Q3: Biology of the Brain

Question 1

Neurons

Answer 1

the building blocks of our nervous system

Question 2

Santiago Ramon y Cajal

Answer 2

“father of neuroscience” said the nervous system is cells and calls them neurons.

Question 3

dendrites

Answer 3

receive signals

Question 4

cell body (soma)

Answer 4

maintains cell life

Question 5

myelin

Answer 5

insulates axon

Question 6

axon

Answer 6

sends signals electrically (action potential)

Question 7

axon terminal

Answer 7

(synaptic button) sends signals chemically

Question 8

neurons receive inputs:

Answer 8

from the environment via specialized receptors (sensory neuron in skin, ear, eye)
-from other neurons via dendrites
-to other neurons
-to muscles, organs, glands

Question 9

neurons send signals:

Answer 9

-electrically via axons (1)
-chemically via synapses (2)
1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2

Question 10

action potential

Answer 10

a brief change in electrical charge

Question 11

resting potential

Answer 11

stored energy that results from the separation of positive and negative ions across the axon’s membrane (start straight of graph)

Question 12

depolarization

Answer 12

Na+ rushes in: less -, more + (climbing hill on graph, after threshold)

Question 13

repolarization

Answer 13

K+ rushes out, more -, less + (falling back down on graph)

Question 14

neural threshold

Answer 14

the minimum amount of stimulation needed to fire an action potential

Question 15

node of ranvier

Answer 15

spaces on a myelinated axon without myelin

Question 16

saltatory conduction

Answer 16

Action potential jumps from node to node

Question 17

myelin

Answer 17

insulation of an axon

Question 18

oligodendrocytes (many)

Answer 18

myelinate the axons in the CNS

Question 19

schwann (1)

Answer 19

myelinate axons in PNS

Question 20

unmyelinated axons

Answer 20

can signal at speeds of 1 mph (pain)

Question 21

myelinated axons

Answer 21

can signal at speeds of 355 mph

Question 22

plasticity

Answer 22

ability of a brain to rewire/form new connections

Question 23

neurotransmitter

Answer 23

chemical to be released

Question 24

synaptic vesicle

Answer 24

carries neurotransmitters

Question 25

receptors

Answer 25

receives synaptic vesicles via exocytosis

Question 26

acetylcholine

Answer 26

activates muscles, involved in learning and memory Alzheimer's: low levels of it, inc. to treat

Question 27

dopamine

Answer 27

vital for voluntary movements, attention, emotion, motivation addiction schizophrenia: too much of it, dec. to treat parkinson's disease: too little of it, inc. to treat (L-DOPA)

Question 28

reuptake pump

Answer 28

recycles the neurotransmitters after they go into receptors.

Question 29

serotonin (5 HT)

Answer 29

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal depression: treated with SSRI, too little serotonin

Question 30

SSRI

Answer 30

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment for depression

Question 31

norepinephrine

Answer 31

helps control alertness and arousal depression: low levels anxiety: high levels

Question 32

EPSP

Answer 32

positive ions. excitatory postsynaptic potential (allows AP to be fired) (norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, dopamine, glutamate)

Question 33

IPSP

Answer 33

negative ions. inhibitory postsynaptic potential. (GABA)

Question 34

GABA

Answer 34

inhibitory neurotransmitter. seizures: too little GABA anxiety: too little GABA comas: too much GABA (can be medically induced)

Question 35

Glutamate

Answer 35

major excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in memory. seizures: too much migraines: too much

Question 36

EEG

Answer 36

(sleep studies) electrodes attach to skull to record brain activity. -function

Question 37

CT

Answer 37

computer enhanced x-ray technique. -structure

Question 38

PET

Answer 38

computer generated image of the brain, formed by measuring a radioactive tracer, often glucose. -function

Question 39

MRI

Answer 39

computer generated image of the brain -structure

Question 40

fMRI

Answer 40

computer generated image of the brain, formed by measuring the flow of blood. -function

Question 41

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Answer 41

brain and spinal cord

Question 42

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Answer 42

all neurons not in brain/spinal cord. have the ability to regrow, regenerate, or reattach if damaged.

Question 43

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

Answer 43

info from sensory organs, motor commands to muscles (voluntary functions)

Question 44

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Answer 44

involuntary bodily processes (ex heart rate, breathing, digestion)

Question 45

Sympathetic Nervous System

Answer 45

stress response. (norepinephrine). mobilizes resources in response to threat, speeds heart and breathing.

Question 46

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Answer 46

replenishes bodily resources by promoting digestion and slowing other bodily processes. (*rest and digest*)

Question 47

Communication Function

Answer 47

passes messages from body to brain and from brain to body

Question 48

Integrative Function

Answer 48

mediates spinal reflexes

Question 49

spinal reflexes

Answer 49

simple, autonomic behaviors that occur without voluntary action.