Important Terms Weeks 1 to 6 Flashcards
1
Q
What is Biopsychology?
A
The scientific study of the biology of behaviour
2
Q
Who is Hebb?
A
He developed the first comprehensive theory of how complex psychological phenomena might be produced by brain activity
3
Q
What are the 6 fields of neuroscience that are relevant to biopsychology?
A
- Neuroanatomy
- Neurochemistry
- Neuroendocrinology
- Neuropathology
- Neuropharmacology
- Neurophysiology
4
Q
what is pure/basic research?
A
it is research that is motivated by curiosity.
The goal is to acquire knowledge
5
Q
what is applied research?
A
the goal is to provide a direct benefit
6
Q
what is physiological psychology?
A
- neural mechanisms of behaviour through manipulation of nonhuman brains
- pure research mostly
7
Q
What is psychopharmacology?
A
- effects of drugs on the brain
- similar to physiological psychology
- mostly applied research
8
Q
what is neuropsychology?
A
- psychological effects of brain damage in humans
- mostly applies research
9
Q
what is psychophysiology?
A
- relation between physiological activity and psychological processes in human subjects using noninvasive methods
- EEG (studies the ANS)
10
Q
what is cognitive neuroscience?
A
- neural mechanisms of human cognition using functional brain imaging
11
Q
what is comparative psychology?
A
- biology of behaviour
- evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behaviour
- compare behaviour of different species
- two areas of research that employ comparative analysis
a) evolutionary psychology
b) behavioural genetics
12
Q
what is the elevated plus maze?
A
a behavioural test used to measure anxiety in rats
13
Q
what is species specific behaviour?
A
behaviour unique to a species
14
Q
what is class common behaviour?
A
behaviours similar among a class of animals, such as mammals
15
Q
what are the advantages of using non-human subjects
A
- brains are simpler
- insights can arise from comparative analysis
- Can conduct research with these subjects when not ethically possible with humans
16
Q
what is scientific inference?
A
the empirical method that biopsychologists use to study the unobservable
17
Q
what are the three factors of behaviour?
A
- genetic endowment (evolution)
- experience
- perception of current situation
18
Q
what is cartesian dualism?
A
the universe is composed of two elements: physical matter and the human mind
19
Q
what is cross-modal brain plasticity
A
shifts in the functional organization of the brain between sensory modalities
20
Q
what does the brain stem do?
A
regulates activities critical for survival
21
Q
what does the cerebrum do?
A
adaptive processes (i.e. learning, perception, motivation)
22
Q
what are the four nucleotide bases?
A
adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine
23
Q
what constitutes genetic code?
A
sequence of nucleotide bases
24
Q
homologous
A
structures that are similar because they have a common evolutionary origin
25
analogous
structures that are similar but don't have a common evolutionary origin
26
convergent evolution
evolution in unrelated species of similar solutions to the same environmental demands
(similarities between analogous structures result from this)
27
what is epigenetics?
the study of all mechanisms of inheritance other than the genetic code and its expression
28
what is transgenerational epigenetics?
examines the transmission of experience via epigenetic mechanism across generations
29
what is DNA methylation?
a methyl group becomes attached to DNA molecules and can change the expression of the affected gene without altering the DNA itself
30
what is phenylketonuria?
a single-gene metabolic disorder
31
what are monozygotic twins?
twins that develop from the same zygote
| genetically identical
32
what are dizygotic twins?
twins that develop from two zygotes
| genetically similar as any pair of siblings
33
anterior
front facing
34
posterior
back facing
35
dorsal
toward surface of top of head
36
ventral
toward surface of bottom of head
37
medial
towards midline of body
38
lateral
away from midline; towards body's lateral surfaces
39
proximal
close
40
distal
far
41
what are the two divisions of the nervous system?
the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system
42
what are the two divisions of the central nervous system?
brain and spinal cord
43
what are the two divisions of the peripheral nervous system
somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system
44
what is the somatic nervous system?
it interacts with the environment; composed with afferent and efferent nerves
45
afferent nerves
carry sensory signals to the central nervous system (SNS)
carry sensory signals from internal organs to the cns (ANS)
46
efferent nerves
carry motor signals from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles (SNS)
carry sensory signals from the CNS to internal organs (ANS)
47
what is the autonomic nervous system?
it regulates the body's internal environment; it is composed of afferent and efferent nerves
48
what are the two types of nerves in the ANS?
sympathetic and parasympathetic
49
sympathetic nerves
stimulate, organize, and mobilize energy resources in threatening situations
50
parasympathetic nerves
act to conserve energy
51
what is hydrocephalus?
build up cerebrospinal fluid causes that brain to expand
52
what is the blood-brain barrier?
impedes the passage of toxic substances from the blood into the brain
53
what are neurons?
specialized cells for the reception, conduction, and transmission of electrochemical
54
what are the four types of neurons?
multipolar, unipolar, bipolar, interneurons
55
what are pyramidal cells?
one of the major types of cells found throughout the cerebral cortex
56
what is the effect of enrichment on neuroanatomical structure of the brain?
increase in cortex, corpus callosum thickness, dendritic length and branching, spine density
57
what are glial cells?
several classes of non-neural cells of the nervous system
58
what are the four types of glial cells?
oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, microglia, astrocytes
59
what are the two areas that comprise the spinal cord?
- an inner H- shaped core of gray matter
| - surrounding area of white matter
60
what are the 5 divisions of the brain?
- Myelencephalon (medulla)
- metencephalon
- mesencephalon (midbrain)
- diencephalon (composed of the thalamus and hypothalamus)
- telencephalon (cerebral hemispheres)
61
what are the four F's of motivation?
fleeing, feeding, fighting, sexual behaviour (***fucking)
62
what are the major structures of the limbic system?
amygdala, cingulate cortex, fornix, septum
63
what is the basal ganglia?
it plays a role in the performance of voluntary motor responses and decision making
64
what it membrane potential?
the difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of a cell
65
what is membrane potential established by?
- electrostatic pressure
| - concentration gradients
66
what are the ions that contribute to resting membrane potential?
Na+ (sodium), K+ (potassium), Cl- (chlorine)
67
what is a voltage-gated ion channel?
channels open and close in response to changes in membrane potential
(hyperpolarization and depolarization)
68
what is a ligand-gated ion channel?
channels open in response to the binding of extracellular chemical, such as a neurotransmitter, to a receptor associated with the channel
69
what do sodium-potassium pumps do?
transport 3 Na+ out four every 2 K+ they transport in
70
resting state of a neuron??
there are more Na+ ions outside the cell than inside and more K+ ions inside
71
depolarize
decrease resting membrane potential
72
what are postsynaptic depolarizations called?
excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs); increase the likelihood that neuron will fire
73
hyperpolarize
increase resting membrane potential
74
what postsynaptic hyperpolarization are called?
inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs); decrease likelihood that neuron will fire
75
what is the threshold of excitation?
level of depolarization necessary to generate an action potential
(usually about -65mV)
76
what is an action potential?
massive and momentary reversal of the membrane potential from about -70mV to about +50mV
77
what are the three phases of an action potential?
rising phase, repolarization, hyperpolarization
78
what is the absolute refractory period?
a brief period after an action potential during which it is impossible to elicit a second one
79
what is a relative refractory period?
comes after the absolute refractory period
| it is possible to fire neuron again but only by applying higher than normal levels of stimulation
80
what is the hodgkin-huxley model?
found that voltage-gated K+ channels open and potassium flows out of the neuron during an action potential
81
what are two kinds of naturally occurring toxicants?
palytoxin and tetrodotoxin
82
what is tetrodotoxin?
blocks voltage-gated Na+ channels, preventing membranes from depolarizing and generating action potentials
83
what is a neurotransmitter?
chemical released from the axon terminal of one neuron that excites or inhibits a nearby postsynaptic neuron
84
what is a neuromodulator?
chemical released from one neuron and alters the activity of a population of neurons (tend to be released into the extracellular fluid rather than at a particular synapse)
85
what is a ligand?
any molecule that binds to another molecule
86
what are ionotropic receptors?
- associated with ligand-activated ion channels
- when a neurotransmitter binds to an ionotropic receptor, the associated ion channel usually opens or closes immediately - inducing an immediate postsynaptic potential
87
what are metabotropic receptors?
- associated with signal proteins and G proteins
- effects slower, more diffuse, longer lasting, and more varied
- can trigger the synthesis of a chemical called a second messenger which can possibly bind to DNA and influence genetic receptor
88
Autoreceptors
monitor the number of neurotransmitters molecules in the synapse to reduce subsequent release when the levels are high to increase subsequent release when they are low
89
what are small molecule neurotransmitters?
they are released into direct synapses and activate ionotropic or metabotropic receptors that act directly on ion channels
90
two examples of amino acids?
GABA and Glutamate
91
Examples of Monoamine?
Dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin
92
what are neuropeptides?
- large neurotransmitters
| - bind to metabotropic receptors that act through second messengers
93
what are agonists?
drugs that facilitate the effects of neurotransmitter
94
what are antagonists?
drugs that inhibit the effects of a neurotransmitter
95
Alzheimer's Disease
associated with reduced acetylcholine levels
96
Parkinson's disease
associated with reduced dopamine levels
| - treatment: L-Dopa
97
Schizophrenia
Linked to excessive levels of dopamine
| - treatment : antipsychotics
98
depression
linked to imbalances in multiple monoamines
| - treatment: tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, SNRIs
99
Epilepsy
thought to result from an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission
100
what are contrast X-rays
injecting a substance into one part of the body that absorbs x-rays either less than or more than the surrounding tissue
101
what are computed tomography (CT)
computer asisted x-ray procedure
102
what is a PET scan?
functional brain images, image of the levels of radioactivity indicated by different colors
103
what is a MRI
structural brain images in 3D, clearer images than CT
104
what is an fMRI
produces images representing the increase in oxygen flow in the blood to active areas of the brain
105
what is a diffusion tensor imaging?
identifying pathways along which water molecules rapidly diffuse
106
what is transcranial magnetic stimulation
it turns off area of human cortex temporarily
107
what is transcranial direct stimulation
it turns on an area of the cortex
108
what is scalp electroencephalography (EEG)
measures electrical activity of brain (EEG waves)
109
what is magnetoencephalography?
measures changes in magnetic fields on surface of the scalp produce by changes un underlying neural activity
110
what is muscle tension / how is it measured?
- electromyography EMG
| - recorded between two electrodes taped to skin over muscles of interest
111
what is eye movement / how is it measured?
- electrooculography
| - activity is recorded between two electrodes placed on each side of the eye or above and below eye
112
what is electrodermal activity
- skin conductance level
| - skin conductance response
113
what is cardiovascular activity
- heart rate
| - blood pressure
114
what is stereotaxic surgery?
experimental devices (electrodes) are positioned in the depths of the brain
115
what are the 5 lesion methods?
- aspiration lesions
- radio-frequency lesions
- knife cuts
- reversible lesions
- unilateral lesions
116
what is intracellular unit recording?
moment by moment record of the graded fluctuations in one neuron's membrane potential
117
what is extracellular unit recording
recording of the firing of a neuron but no information about membrane potential
118
what is multiple unit recording
picks up signals from many neurons AND action potentials
119
what is a gene-knockout technique
creating organisms that lack a certain gene
120
what is a gene-replacement technique
genes from humans inserted into other animals
121
what is a green fluorescent protein (GFP)
a protein that exhibits green fluorescence when exposed to blue light
122
what is optogenetics
opsin genes inserted into a particular neurons so that exposure to light influences their activity
