PSY 106 Midterm 1 Flashcards
Biopsychology
studies the relationship between behavior and the brain
Central Nervous System
Brain and Spinal Cord
Main animal species used in biopsychology research
Rodents, nonhuman primates, fish, worms, flies, squid
Components of a cell
cell membrane, cytosol, organelles (nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes)
Key properties of plasma membrane
phospholipid bilayer, semipermeable; fatty heads and hydrophobic tails
ATP
adenosine triphosphate, energy source for brain (and other cells)
DNA turning into proteins
DNA gets transcribed (by RNA polymerase), turns into mRNA, message gets translated into ribosomes which codes for the given protein
Cation, anion, monovalent, divalent
Cation = positive charge, anion = negative charge. monovalent = +1 or -1, divalent = +2 or -2
How we learned about the brain
Different neuron staining to view structure and quantity. hypothesized that cells interact via communication with each other.
What makes a neuron different from other cells?
Axons and dendrites to send communication signals.
Parts of a neuron
soma (cell body), dendrites (receive information), axon (send out information) axon hillock aka base, axon terminals aka tips.
astrocytes
provide physical support, control extracellular environment (reuptake), control blood flow
microglia
break down dead neurons, provide immune response and support
oligendrocytes
create myelin sheath in central nervous system
Ions inside and outside of the cell
Na+ (sodium) high concentration on the outside of the cell, important for depolarization of neuron when it enters. K+ (potassium) high concentration inside the cell, important for hyper-polarization later, Cl- (chloride) high concentration outside but has no driving force due to electrostatic force, Ca2+ (calcium) high concentration on the outside of cell, helpful for pushing neurotransmitters outside axon.
