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MCAT (topics not covered in Next Step) > Psychology - Biological Bases of Behavior > Flashcards

Psychology - Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

There are five key parts of the neuron. What are they?

A

Soma, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath, and terminal buttons

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2
Q

What is the soma?

A

The cell body of a neuron

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3
Q

What are dendrites?

A

Branching structures of neurons that receive signals from other cells

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4
Q

The insulating material that encases some axons is called?

A

The myelin sheath

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5
Q

What are terminal buttons?

A

Small knobs at the end of axons that release neurotransmitters at synapses

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6
Q

__________________ are individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit infomration.

A

Neurons

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7
Q

The ________________ or cell body contains the cell nucleus and much of the chemical machinery common to most neurons.

A

Soma

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8
Q

__________________ are parts of the neurons that are specialized to receive information while ________________ are long, thin fibers that transmit signals away from the soma to other cells.

A

Dendrites

Axons

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9
Q

Myelination of axons has two primary functions. What are they?

A
  1. Increased speed of signal transmission
  2. Stabilization of axon structure and activity in neural networks
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10
Q

Degeneration of the myelin sheath has been implicated in diseases including ______________ ______________ where it is responsible for loss of muscle control.

A

Multiple sclerosis

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11
Q

The axon ends in a cluster of _____________ ____________, which are small kobs that secrete neurotransmitters.

A

Terminal buttons

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12
Q

What is a synapse?

A

A synapse is a junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to another

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13
Q

What cells provide support for neurons?

A

Glia cells

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14
Q

What is the resting potential of a neuron?

A

It is a neuron’s stable, negative charge of -70 mV when the cell in inactive

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15
Q

What is an action potential?

A

An action potential is a very brief shift in a neuron’s electrical charge that travels along an axon

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16
Q

The _____________ _______________ ____________ is the minimum length of time after an action potential, during which another action potential cannot begin.

A

Absolute refractory period

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17
Q

What is the “all-or-none” law regarding neurons?

A

The neural impulse is an all-or-none proposition, meaning that the neuron either fires or it does not fire. There is no “half-firing” of a neural impulse

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18
Q

When a neurotransmitter and a receptor molecule combine, reactions in the cell membrane cause a _______________ ____________, a voltage change at a receptor site on a postsynaptic cell membrane.

A

Postsynaptic potential

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19
Q

Two types of messages can be sent from cell to cell. What are they?

A

Excitatory and inhibitory

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20
Q

What parts of the nervous system are in the central nervous system?

A

The brain and the spinal cord

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21
Q

What was the main contribution of Franz Gall to psychology?

A

Phrenology - linking the brain to behavior and intellect

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22
Q

What was the main contribution of Pierre Flourens to psychology?

A

He studied the major sections of the brain via ablation

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23
Q

What was the main contribution of William James to psychology?

A

He is considered the father of American psychology and associated with the functionalist school, a system of thought in psychology that studied how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments

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24
Q

What is functionalism?

A

A system of thought in psychology that studied how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments

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25
Q

What is the main contribution of John Dewey to psychology?

A

He criticized the reflex arc and argued for a more holistic approach to psychology

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26
Q

What is the major contribution of Paul Broca to the field of pscyhology?

A

He studied behavioral deficits of people with brain damage (e.g., man unable to speak had lesion in Broca’s area of brain)

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27
Q

What is the main contribution of Hermann von Helmholtz to psychology?

A

He measured the speed of a nerve impulse

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28
Q

What is the major contribution to pscyhology made by Sir Charles Sherrington?

A

He inferred the existence of synapses

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29
Q

What parts of the nervous system are in the peripheral nervous system?

A

Nerve tissue and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord, including all 31 pairs of spinal nerves and 12 pairs of cranial nerve

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30
Q

What are the three kinds of nerve cells in the nervous system?

A

Sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons

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31
Q

What are sensory neurons?

A

They transmit sensory information from receptors to the spinal cord and brain

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32
Q

Sensory neurons are also know as what types of neurons?

A

Afferent neurons

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33
Q

What are motor neurons?

A

Neurons that transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands

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34
Q

What are interneurons?

A

Neurons found between other neurons and are the most numerous of the three types of neurons; they are located primarily in the brain and spinal cord and often linked to reflexive behavior

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35
Q

Which neurons are the most numerous?

A

Interneurons

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36
Q

What do reflex arcs accomplish?

A

They use the ability of interneurons in the spinal cord to relay information to the source of stimuli while simultaneously routing it to the brain

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37
Q

What are motor neurons also known as?

A

Efferent neurons

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38
Q

The peripheral nervous system can be further divided into the ______________ and ______________ nervous systems.

A

Somatic nervous system

Autonomic nervous system

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39
Q

The __________________ nervous system of the peripheral nervous system consists of sensory and motor neurons distributed throughout the skin, joints, and muscles.

A

Somatic

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40
Q

The __________________ nervous system of the peripheral nervous system generally regulates heartbeat, respiration, digestion, and glandular secretions.

A

Autonomic

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41
Q

The autonomic nervous system can be further divided into the __________________ and __________________ nervous systems.

A

Parasympathetic

Sympathetic

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42
Q

What is the main role of the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

To conserve energy

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43
Q

The parasympathetic nervous system is associated with which one: “rest and digest” or “fight or flight”?

A

Rest and digest

44
Q

What neurotransmitter is responsible for parasympathetic responses in the body?

A

Acetylcholine

45
Q

What are some functions of the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Constricts pupils, stimulates saliva flow, constricts bronchi, slows heartbeat, stimulates peristalsis and secretion, stimulates bile release, and contracts bladder

46
Q

The sympathetic nervous system is activated by _____________.

A

Stress

47
Q

What occurs when the sympathetic nervous system is activated (i.e., bodily functions)?

A

Increases heart rate, redistributes blood to muscles, increases blood glucose levels, relaxes bronchi, decreases digestion and peristalsis, dilates eyes to maximize light intake, releases epinephrine into bloodstream

48
Q

What do afferent neurons do?

A

They bring signals to the central nervous system (i.e., sensory neurons)

49
Q

What do efferent neurons do?

A

They send signals out to the body (i.e., motor neurons)

50
Q

What are the three basic subdivisions of the human brain?

A

The hindbrain, the midbrain, and the forebrain

51
Q

What covers the brain?

A

The meninges

52
Q

What is the meninges?

A

A thick sheath of connective tissue that helps protect the brain, keep it anchored within the skull, and resorb cerebrospinal fluid

53
Q

In addition to protecting the brain, what other functions do the meninges provide?

A

They keep the brain anchored to the skull and resorb cerebrospinal fluid

54
Q

What are the three layers of the meninges?

A

The dura matter

The arachnoid mater

The pia mater

55
Q

Which layer of the meninges is closest to the brain?

A

The pia mater

56
Q

Which layer of the meninges is closest to the skull?

A

The dura mater

57
Q

_________________________ ______________ is the aqueous solution in which the brain and spinal cord rest.

A

Cerebrospinal fluid

58
Q

Specialized cells that line the ____________________ or internal cavities of the brain produce cerebrospinal fluid.

A

Ventricles

59
Q

Brain structures associated with basic survival are located at the ____________ of the brain.

A

Base

60
Q

The hindbrain and midbrain compse the ________________, the most primitive region of the brain.

A

Brainstem

61
Q

What is the limbic system?

A

A group of neural structures primarily associated with emotion and fear

62
Q

What is the cerebral cortex?

A

The outer covering of the cerebral hemispheres

63
Q

What is important about the cerebral cortex?

A

It is associated with many higher-order brain functions including language processing and problem solving

64
Q

What are the five major divisions and principal structures of the forebrain?

A
  1. Cerebral cortex
  2. Basal ganglia
  3. Limbic system
  4. Thalamus
  5. Hypothalamus
65
Q

What are the major functions of the cerebral cortex?

A

Complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes

66
Q

What are the functions of the basal ganglia?

A

Movement

67
Q

What are the functions of the limbic system?

A

Emotion and memory

68
Q

What is the role of the thalamus?

A

Sensory relay station

69
Q

What are the functions of they hypothalamus?

A

Hunger, thirst, emotion

70
Q

The inferior and superior colliculi are important in what major division of the brain?

A

The midbrain

71
Q

What do the inferior and superior colliculi do?

A

Engage in sensorimotor reflexes

72
Q

What three principle structures make up the hindbrain?

A

Cerebellum

Medulla oblongata

Reticular formation

73
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum?

A

Refined motor movements

74
Q

What is the function of the medulla oblongata?

A

Vital functioning (breathing, digestion)

75
Q

What is the major function of the reticular formation?

A

Arousal and alertness

76
Q

The hindbrain or _____________________ controls vital functions necessary for survival.

A

Rhombencephalon

77
Q

The hindrain or rhomencephalon divides to form the _________________, which becomes the medulla oblogata, and the ________________, which becomes the pons and cerebellum, during embryonic development.

A

Myelencephalon

Metencephalon

78
Q

What is the pons?

A

An area of the hindrain that lies above the medulla oblongata and contains sensory and motor pathways

79
Q

Which structure of the hindbrain is responsible for maintaining posture and balance and coordinating body movements?

A

Cerebellum

80
Q

What lies above the hindbrain?

A

The midbrain

81
Q

The _____________________ or mesencephalin receives sensory and motor information from the body and is associated with involuntary reflex responses triggered by visual or auditory stimuli.

A

Midbrain

82
Q

There are two prominent nuclei in the midbrain, two of which are collectively called ____________.

A

Colliculi

83
Q

The ________________ ________________ of the midbrain receives visual sensory input.

A

Superior colliculus

84
Q

The ______________ ____________________ in the midbrain receives sensory information from the auditory system.

A

Inferior colliculus

85
Q

Of the three major divisions of the human brain, which has the greatest influence on human behavior?

A

The forebrain or prosencephalon

86
Q

During prenatal development, the prosencephalon or forebrain divides to form the _____________________, which forms the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and limbic system, and the _________________, which forms the thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, and pineal gland.

A

Telencephalon

Diencephalon

87
Q

What are cortical maps?

A

Maps made of the brain by scientists electrically stimulating human brains

88
Q

Studying electrical activity of neurons can be accomplished by using __________________________.

A

Electroencephalograms

89
Q

A noninvasive mapping procedure that detects braod patterns of nerual activity based on increased blood flow to different parts of the brain is known as ___________ _______________ _____________ ____________.

A

Regional cerebral blood flow

90
Q

In a CT (computed tomography) scan, multiple _____________ are taken at different angles and processed by a computer to cross-sectional slice images of the tissue.

A

X-rays

91
Q

What happens in a PET (positron emission tomography) scan?

A

A radioactive sugar is injected and absorbed into the body, and its dispersion and uptake throughout the target tissue is imaged

92
Q

What imaging technique uses a magnetic field to map hydrogen dense regions of the body?

A

Magnetic resonance imaginging (MRI)

93
Q

A specialized type of MRI, ____________________ MRI uses the MRI technique to measure changes associated with blood flow in the brain.

A

Functional magnetic resonance imaging

94
Q

The ___________________ is a structure in the forebrain that serves as an important relay station for incoming sensory information, except for smell. It then sorts and transmits signals to appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex.

A

Thalamus

95
Q

What part of the forebrain is important in homeostatic, endocrine, emotional, and sexual functions?

A

Hypothalamus

96
Q

What are the functions of they hypothalamus?

A

Remember the Four Fs:

Feeding, Fighting, Flighting, Functioning (Sexual)

97
Q

What part of the forebrain is the primary regulator of the autonomic nervous system and is important in drive behaviors: hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior?

A

Hypothalamus

98
Q

Which part of the hypothalamus is referred to as the “hunger center” because it has special receptors thought to detect when the body needs more food or fluids?

A

Lateral hypothalamus

“When the Lateral Hypothalamus is destroyed, one Lacks Hunger”

99
Q

The ________________________ hypothalamus is known as the “satiety center.”

A

Ventromedial hypothalamus

“When the VentroMedial Hypothalamus is destroyed, one is Very Much Hungry”

100
Q

Which part of the hypothalamus controls sexual behavior as well as sleep and body temperature regulation?

A

The anterior hypothalamus

101
Q

The ___________________ ________________ is comprised of axonal projections from the hypothalamus and is the site of release for the hypothalamic hormones antidiuretic hormone or vasopressin and oxytocin.

A

The posterior pituitary

102
Q

The _____________ ______________ secretes a hormone called melatonin, which regulates circadian rhythms.

A

Pineal gland

103
Q

What group of structures in the forebrain coordinate muscle movement?

A

The basal ganglia

104
Q

The basal ganglia coordinates muscle movement as it receives information from the cortex and relays this information via the __________________ __________ ______________ to the brain and spinal cord.

A

The extrapyramidal system

105
Q

What is the extrapyramidal system?

A

A system that gathers information about body position and carries the information to the central nervous system, but does not function directly through motor neurons

106
Q

Destruction of the basal ganglia is associated with ______________ _____________, and the basal ganglia has also been implicated in schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A

Parkinson’s disease

(Jerky movements; uncontrolled resting tremors)

107
Q
A

MCAT (topics not covered in Next Step) (6 decks)

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