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Psychology > Lec. 4 (the nervous system) > Flashcards

Lec. 4 (the nervous system) Flashcards

1
Q

3 functions of the nervous system:

A
  1. INPUT (the sound of the alarm clock is conveyed to your brain by your ears)
  2. PROCESSING (your brain knows from past experience that it is time to get up)
  3. OUTPUT (your brain directs the muscles of your arm and hand to reach out and shut off the alarm clock) = behavior
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2
Q

mind connection to the outside world

A

nervous system

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3
Q

composed of all the nerves except the brain and spinal cord; “sides”

A

peripheral nervous system

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4
Q

the peripheral nervous system is split up into what nervous systems?

A
  • somatic
  • autonomic
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5
Q

soma =

A

body

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6
Q

auto =

A

happening on its own

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7
Q

the AUTONOMIC nervous system is further divided into what nervous systems?

A
  • sympathetic
  • parasympathetic
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8
Q

autonomic behavior examples (2):

A
  • breathing (to an extent)
  • heart beat
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9
Q

T/F: the sympathetic and parasympathetic NS both act on you at the same time, but one usually dominates the other

A

true

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10
Q

sympathetic or parasympathetic? increasing breathing and heart rate; aka DANGER

A

sympathetic

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11
Q

sympathetic or parasympathetic? decreasing breathing and heart rate

A

parasympathetic

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12
Q

type of NS: sends sensory information TO central nervous system for processing + sends messages FROM central nervous system to muscles to direct motion)

A

somatic nervous system

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13
Q

the somatic nervous system is responsible for ____________ ________ movement

A

voluntary, motor

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14
Q

type of NS: controls activates that are generally autonomous or independent of one’s control

A

autonomic nervous system

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15
Q

sub-division of NS: mobilizes the body for action in face of stress; “fight or flight” response; AROUSING

A

sympathetic NS

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16
Q

sub-division of NS: regulates the body’s functions to conserve energy; relazing

A

parasympathetic

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17
Q

dilates pupils

A

sympathetic

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18
Q

contracts pupils

A

parasympathetic

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19
Q

accelerates heartbeat

A

sympathetic

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20
Q

slows heartbeat

A

parasympathetic

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21
Q

inhibits digestion

A

sympathetic

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22
Q

stimulates digestion

A

parasympathetic

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23
Q

stimulates glucose release by liver

A

sympathetic

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24
Q

stimulates GALLBLADDER

A

parasympathetic

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25
Q

stimulates secretion of epinephrine + norepinephrine

A

sympathetic

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26
Q

contracts bladder

A

parasympathetic

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27
Q

relaxes bladder

A

sympathetic

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28
Q

stimulates ejaculation in male

A

sympathetic

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29
Q

allows blood flow to sex organs

A

parasympathetic

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30
Q

part of the CNS that is involved in simple reflexes that bypass the brain

A

spinal cord

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31
Q

the CNS is made up of clusters (networks) of neurons working together – called ________

A

neural networks

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32
Q

NUMBER of neurons in CNS

A

40 billion

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33
Q

about how many connections does each neuron have?

34
Q

of synapses in CNS

A

40 TRILLION (that’s where it gets its power from)

35
Q

T/F: computers mimic the connections + synapses of the CNS

36
Q

3 portions of the brain:

A
  • forebrain
  • midbrain
  • hindbrain
37
Q

parts of the HINDBRAIN (in order starting from the spinal cord - 4):

A
  • medulla
  • locus coeruleus
  • cerebellum
  • reticular formation
38
Q

the “OLDEST” part of the brain (in terms of evolution); located at the base of the brain; important for AUTONOMIC regulation, arousal, and motor movement

39
Q

T/F: most animals have a brainstem

40
Q

what portion of the brain is the brainstem in?

41
Q

hindbrain: the base of the brainstem that controls HEART BEAT + BREATHING; first part of expansion of the spinal cord

42
Q

hindbrain: a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling AROUSAL (AWAKENESS) or CONSCIOUSNESS; “fishing net”

A

reticular formation

43
Q

what happens when you burn/damage the reticular formation?

A

go into a coma

44
Q

what does the reticular formation look like?

A

fishing net

45
Q

hindbrain: brain’s sensory “switchboard” located on top of the brainstem; directs messages to the sensory areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

46
Q

the thalamus directs messages to the sensory areas in the _________ and transmits replies to the _________ and ________

A

cortex; cerebellum + medulla

47
Q

the thalamus is termed as a sensory “________”

48
Q

_______ bypasses the thalamus

49
Q

which parts of the brain are WITHIN the brainstem?

A
  • medulla
  • reticular formation
  • thalamus *(on top)
50
Q

hindbrain: the “little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem; helps coordinate SMOOTH, voluntary movements + balance

A

cerebellum

51
Q

examples of smooth, voluntary movements that the cerebellum helps coordinate

A
  • swinging a golf club
  • tennis
  • walking
  • throwing a football
52
Q

parts of the MIDBRAIN (4):

A
  • hypothalamus
  • pituitary gland
  • amygdala
  • hippocampus
53
Q

the midbrain is involved in controlling the ________ system

A

limbic system

54
Q

the part of the brain involved in our behavioural and emotional responses

A

limbic system

55
Q

midbrain: maintenance activities like eating, drinking, body temperature, control of emotions, and sexual activity (to an extent); controls the endocrine system (hormones) via the pituitary gland

A

hypothalamus

56
Q

hypo =

A

above (hypothalamus = above the thalamus)

57
Q

the hypothalamus controls the _______ system via the ____________

A

endocrine (hormones); pituitary gland

58
Q

analogy:
hypothalamus =
hormones =

A

boss
employees

59
Q

midbrain: consists of two lima bean-sized neural clusters linked to the emotions of FEAR + ANGER; aids in survival

60
Q

amygdala means…

A

“almond-shaped”

61
Q

amygdala is linked to _________ emotions that aid in survival

62
Q

amygdala is very close to the _________

A

hippocampus

63
Q

midbrain: critical in NEW MEMORY formation

A

hippocampus

64
Q

T/F: the hippocampus is responsible for old memory formation

A

false (only NEW ones)

65
Q

famous patient; cut his hippocampus; remembered who he was and older memories but could not form new memories following bilateral medial temporal lobectomy

A

patient H.M.

66
Q

memories of ______ and ______ tag memories in the hippocampus

A

fear + anger

67
Q

_______ has a DIRECT connection to the hippocampus; elicits memories much stronger than any other sense

68
Q

nervous system’s way to communicate with other parts of the body

A

endocrine system

69
Q

endocrine system uses __________

70
Q

experimentally destroys brain tissue to study animal behaviors after such destruction; burn/stimulate small parts of the brain; helps us determine which different parts DO

A

brain lesion

71
Q

example of an accidental LESION study; rod destroyed frontal lobe of the brain; his personality changed (started drinking, smoking, gambling) but he could still function

A

phineas gage

72
Q

what is the frontal lobe repsonsbile for (3)?

A
  • risk-assessment behavior
  • conscientious (desire and performing deliberate actions)
  • personality
73
Q

an amplified recording of the electrical waves sweeping across the brain’s surface, measured by electrodes placed on the scalp; one of the most common ways to study the brain; can read very WEAK signals reminiscing from the brain

74
Q

pro of an EEG =

A

can measure very fast changes in the brain

75
Q

con of EEG =

A

records the surface so you don’t know what’s going on UNDER

76
Q

detects a radioactive form of glucose while the brain performs a given task

A

PET / CT scan

77
Q

what does PET scan stand for?

A

positron emission tomography

78
Q

a PET scan is the same as what?

79
Q

when getting a PET/CT scan, you have to drink a _________ drink made up of _________ _________ that is readily up-taken by the brain

A

radioactive; radioactive glucose

80
Q

uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of brain TISSUE; reads slight vibrations of water molecules that come off the brain; NONINVASIVE

81
Q

MRI that gives a MOVING picture

A

fMRI (functional MRI)

82
Q

which is used more – an MRI or an fMRI?

Psychology (23 decks)

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