Physiology Psychology Flashcards
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- Composed of nerve tissue and fibers that connects the Central Nervous System to the rest of the body
- Contains the Somatic and Autonomic nervous systems
Somatic Nervous System
*Voluntary
Composed of sensory and motor neurons thoughout the skin and muscles
Autonomic Nervous System
- Involuntary
- Automatic response (independent of conscious control), regulating heartbeat, respiration, digestion, secretions, etc…
- Composed of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system
Sympathetic System
*Fight or Flight
Designed to face stressful situations; associated with fear and rage reactions
EX:Increases heart rate, blood sugar level, respiration, and decreases digestive processes –> maximize energy for quick respons
Parasympathetic System
*Rest and Digest
Designed to conserve energy; associated with resting and sleeping states as well as managing digestion
Sensory Neurons
*Afferent Neurons
Transmit sensory neurons from receptors to the spinal cord and brain
Motor Neurons
*Efferent Neurons
Transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles
Interneurons
*Most numerous
Found between other neurons; Predominantly in the brain and spinal cord linked to reflexive behavior
Reflex Arcs
Neural Circuits controlled by reflex crucial to survival
Meninges
Thick sheath of connective tissue to protect the brain, anchor it within the skill and reabsorb cerebral spinal fluid
HindBrain
“Vital functions” and balance
Composed of the:
- Medulla Oblongata: Breathing / Digestion
- Reticular Formation: Sleeping / Waking
- Cerebellum: Refined motor functions
Medulla Oblongata
Responsible for breathing and digestion
Reticular Formation
- Located in the brainstem
- Responsible for sleeping, waking, arousal and alertness
Cerebellum
Responsible for refined motor functions
MidBrain
Receives sensory and motor information from the rest of the body
Composed of the
- Inferior Colliculus (auditory)
- Superior Colluculus (visual)
Inferior Colliculus
Sensory information from the auditory system
Superior Colliculus
Sensory information from the visual system
Forebrain
Composed of:
- Cerebral Cortex (complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioral processes)
- Limbic System (emotion and memory)
- Basal Ganglia (movement)
- Thalamus (sensory relay station)
- Hypothalamus (hunger, thirst, emotion)
Cerebral Cortex
Outer surface of the brain composed of bumps and folds; Responsible for complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioral processes like impulse control, problem solving, long term planning, etc…
Limbic System
Responsible for emotion and memory
Basal Ganglia
Coordinates muscle movement; receives info from the cortex and relays it to the brain / spinal cord
Thalamus
The sensory relay station in the brain; for all senses except smell- It sorts the info and then transmits it to the appropriate areas
Hypothalamus
Responsible overall for homeostatic, self-regulatory functions to maintain equilibrium in the body; Also releases pituitary hormones (controls the anterior pituitary)
Responsible for the 4 F’s:
- Feeding
- Fighting
- Fleeing
- Fucking
Osmoregulation
Maintenance of water balance in the body performed by osmoreceptors
Lateral Hypothalamus (LH)
LH - Lacking Hunger
Hunger center that detects when your body needs more food or fluids
Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VH)
VH - Very Hungry
Satiety center that detects when you have had enough to eat
Anterior Hypothalamus (AH)
AH - Aggressively Happy Sex
Sexual center that increases aggressive sexual behavior
Brainstem
Hindbrain + Midbrain (the first brain structures to develop)
Hyperphagia
Excessive eating
Results when there is a brain lesion on the Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH)
Aphagia
Refusing to eat or drink resulting in death by starvation
Results when there is a problem with the Lateral Hypothalamus (LH)
Neuropsychology
Study functions and behaviors associated with specific regions of the brain
Cortical Maps
Localizes the function of specific brain regions through direct electrical stimulation of the cerebral cortex; determines what areas of the brain perform what function
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Detects broad patterns of electrical activity in the brain created by larger groups of neurons
Regional Cerebral Blood Flow (rCBF)
Detect broad patterns of neural activity based on increased blood flow to different areas
Posterior Pituitary
Responsible for hypothalamic hormones (anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) that increases water intake by kidneys and oxytocin)
Pineal Gland
Regulates biological rhythms; produces Melatonin
Melatonin
Regulates circadian rhythms
Extrapyramidal Motor System
Gathers information about the body’s position
Septal Nuclei (Septum)
Primary pleasure center in the brain; actis to inhibit aggression
Amygdala
Responsible for defensive and aggressive behaviors
Hippocampus
Responsible for learning and memory processes
Sulci
Folds in the cerebral cortex
Gyri
Bumps in the cerebral cortex
Frontal Lobe
Composed of the prefrontal lobe + motor cortex
Responsible for “Executive Functioning” - supervises and directs the operations of other brains regions
Associated with:
- Perception
- Memory
- Emotion
- Impulse control
- Long-term Planning
Parietal Lobe
Somatosensory information processing; the destination for all incoming sensory signals except smell; responsible for touch, pressure, temperature and pain
- Also responsible for spatial processing and manipulation (orient you in 3D space)
Occipital Lobe
Responsible for Vision
Temporal Lobe
Responsible for hearing (auditory cortex), memory and emotion
Contralaterally
Right hemisphere controls the left side of the body and Vice Versa
Ex: movement
Ipsilaterally
Right brain controls the right side of the body; same goes for the left side
Ex: Smell
Dominant Hemisphere
Generally the left hemisphere - analytical and manages the details
Non-dominant Hemisphere
Generally the right hemisphere - intuition, music, creativity and spatial processing
Acetylcholine
Neurotransmitter that transmit nerve impulses to the muscles Responsible for: - Voluntary muscle control - Parasympathetic nervous system - Attention - Alertness
Serotonin
Neurotransmitter responsible for:
- Mood
- Sleeping
- Eating
- Dreaming
- Arousal
Gammo-Amino Butyric Acid (GABA)
Neurotransmitter responsible for brain “stabilization” of neural activity
Endorphins
Neurotransmitter that is the natural pain killer
Epinephrine
Neurotransmitter responsible for:
- Fight or Flight response
Norepinephrine
Neurotransmitter responsible for:
- Wakefulness
- Alertness
Dopamine
Neurotransmitter responsible for:
- Smooth movements
- Postural Stability
Catecholamines
AKA: Monoanimes or Biogenic Amines
Consist of Epinephrine, Norepinephrine and Dopamine; Play a role in emotions
Pituitary
Mater Gland that triggers hormone secretion in endocrine glands
Adrenal Medulla
Produces adrenaline (epinephrine) causing sympathetic nervous system affects throughout the body like increasing sugar output of the liver and increasing heart rate
Adrenal Cortex
- Produces cortisol (stress hormone) and other corticosteroids
- Along with the testes produces testosterone responsible for libido
Neurulation
The folding process in vertebrate embryos, which includes the transformation of the neural plate into the neural tube and eventually the central nervous system
Ventricles
Cerebrospinal Fluid filled cavities in the middle of the brain that link up with the spinal canal that runs down the middle of the spinal cord
Anterograde Amnesia
Not being able to establish new long term memories
Retrograde Amnesia
Memory loss of events that transpired before the brain injury
Convolutions
Bumps and folds on the cerebral cortex increasing cellular mass
Association Area
area that combines input from diverse brain regions
Projection Areas
Receive incoming sensory information or send motor-impulse commands; Including visual cortex and motor cortex
Visual Cortex
`Receives visual input from the retina
Motor Cortex
Sends out voluntary motor commands to the muscles
Broca’s Area
Articulation center of the brain that control muscles for speech production
Wenicke’s Area
Language reception and comprehension; enables us to understand spoken language
Corpus Callosum
Fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres; Responsible for sharing of information between the two hemispheres in a coordinated fashion
Neurotransmitters
Chemical substances that the vesicles released whenever the neuron “fires”
Emotion
Natural instinctive state of mind derived from one’s circumstances, mood or relationship with others
Elements of Emotion
- Physiological Response - sympathetic nervous system (change in breathing, heart rate, temperature and blood pressure)
- Behavioral Response - facial expressions and body language
- Cognitive Response - subjective interpretation of emotion experienced
Emotion According to Darwin
Emotions are thought to be evolutionary adaptations due to situations encountered over evolutionary history that guide sensory processing, physiological response and behavior
- believes that emotions and corresponding expressions are universal
Universal Basic Emotions
- Paul Ekman
- Happiness
- Sadness
- Contempt
- Suprise
- Disgust
- Anger
- Fear
*Basic emotions recognized by societies around the world
James Lange Theory
Become aware of our emotion as a response to our noticing the physiological reactions to some external event
First response: Peripheral Nervous system
Second response: Conscious Emotion
Cannon Bard Theory
Awareness of emotions reflects our physiological response and cognitive experience of emotion happening simultaneously
First Response: Sympathetic Nervous system and Conscious Emotion
Second Response: Action
Schachter-Singer Theory (Two-Factor Theory)
Emotions is based on interaction between physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation of that arousal. An individual’s appraisal of the situation determines the interpretation which is dependent on what is happening in the environment around us
First Response: Nervous system and Cognitive Appraisal
Second Response: Conscious Emotion
Amygdala Role in Emotion
Signals the cortex about stimuli related to attention and emotions; Learns from the surroundings to produce emotion
Hippocampus Role in Emotion
Creates long term memories which create a context for emotional experience
Prefrontal Cortex
- Planning intricate cognitive functions, expression personality and making decisions
- Coordinates cognitive and arousal
- Executive management of emotional arousal and impulse control
Stress
Response to challenging events (behavioral, physical, cognitive or emotional)
Cognitive Appraisal
Subjective evaluation of a situation
Stage 1 (primary) - initial evaluation of environment and associated threat
Stage 2 (secondary) - evaluation whether we can cope with stress
Stressor
Biological element, external condition or event leads to a stress response
Distress
When experiencing an unpleasant stressor
Eurstress
Result of positive conditions / stressors
Social Readjustment Scale
Stress level is measured in “life change units”
General Adaptation Syndrome
Stages of a stress response:
- Homeostasis (balance)
- Alarm - initial reaction / activation of the sympathetic system
- Resistance - hormones keep the sympathetic system engaged
- Exhaustion - body cannot maintain elevated response
- Panic Zone
- Breakdown (burnout)
Problem Focused Coping
Strategies include:
- Social Support
- Facing problem head on
- Following Plan
Emotional Focused Coping
Strategies include:
- Self Control
- Distance
- Wishful Thinking
- Positive reappraisal
Monoamine Theory of Depression
Linking oversupplies of norepinephrine or serotonin to mania and under supplies with depression
Psychopharmacology
Science of how drugs affect behavior; Development of medications to treat mental illness
Depressants (Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs)
Slow down the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS)
Synergistic Drugs
Drugs that have an additive effect
Ex: Depressants
Bezodiazepines (Barbiturates)
Facilitate and enhance the action of GABA which stabilizes the brain activity
Behavioral Stimulants
Increase behavioral activity by increasing motor activity or by counteracting fatigue
Amphetamines
Speed up the central nervous system in ways that mimic the action of the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight)
Antidepressants
- Elevate mood
- Increase overall activity level
- Increase appetite
- Improve sleep patterns
Tricyclic Antidepressants
Reduce depression by facilitating the transmission of norepinephrine or serotonin at the synapse
- Block the re-uptake of monoamines
- Inhibit the action of an enzyme called MOA which breaks down and deactivates norepinephrine and serotonin in the synapse
Anti-psychotic Drugs
- Effective in treating the delusional thinking, hallucinations, and agitation
- Block receptors sites for dopamine
Narcotics
Opium, Heroin and Morphine
- Most effective pain relievers that bind directly to opiate receptors in the brain; which normally respond to the body’s own natural painkillers (endorphins)
Psychedelics
Mixed class of drugs that alter sensory perception and cognitive processing
Endocrine System
Internal communication network in the body that uses chemical messengers called hormones
Anterior Pituitary
Release hormones that regulate activities of endocrine glands
Auditory Cortex
Emotional tone of language is processed in the “non-dominant” (generally right) hemisphere
Thyroid
Affects metabolism rate; growth and development
Ablation (Extirpation)
Surgically induced brain lesions
Stereotaxic Instrument
The instrument used to locate brain areas where electrodes are implanted (then heat, cold or electricity is applied) to produce lesions
Circadian Rhythms
Internally generated rhythms; Cycles of sleeping and waking (about 24 hours long in humans and other animals)
