across synapse

Question 13

what is action potential?

Answer 13

● fires

● all-or-nothing
● always the same strength

● like a smoke alarm

Question 14

what is the refractory period?

Answer 14

● need time to rebuild charge

Question 15

what is conduction?

Answer 15

● action potentials move down the axon from neuron to
neuron

● each action potential in each neuron moves at
maximum speed

Question 16

myelin sheath – conduction?

Answer 16

● helps speed transmission and move the action
potentials down the axon
● breaks in the myelin sheath: nodes of ravier

Question 17

what are neurotransmitters?

Answer 17

● brain chemicals that transmit information in your brain
and throughout your body

Question 18

what is acetylcholine?

Answer 18

● voluntary motor control
● regulate attention
● sleep
● memory

Question 19

what is dopamine?

Answer 19

● regulate motor behaviour
● motivates seeking pleasure, the anticipation of reward

Question 20

what is norepinephrine?

Answer 20

vigilance

Question 21

what is endorphins?

Answer 21

endogenous (natural – produced by your brain)
painkiller
● produces calm, pleasurable “high”

Question 22

increasing & blocking ( agonist )

Answer 22

increases action of a neurotransmitter

Question 23

increasing & blocking ( antagonist)

Answer 23

blocks the action of a neurotransmitter

Question 24

what are the major areas of the brain?

Answer 24

● hindbrain
● midbrain
● forebrain

Question 25

what does the hind brain do?

Answer 25

● coordinates information into and out of the spinal cord

has 4 main parts:
● medulla
● reticular formation
● cerebellum
● pons

Question 26

what does the medulla do?

Answer 26

heart rate, circulation, respiration

Question 27

what is reticular formation?

Answer 27

sleep, wakefulness, level of arousal

Question 28

what is cerebellum?

Answer 28

fine motor skills & balance

● does not initiate movement

● works to execute movement smoothly

Question 29

what are pons?

Answer 29

● relay station between cerebellum &
other brain structures

Question 30

what are the midbrain parts?

Answer 30

-tectum:
● orientation within the environment

-tegmentum:
● central location of neurotransmitters involved in
arousal, mood, motivation

Question 31

what is the forebrain?

Answer 31

● highest level of brain – literally and figuratively
● complex cognitive, emotional, sensory, motor
functions

Question 32

cerebral cortex facts ?

Answer 32

● visible to naked eye
● two hemispheres

Question 33

where is the subcortical structures?

Answer 33

center of brain

Question 34

thalamus?

Answer 34

● relay station with a filter

● all senses but smell

● filters during sleep

Question 35

what structures are involved in the limbic system?

Answer 35

● motivation
● emotion
● learning
● memory

Question 36

what does the limbic system: hypothalamus regulate?

Answer 36

● body temperature
● hunger & thirst
● sexual behaviour

Question 37

what does the limbic system: hippocampus do?

Answer 37

● involved in creating new memories

Question 38

what does the limbic system: amygdala do?

Answer 38

● emotional processing
● especially emotional memories
● attaches emotional significance to events

Question 39

what is basal ganglia

Answer 39

● directs intentional movements

Question 40

what is the endocrine system?

Answer 40

● network of glands produce & secrete hormones
● metabolism, growth, sexual development
● controlled by the pituitary gland

Question 41

forebrain: cerebral cortex is the?

Answer 41

outer layer

Question 42

what does the corpus callosum do?

Answer 42

how the two hemispheres talk to each other

Question 43

how many lobes are in each hemisphere?

Answer 43

4

Question 44

MRI studies?

Answer 44

brain structure