Section 1 Flashcards
Introduction, Neurons, Communication
What is biopsychology
a discipline of neuroscience that studies the nervous system to understand how it gives rise to what we perceive, think, say, and do
Central nervous system
brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
Autonomic nervous system and somatic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
Forebrain is composed of the
telencephalon and diencephalon
Midbrain is composed of
mesencephalon
Hindbrain is composed of
metencephalon and myelencephalon
Cerebral cortex (definition)
outer layer of the cerebral hemisphere (aka brain matter)
How many layers in the cerebral cortex?
six
What is the Blood Brain Barrier?
keeps blood stream from coming in direct contact with neurons and keeps brain substances from directly entering bloodstream
Why do we need the BBB?
keep toxins from entering the brain
What is a disadvantage of the BBB?
medicines cannot reach the brain; cannot treat brain disease easily
Which chemicals cross the BBB require active transport?
large molecules and ionic molecules
neuron (function)
gather and transmit information
glial cells (definition)
play supporting roles, do not transmit information
microglial (function)
clean up cell damage
sensory neurons (afferent)
approaching the CNS
motor neurons (efferent)
exiting the CNS
interneurons
local function, usually inhibitory (suppression); no axon
dendrites
receive signal
axon
carry signal away from the cell
axon hillock
generate action potential
myelin sheath
more efficient electrochemical transmit
nodes of Ranvier
gaps in myelin
microtubule
package neurotransmitters
neurofilament
structural support
vesicle
sent through Golgi apparatus
Ion
electrically charged molecules
cell membrane
a phospholipid bilayer
ion channels
embedded proteins in the cell membrane
voltage-gated ion channels are controlled by
electrical signals
ligand-gated ion channels are controlled by
chemicals
electrochemical gradient of a cell is maintained by the
permeability of a cell membrane (diffusion from high conc. to low conc.)
molecules ability to cross the membrane is limited by
fat solubility
channel type and channel distribution
size
membrane potential
refers to difference in electrical charge across the cell membrane, between the inside and outside of a neuron
Which excitatory neurotransmitter is considered to be the most prevalent in the mammalian CNS?
glutamate
Which type of glial cell is involved in cleaning up debris following tissue damage?
Microglia
What are inhibitory postsynaptic potentials caused by?
Both influx of Cl- and efflux of K+
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, which direction do calcium ions flow into the presynaptic neuron, and why?
into the neuron, because of diffusion down the electrochemical gradient
The rate at which an axon can fire is determined by the duration of the relative refractory period
FALSE
To produce an action potential, sodium ions move into the cell via ______ and this effect can be blocked by ______
Voltage-gated ion channels; Lidocaine
Which of the following tools manipulate brain activity in a temporally precise and neuron specific manner?
Optogenetics
The study of how drugs affect the nervous system and behavior is most often referred to as?
Neuropsychopharmacology
What is the primary reason the cell maintains a negative charge?
the primary reason is owing to the semi-permeability of the cell membrane and the negative protein ion inside the cell
the Na-K pump
It results in the net loss of one positive ion
It is embedded in the cell membrane
It uses energy
What factors underlie the uneven ionic distribution across the cell membrane?
selective permeability of the membrane controls the movement of the ion molecules
Presynaptic facilitation (or inhibition) is possible because of an __________ synaptic connection
Axoaxonic
Temporal summation involves:
the integration of electrical events (EPSPs and IPSPs) occurring close in time
What are inhibitory postsynaptic potentials caused by?
Both influx of Cl- and efflux of K+
Sensory
Afferent
Motor
Efferent
EPSPs
Depolarize - more likely to fire
IPSPs
Hyperpolarize - less likely to fire
Types of synaptic transmission
Axoaxonic
Axodentritic
Axosomatic
Axoaxonic definition
Connect from axon of presynaptic to axon of postsynaptic
Axosomatic
Synaptic transition from axon to soma (cell body)
Synapses are ____
Modifiable; called plasticity
Ionotripic
Direct and fast acting
Metabotropic
Indirect and slow acting (e.g. dopamine)
Saltatory conduction
In myelinated neurons; speeds up transmission of action potential (signal jumps between nodes)
