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Psychology GRE > Physiological Psychology > Flashcards

Physiological Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

List the three kinds of nerve cells and describe their functions

A
  1. Sensory (afferent) neurons: transmit sensory information from receptors to spinal cord and brain
  2. Motor (efferent) neurons: transmit information from the brain and spinal cords to the muscles
  3. Interneurons: found between other neurons; most numerous type; linked to reflexive behavior (functionalists like John Dewey uninterested in this distinction)
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2
Q

What does a sensory neuron do?

A

Sensory (afferent) neurons: transmit sensory information from receptors to spinal cord and brain

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3
Q

What does a motor neuron do?

A

Motor (efferent) neurons: transmit information from the brain and spinal cords to the muscles

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4
Q

What do interneurons do?

A

Interneurons: found between other neurons; most numerous type; linked to reflexive behavior

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5
Q

What two systems comprise the human nervous system?

A
  1. Central nervous system: brain and spinal cord

2. Peripheral nervous system: Nerve tissues and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord

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6
Q

List the component parts of the peripheral nervous system

A
  1. Somatic nervous system (sensory and motor neurons)
  2. Autonomic nervous system (heartbeat, digestion, etc.)
    a. Sympathetic (fight or flight)
    b. Parasympathetic (yin yoga)
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7
Q

Who studied the autonomic nervous system in depth?

A

Walter Cannon

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8
Q

What was Walter Cannon’s major contribution to psychology?

A

Autonomic Nervous System

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9
Q

What neurotransmitter is most involved in the parasympathetic nervous system

A

Acetylocholine

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10
Q

What is the function of the neurotransmitter “acetylocholine”

A

Slows you down; parasympathetic nervous system

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11
Q

What are the three basic subdivisions of the brain? Describe their functions.

A
  1. Hindbrain: located where the brain meets the spinal cord; responsible for balance; motor-coordination; breathing; digesting; sleeping; walking, etc. (vital functions needed for survival)
  2. Mid-brain: Sensorimotor reflexes that also promote survival; together the hindbrain and the mid-brain called the “brain stem”
  3. Forebrain: complex human processes
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12
Q

What are the component parts of the brainstem?

A
  1. Hindbrain: located where the brain meets the spinal cord; responsible for balance; motor-coordination; breathing; digesting; sleeping; walking, etc. (vital functions needed for survival)
  2. Mid-brain: Sensorimotor reflexes that also promote survival
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13
Q

What is the hindbrain?

A
  1. Hindbrain: located where the brain meets the spinal cord; responsible for balance; motor-coordination; breathing; digesting; sleeping; walking, etc. (vital functions needed for survival)
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14
Q

What is the mid-brain?

A
  1. Mid-brain: Sensorimotor reflexes (involuntary reflex responses triggered by auditory or visual stimuli); promote survival; together the hindbrain and the mid-brain called the “brain stem”
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15
Q

What is the study of the evolutionary development of human beings called?

A

Phelogeny

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16
Q

What is phelogeny?

A

the study of the evolutionary development of human beings

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17
Q

What is the medulla oblongata?

A

In hindbrain; responsible for vital functions like breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure

18
Q

What is the pons?

A

Above medulla oblongata; contains sensory and motor tracts between the cortex and the medulla

19
Q

What is the cerebellum?

A

Top of hindbrain; responsible for balance/posture; coordinates body movements (alcohol impairs function of cerebellum)

20
Q

What is the reticular formation?

A

Extends from hind-brain into mid-brain; regulates arousal and alertness (anesthetics cause unconsciousness by depressing activity of the reticular formation)

21
Q

The forebrain is divided into: _______

A

Two cerebral hemispheres

22
Q

Name the two cerebral hemispheres that make up the forebrain and describe their functions.

A
  1. Thalamus: all incoming sensory information except for small; sorts sensory input and then transmits them to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex; like a “way station”
  2. Hypothalamus: homeostatic functions (metabolism, temperature, water balance, etc.); key player in emotional experiences during high arousal states; helps to control some endocrine (hormonal) functions and the autonomic nervous system; important in drive behaviors (hunger, thirst, sex); fight or fight responses
23
Q

What is the thalamus?

A

One of the cerebral hemispheres that make up the forebrain.

Thalamus: all incoming sensory information except for small; sorts sensory input and then transmits them to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex; like a “way station”

24
Q

What is the hypothalamus?

A

One of the cerebral hemispheres that make up the forebrain.

Hypothalamus: homeostatic functions (metabolism, temperature, water balance, etc.); key player in emotional experiences during high arousal states; helps to control some endocrine (hormonal) functions and the autonomic nervous system; important in drive behaviors (hunger, thirst, sex); fight or fight responses

25
Q

Name the component pieces of the hypothalamus and describe their functions.

A
  1. Lateral hypothalamus (LH): Hunger center; tells you when to begin eating and drinking; aphagia: LH is damaged; starve to death if not force-fed
  2. Ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH): Satiety center; tells you when to stop eating (very hungry); brain lesions lead to excessive eating
  3. Anterior hypothalamus: sexual behavior; damage leads to asexual behavior.
26
Q

What is the lateral hypothalamus?

A

Part of the hypothalamus, which is one of the cerebral hemispheres that make up the forebrain.

Lateral hypothalamus (LH): Hunger center; tells you when to begin eating and drinking; aphagia: LH is damaged; starve to death if not force-fed

27
Q

What is the ventromedial hypothalamus?

A

Part of the hypothalamus, which is one of the cerebral hemispheres that make up the forebrain.

Ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH): Satiety center; tells you when to stop eating (very hungry); brain lesions lead to excessive eating

28
Q

What is the anterior hypothalamus?

A

Part of the hypothalamus, which is one of the cerebral hemispheres that make up the forebrain.

Anterior hypothalamus: sexual behavior; damage leads to asexual behavior.

29
Q

What is osmoregulation?

A

Water regulation - performed by osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus; Walter Cannon developed conceptualization of homeostasis

30
Q

What is the basal ganglia?

A

It is in the middle of the brain; coordinates muscle movements as it receives information from the cortex and relays this information (via the extrapyramidal motor system) to the brain and spinal cord.

Extrapyramidal motor system: gathers information about body position and sends this information to brain and spinal cord.

Damage to basal ganglia: Parkinson’s; catatonic schizophrenia

31
Q

What is the extrapyramidal motor system?

A

Part of the basal ganglia.

Extrapyramidal motor system: gathers information about body position and sends this information to brain and spinal cord.

32
Q

What is the limbic system?

A

Interconnected structures looping around central portion of the brain; emotion and memory

Septum: Primary pleasure area of the brain; also inhibits aggression; discovered by James Olds and Peter Milner (1950s); if damaged leads to vicious behavior called septal rage

33
Q

What is the septum?

A

Part of the limbic system.

Septum: Primary pleasure area of the brain; also inhibits aggression; discovered by James Olds and Peter Milner (1950s); if damaged leads to vicious behavior called septal rage

34
Q

What did James Olds and Peter Milner study?

A

Septum: Primary pleasure area of the brain; also inhibits aggression; part of limbic system; if damaged leads to vicious behavior called septal rage.

35
Q

What is the amygdala

A

Responsible for defensive and aggressive behavior; studied by Heinrick Kluver and Paul Bucy; when damaged, aggression and fear remarkably reduced; Kluver-Bucy syndrome: removal of amygdala

36
Q

What did Heinrick Kluver and Paul Bucy study?

A

Amygdala

Kluver-Bucy syndrome: removal of amygdala

37
Q

What is the hippocampus?

A

Learning and memory (look up patient HM)

HM experienced anterograde amnesia (can’t develop new memories when hippocampus damaged/removed); Brenda Milner described HM’s memory problems in detail

38
Q

What is anterograde amnesia?

A

Can’t develop new memories (when hippocampus damaged/removed)

39
Q

What is retrograde amnesia

A

Can’t remember prior to brain damage

40
Q

What did Brenda Milner study?

A

Patient HM

HM experienced anterograde amnesia (can’t develop new memories when hippocampus damaged/removed);

41
Q

What is the cerebral cortex?

A

Also called neocortex

Outer surface of the brain; number of bumps and folds called convolutions; has two halves called cerebral hemispheres; has four lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal

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