Neuroscience and Behavior Flashcards
The part of the brain that controls very basic functions like heartbeat and breathing
The medulla
The part of the limbic system that functions to process new memories.
The hippocampus
Bogus “science” hypothesizing that bumps on the skull reveal mental abilities and character traits.
phrenology
nerve cells
neurons
The part of the neuron that receives stimulus or neurotransmitters from neighboring neurons
dendrites
The long arm part of the neuron cell
the axon
The fatty tissue that insulates the axons of some neurons
myelin sheath
The gap between one neuron and the next neuron
synapse
The brief electrical charge that travels through a neuron
action potential
Excess activity at the at the dopamine receptors is associated with what psychological disorder?
schizophrenia
Low levels of serotonin are associated with what mood disorder?
depression
The body’s natural morphine
endorphins
What are four ways in which drugs can alter neurotransmission.
1.) stimulate increase in neurotransmitter release 2.) mimic a particular neurotransmitter 3.) block or reduce neurotransmitter release 4.) block receptors or re-uptake channels
Explain how reflexes differ from voluntary reactions.
With voluntary reactions, neural impulses travel into the spinal cord and up to the brain where a conscious reaction is sent back to a body part. With reflexes, neural impulses go to the spinal cord, bypass the brain and immediately send back a movement message to a body part.
Who is Phineas Gage?
He had a rod shoot through his head, but surprisingly survived with little damage to his physical abilities. Becuase of damage to frontal lobe functions, however, he suffered large changes in his personality.
This part of the brain filters incoming stimuli and sends it on to the thalamus, or other parts of the brain. It is also important in controlling sleep and arousal.
the reticular formation
This is the brain’s sensory switchboard - it receives information from all the senses except smell and routes it to higher brain regions
the thalamus
this is called the ‘little brain’ and is responsible for coordination of movement
the cerebellum
this pair of almond-shaped neural clusters influences aggression and fear
amygdala
this part of the brain controls the master gland, the pituitary gland, and also contains the “reward center” (aka “pleasure center”)
hypothalamus
This cortex controls voluntary movement
the motor cortex
This cortex receives incoming sensory messages
the sensory cortex
This lobe contains the visual cortex
the occipital lobe
This lobe contains the auditory cortex
the temporal lobe
This lobe contains the motor cortex
the frontal lobe
This lobe contains the sensory cortex
the parietal lobe
Association areas in this cortex enable us to judge, plan, process new memories, and experience empathy
association areas in the frontal lobe have these functions
the impaired use of language
Aphasia
Area of the left frontal lobe that is associated with language process
Broca’s area
This part of the brain connects the right hemisphere to the left hempisphere
corpus callosum
If a split brain patient saw the word BRA IN, what word and was asked about the word they saw, what word would they say the saw? What word would they write with their left hand?
Say: IN Write: BRA
The medulla
The part of the brain that controls very basic functions like heartbeat and breathing
The hippocampus
The part of the limbic system that functions to process new memories.
phrenology
Bogus “science” hypothesizing that bumps on the skull reveal mental abilities and character traits.
neurons
nerve cells
dendrites
The part of the neuron that receives stimulus or neurotransmitters from neighboring neurons
the axon
The long arm part of the neuron cell
myelin sheath
The fatty tissue that insulates the axons of some neurons
synapse
The gap between one neuron and the next neuron
action potential
The brief electrical charge that travels through a neuron
schizophrenia
Excess activity at the at the dopamine receptors is associated with what psychological disorder?
depression
Low levels of serotonin are associated with what mood disorder?
endorphins
The body’s natural morphine
1.) stimulate increase in neurotransmitter release 2.) mimic a particular neurotransmitter 3.) block or reduce neurotransmitter release 4.) block receptors or re-uptake channels
What are four ways in which drugs can alter neurotransmission.
With voluntary reactions, neural impulses travel into the spinal cord and up to the brain where a conscious reaction is sent back to a body part. With reflexes, neural impulses go to the spinal cord, bypass the brain and immediately send back a movement message to a body part.
Explain how reflexes differ from voluntary reactions.
He had a rod shoot through his head, but surprisingly survived with little damage to his physical abilities. Becuase of damage to frontal lobe functions, however, he suffered large changes in his personality.
Who is Phineas Gage?
the reticular formation
This part of the brain filters incoming stimuli and sends it on to the thalamus, or other parts of the brain. It is also important in controlling sleep and arousal.
the thalamus
This is the brain’s sensory switchboard - it receives information from all the senses except smell and routes it to higher brain regions
the cerebellum
this is called the ‘little brain’ and is responsible for coordination of movement
amygdala
this pair of almond-shaped neural clusters influences aggression and fear
hypothalamus
this part of the brain controls the master gland, the pituitary gland, and also contains the “reward center” (aka “pleasure center”)
the motor cortex
This cortex controls voluntary movement
the sensory cortex
This cortex receives incoming sensory messages
the occipital lobe
This lobe contains the visual cortex
the temporal lobe
This lobe contains the auditory cortex
the frontal lobe
This lobe contains the motor cortex
the parietal lobe
This lobe contains the sensory cortex
association areas in the frontal lobe have these functions
Association areas in this cortex enable us to judge, plan, process new memories, and experience empathy
Aphasia
the impaired use of language
Broca’s area
Area of the left frontal lobe that is associated with language process
corpus callosum
This part of the brain connects the right hemisphere to the left hempisphere
Say: IN Write: BRA
If a split brain patient saw the word BRA IN, what word and was asked about the word they saw, what word would they say the saw? What word would they write with their left hand?
