Psych test Unit 1 Part 2 Flashcards
Brainstem
Contains the most basic parts of the brain. Responsible for the most basic life support functions that keep us alive
Medulla
Part of brainstem, responsible for breathing, heart rate, and other autonomic NS functions
Reticular Activating System
Part of brainstem. Responsible for alertness, arousal, and multitasking.
Cerebellum
Part of brainstem. Controls balance, muscle memory, skill learning.
Thalamus
Part of brainstem. Where sensory information (except hearing) is processed and sent to the cerebral cortex.
Limbic system
Located above brainstem. Responsible for slightly more complex behaviors including emotions, memory formation, and drive.
Hypothalamus
Limbic system. Regulates and monitors
“drives” - hunger, thirst, sexual, body temp
Pituitary Gland
Limbic system. Body’s “master gland.” Regulates growth and controls the other glands in the endocrine system
Hippocampus
Limbic system. Helps process explicit memories for storage.
Amygdala
Limbic system. Involved in emotion, especially anger and fear
Corpus Callosum
Limbic system. Connects the two hemis of the brain.
Cerebral Cortex
Divided into four lobes: frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes.
Frontal Lobes
It contains the prefrontal cortex and motor cortex. The motor cortex is responsible for voluntary muscle movement, while the prefrontal cortex is the center of judgment/logic making plans, & impulse control.
Temporal Lobe
Receives and processes sensory info related to hearing. Understanding of written and spoken language.
Occipital Lobe
Receives and processes sensory info related to vision.
Parietal Lobes
Contains association areas (mathematical and spatial reasoning & somatosensory cortex (registers and processes touch and movement sensations)
Association areas
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved with primary motor/sensory functions. Higher level mental functions: thinking, speaking, learning, remembering
Left Hemi
Controls right side of body. Speaking and language-based skills (reading, writing, etc.)
Right Hemi
Controls left side of body. Visual perception, recognition of emotion, perceptual tasks, and intuitive
Broca’s Area
Frontal lobe. Controls production of speech
Wernicke’s area
Temporal lobe. Responsible for understanding both written and spoken language.
Brain plasticity
The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
Sleep
A periodic, natural loss of consciousness
Circadian Rhythm
Internal clock.
Stages of sleep
REM, NREM-1, NREM-2, NREM-3.
NREM-1
Lightest level of sleep. Muscles relax. 10 min long. Alpha waves
NREM-2.
20 minutes long. Sleep spindles: bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain activity. Transition into theta waves (slower).
NREM-3.
Deepest level of sleep. 30 minutes long. Where sleepwalking, talking can occur. Important for physical and psychological well-being. Delta waves.
REM
About hour into sleep. Vivid dreams, sexual arousal, paralyzed body. Beta waves.
Sleep patterns in cycles throughout night.
REM sleep increases while NREM-3 decreases each cycle.
Insomnia
Difficulty initiating and/or maintaining sleep. Diagnosed through sleep diaries, and patient history evaluation. Treated with cognitive behavioral therapy or hypnotic medications.
Narcolepsy
Sudden attacks of overwhelming sleepiness. Suggested by history and can be confirmed with PSG (sleep study). Very dangerous because can happen at the worst times. Treated with behavior modifications and/or medications.
Sleep Apnea
Stopping breathing repeatedly while sleeping. Diagnoses can be patients with/ excessive snoring or using a sleep test. Treatment includes positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP machine.)
Somnambulism
Sleepwalking. Occurs during NREM-3 sleep.
REM sleep behavior disorder
A sleep disorder in which normal REM paralysis does not occur; instead, twitching, talking, or even kicking or punching may occur, often acting out one’s dream.
Activation-synthesis theory (dreams)
REM sleep triggers neural activity that evokes random visual memories, which our brain weaves into stories.
Consolidation theory (dreams)
Dreams help us sort out the day’s events and consolidate our memories.
EEG
An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
fMRI
Functional MRI. A technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. Shows brain function as well as structure.
Lesioning procedure
Scientists can selectively lesion (destroy) tiny clusters of normal or defective brain cells, observing any effect on brain function. Scientists can do it through surgery or experimentally (using electrodes)
REM rebound
Where a person experiences an increased duration of REM sleep following a period of sleep deprivation.
Hypnagogic sensations
Vivid sensory experiences that occur during the transition from wakefulness to sleep.
Reward center
Part of brain that responds to pleasure stimuli (food, drugs, sex) by releasing dopamine
