Lec. 4 (the nervous system) Flashcards
1
Q
3 functions of the nervous system:
A
- INPUT (the sound of the alarm clock is conveyed to your brain by your ears)
- PROCESSING (your brain knows from past experience that it is time to get up)
- OUTPUT (your brain directs the muscles of your arm and hand to reach out and shut off the alarm clock) = behavior
2
Q
mind connection to the outside world
A
nervous system
3
Q
composed of all the nerves except the brain and spinal cord; “sides”
A
peripheral nervous system
4
Q
the peripheral nervous system is split up into what nervous systems?
A
- somatic
- autonomic
5
Q
soma =
A
body
6
Q
auto =
A
happening on its own
7
Q
the AUTONOMIC nervous system is further divided into what nervous systems?
A
- sympathetic
- parasympathetic
8
Q
autonomic behavior examples (2):
A
- breathing (to an extent)
- heart beat
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
10
Q
sympathetic or parasympathetic? increasing breathing and heart rate; aka DANGER
A
sympathetic
11
Q
sympathetic or parasympathetic? decreasing breathing and heart rate
A
parasympathetic
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
13
Q
the somatic nervous system is responsible for ____________ ________ movement
A
voluntary, motor
14
Q
type of NS: controls activates that are generally autonomous or independent of one’s control
A
autonomic nervous system
15
Q
sub-division of NS: mobilizes the body for action in face of stress; “fight or flight” response; AROUSING
A
sympathetic NS
16
Q
sub-division of NS: regulates the body’s functions to conserve energy; relazing
A
parasympathetic
17
Q
dilates pupils
A
sympathetic
18
Q
contracts pupils
A
parasympathetic
19
Q
accelerates heartbeat
A
sympathetic
20
Q
slows heartbeat
A
parasympathetic
21
Q
inhibits digestion
A
sympathetic
22
Q
stimulates digestion
A
parasympathetic
23
Q
stimulates glucose release by liver
A
sympathetic
24
Q
stimulates GALLBLADDER
A
parasympathetic
25
stimulates secretion of epinephrine + norepinephrine
sympathetic
26
contracts bladder
parasympathetic
27
relaxes bladder
sympathetic
28
stimulates ejaculation in male
sympathetic
29
allows blood flow to sex organs
parasympathetic
30
part of the CNS that is involved in simple reflexes that bypass the brain
spinal cord
31
the CNS is made up of clusters (networks) of neurons working together -- called ________
neural networks
32
NUMBER of neurons in CNS
40 billion
33
about how many connections does each neuron have?
10,000
34
of synapses in CNS
40 TRILLION (that's where it gets its power from)
35
T/F: computers mimic the connections + synapses of the CNS
true
36
3 portions of the brain:
- forebrain
- midbrain
- hindbrain
37
parts of the HINDBRAIN (in order starting from the spinal cord - 4):
- medulla
- locus coeruleus
- cerebellum
- reticular formation
38
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
brainstem
39
T/F: most animals have a brainstem
true
40
what portion of the brain is the brainstem in?
hindbrain
41
hindbrain: the base of the brainstem that controls HEART BEAT + BREATHING; first part of expansion of the spinal cord
medulla
42
hindbrain: a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling AROUSAL (AWAKENESS) or CONSCIOUSNESS; "fishing net"
reticular formation
43
what happens when you burn/damage the reticular formation?
go into a coma
44
what does the reticular formation look like?
fishing net
45
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
thalamus
46
the thalamus directs messages to the sensory areas in the _________ and transmits replies to the _________ and ________
cortex; cerebellum + medulla
47
the thalamus is termed as a sensory "________"
gateway
48
_______ bypasses the thalamus
smell
49
which parts of the brain are WITHIN the brainstem?
- medulla
- reticular formation
- thalamus *(on top)
50
hindbrain: the "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; helps coordinate SMOOTH, voluntary movements + balance
cerebellum
51
examples of smooth, voluntary movements that the cerebellum helps coordinate
- swinging a golf club
- tennis
- walking
- throwing a football
52
parts of the MIDBRAIN (4):
- hypothalamus
- pituitary gland
- amygdala
- hippocampus
53
the midbrain is involved in controlling the ________ system
limbic system
54
the part of the brain involved in our behavioural and emotional responses
limbic system
55
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
hypothalamus
56
hypo =
above (hypothalamus = above the thalamus)
57
the hypothalamus controls the _______ system via the ____________
endocrine (hormones); pituitary gland
58
analogy:
hypothalamus =
hormones =
boss
employees
59
midbrain: consists of two lima bean-sized neural clusters linked to the emotions of FEAR + ANGER; aids in survival
amygdala
60
amygdala means...
"almond-shaped"
61
amygdala is linked to _________ emotions that aid in survival
negative
62
amygdala is very close to the _________
hippocampus
63
midbrain: critical in NEW MEMORY formation
hippocampus
64
T/F: the hippocampus is responsible for old memory formation
false (only NEW ones)
65
famous patient; cut his hippocampus; remembered who he was and older memories but could not form new memories following bilateral medial temporal lobectomy
patient H.M.
66
memories of ______ and ______ tag memories in the hippocampus
fear + anger
67
_______ has a DIRECT connection to the hippocampus; elicits memories much stronger than any other sense
smell
68
nervous system's way to communicate with other parts of the body
endocrine system
69
endocrine system uses __________
hormones
70
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
brain lesion
71
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
phineas gage
72
what is the frontal lobe repsonsbile for (3)?
- risk-assessment behavior
- conscientious (desire and performing deliberate actions)
- personality
73
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
EEG
74
pro of an EEG =
can measure very fast changes in the brain
75
con of EEG =
records the surface so you don't know what's going on UNDER
76
detects a radioactive form of glucose while the brain performs a given task
PET / CT scan
77
what does PET scan stand for?
positron emission tomography
78
a PET scan is the same as what?
CT scan
79
when getting a PET/CT scan, you have to drink a _________ drink made up of _________ _________ that is readily up-taken by the brain
radioactive; radioactive glucose
80
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
MRI scan
81
MRI that gives a MOVING picture
fMRI (functional MRI)
82
which is used more -- an MRI or an fMRI?
fMRI
