Modules 3 and 4 Flashcards
Biological Psychologists
Explore the associations between body, mind, and behavior
CNS
Central Nervous System
Peripheral - Autonomic
controls self-regulated action of internal organs and glands
Peripheral - Somatic
controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles
Peripheral - Autonomic - Sympathetic
arousing, aka fight or flight
Peripheral - Autonomic - Parasympathetic
calming, aka rest and digest
Cell body
the cell’s life-support center
Dendrites
receive messages from other cells
Axon
passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands
Terminal Branches of Axon
form junctions with other cells
Myelin Sheath
covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses
Neural impulse
action potential, electrical signal traveling down the axon
Action potential
A neural impulse that travels down an axon like a wave; made up of ION exchanges moving in and out
Sodium (NA+)
enters
Potassium (K+)
exits
The direction of neural impulse
towards axon terminals
When does the cell send the action potential?
When it reaches a threshold
How do neurons communicate?
The neuron receives signals from other neurons
When the threshold is reached..
The action potential starts moving
Threshold is reached when..
excitatory (FIRE) signals outweigh the inhibitory (don’t fire)
Synapse
junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
The synapse is also known as..
The synaptic junction or synaptic gap
Serotonin
affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Undersupply of serotonin is linked to..
Depression
Dopamine
Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
Oversupply of dopamine is linked to..
Schizophrenia
Undersupply of dopamine is linked to..
Tremors, decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease, and ADHD
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Enables muscle action, learning, and memory
ACh neurons deteriorate..
As Alzheimers progress
Norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal
Undersupply of Norepinephrine is linked to..
depressed mood and ADHD-like attention problems
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
major inhibitory transmitter
Undersupply of GABA is linked to..
seizures, tremors, and insomnia
EEG (electroencephalogram)
measures brain waves; useful in studying seizures and sleep
PET (positron emission tomography)
measures activity and function
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
looks at structure only
fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)
gives us both function and structure; gives information about brain structure and activity
Medulla (middle)
Controls the most basic functions (heartbeat and breathing)
Thalamus
All sensory messages except for smell are routed through the thalamus on the way to the cortex
“Sensory Switchboard” or “Gateway to the Cortex” or “Router”
Thalamus
Reticular Formation
Nerve network in the brainstem that enables alertness (arousal)
“Net-like”
Reticular Formation
Cerebellum
Helps coordinate voluntary movement such as playing a sport
“Little brain”
Cerebellum
Functions of cerebellum include:
nonverbal learning, implicit memory, judge time, modulate emotions, integrate multiple sources of sensory input
The limbic system coordinates:
- emotional center (fear and aggression)
- basic drives such as hunger and sex
- the formation of episodic memories (memory linked with time)
Hippocampus
processes conscious, episodic memories and works with amygdala to form emotionally charged memories
“Seahorses”
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Helps process emotions, especially fear and aggression; consists of two lima bean-sized neural clusters
“Almond”
Amygdala
Hypothalamus
regulates body temperature, ensures adequate food and water intake (homeostasis), and is involved in sex drive
Frontal Lobes
Involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
Parietal lobes
Include the sensory cortex
Occipital lobes (back)
Include the visual areas; they receive visual information from the opposite visual field
Temporal lobes (sides)
Include the auditory processing areas
Input:
Sensory cortex (left hemisphere section receives input from the body’s right side)
Output:
Motor cortex (left hemisphere section controls the body’s right side)
Corpus Callosum
A band of axons connecting the hemispheres
