Study Guide 3 - Biology Of Behavior Flashcards
Glial Cells
- supportive cells
- help grow
- provide nutrients
- get rid of waste
- form insulating sheath
Neurons
- basic unit of structure and function in the nervous system
- receive information
- process information
- transmit information
- semi permeable outer membrane and mitochondria
Dendrite
- part of the neuron that receives messages
- carry signal to cell body
Cell body
- the support center of the cell
- soma contains the nucleus (DNA) and other parts of the cell
Axon
-carries messages away from the cell body
Terminal buttons
- form junctions with other cells
- have neurotransmitters
Myelin sheath
- fatty substance that covers the axon and speeds up the impulse
- Schwann cell (glial)
- larger axon diameter = faster
Synapse
-tiny gap between neurons that they communicate across
Polarization
-normally, the inside of the cell is slightly more negative than the outside
Depolarization
- positive and negative molecules attract
- normally channels for positive molecules are closed
- but changes in environment can depolarize part of the membrane allowing gates to open, and + molecules to enter
- continues, spreading down axon
Action Potential
-abrupt wave of electrochemical changes in the axon when a neuron becomes depolarized
All or nothing Principle
-cell fires action potential at full strength or not at all
Multiple Sclerosis
- disorder that destroys myelin
- may occur because myelin is similar to some viruses, so when the immune system attacks the viruses it also destroys myelin
Refractory Period
- time between action potentials when neuron cannot fire
- after repolarization, (+ molecules pumped back outside membrane) neuron CAN fire
Sensory Neurons
- Afferent!
- information from sensory receptors to central nervous system
Motor Neuron
- efferent
- information from the CNS to muscles and glands
Interneurons
-neurons within the CNS, between sensory and motor
Mirror Neurons
- Neurons that mirror other people’s actions/emotions
- ex) yawning
- help humans connect
Neurotransmitters
- bind to receptors on postsynaptic neuron and stimulates channels to open
- charged molecules enter -> change in membrane potential
- they are in vesicles in the axon terminal
- EXCITATORY: help reach threshold so can fire (depolarizing)
- INHIBITORY: less likely to reach threshold (hyper-polarization)
- combined effect of excitatory and inhibitory decides if neuron will fire
Reuptake
- presynaptic neuron sucks neurotransmitter back up
- “recycle”
Lock and Key Fit
- neurotransmitter fits exactly in receptor
- each receptor recognizes only one type of neurotransmitter
- each each neurotransmitter can bind to different receptors -> different effects
Peripheral Nervous System
- nervous system not in bone
- carries out sensory and motor function
Central Nervous System
- in bone
- brain and spinal chord
- info is sent here to be processed
Somatic Nervous System
- PNS
- transmits info from senses to CNS and from CNS to muscles
- ex) involved in feeling sensations of warmth
- ex) movement - Neurons from spinal chord to muscles
Autonomic Nervous System
- carries messages back and forth between CNS and heart, lungs, and other organs/glands
- messages influence activity of these organs
- controls activities outside of conscious control ex) digestion
- SYMPATHETIC: body for action during stress, fight or flight ex) increase heart rate
- PARASYMPATHETIC: conserve energy ex) decrease heart rate
Acetylcholine
- learning, memory, voluntary movement
- Alzheimer’s if too little
Dopamine
- involuntary motor activity, reward pathway, motivation
- too much = Schizophrenia
- too little = Parkinson’s
Serotonin
- sleep, dreaming, appetite, sexual behavior, mood
- shortage = depression
- SSRIs prevent serotonin from being taken back in
GABA
- primary inhibitory neurotransmitter
- too little = anxiety and seizure
Substance P
- allows you to feel pain
- shortage = CIPA which prevents feeling sensations such as pain
Endocrine System
-hormones in blood communicate and regulate
Pituitary Gland
- master gland, controls endocrine organs
- growth, metabolism
- hypothalamus controls pituitary
- Bottomless pit
Adrenal Gland
- preps body for action
- fight/flight
PET
- function
- locate cell activity by tracking the brain’s use of a radioactive tagged molecule like glucose
MRI
- structure
- magnetic field bombards brain and creates a highly detailed image of brain
fMRI
- function
- images of active areas of the brain
- combines advantages of PET and MRI
- can detect changes in blood flow that reflects changes in Neuron activity
TMS
- function
- temporarily disrupts the electrical activity of a small part of the brain by exposing it to a magnetic field
- shows which areas are active
EEG
- function
- crazy hat!
- electrodes measure electrical activity at many different areas
- cannot tell us exactly where active cells are
CT Scan
- structure
- high definition image of tissue and bones
Spinal Chord
- receives signals from senses, and sends them to brain
- also carries signals from the brain to the muscles
- directs reflexes without instructions from the brain, very fast, involuntary, do send action potentials to brain so you know about your action after it is done
- feedback system: info about the consequences of an action go back to the source so adjustments can be made (important in a reflex)
Brain
- very complex
- processes information, allowing us to have thoughts and feelings
Medulla
- area in hindbrain (brainstem)
- controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and other vital autonomic functions
- reflexes and feedback systems important ex) if you stand up fast, hindbrain reflex activated mechanisms to increase blood pressure so you don’t faint
Reticular Formation
- arousal and attention
- if fibers from this system are disconnected from the rest of the brain there is a permanent coma
- ex) arouses brain from sleep when you are in pain
- brainstem
Cerebellum
- vital role in speech by integrating vocal sounds with precise lip and younger movements, when this is interrupted -> stuttering
- physical and cognitive ability
- control finely coordinated movements
- memory
Sodium Potassium Pump
-re-polarizes the membrane during refractory period
ABD - Polarization and depolarization
- alike because both involve charges ions
- different because POLARIZED is when the inside of the cell is more negative and DEPOLARIZED is when positive ions rush into the cell
ABD - SNS and ANS
- alike because both are part of the peripheral Nervous System
- different because SOMATIC communicates between CNS and senses and muscles and AUTONOMIC communicates between CNS and heart, lungs, and glands
ABD - Neurons and Glial Cells
- alike because both are vital parts of the Nervous System
- different because NEURONS respond and send signals and GLIAL cells are the “glue”
ABD - Afferent and Efferent Neurons
- alike because both send action potentials and both found in the spinal chord
- different because AFFERENT sends info from sense to the CNS and EFFERENT sends info from CNS to muscles/glands
ABD - Reflex and Voluntary Behavior
- alike because both involve muscles, and you know about both after they occur
- different because REFLEXES are directed by the spinal chord and are “involuntary” and VOLUNTARY motions are controlled by the motor cortex
ABD - Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
- alike because both are part of the autonomic, peripheral Nervous System (no control)
- different because SYMPATHETIC is arousing and PARASYMPATHETIC is calming
Thalamus
- relays signals from most sense organs to higher levels in the brain
- processes this information
Hypothalamus
- under thalamus
- regulates hunger, thirst, and sex drives
- part of limbic system
- Moose who’s high on pot
Pons
- connects cerebrum (largest part of brain, consists of two hemispheres) with the cerebellum
- brainstem
Limbic System
-set of brain structures that regulates emotion and memory
Amygdala
- part of limbic system
- associates features of stimuli from two different senses ex) shape and feel of an object
- involved in fear
- Big dolla’
Hippocampus
- part of limbic system
- formation of new memories
- memory ability correlated with the size of hippocampus
- Hippo lost on campus
Cerebral cortex
- outer part of the brain
- complex thought processes
- Cereal court
Broca’s Aphasia
- when this area of the brain is damaged, mental organization of speech suffers
- hard to speak and speak slowly
Wernicke’s Aphasia
-damage leads to person being able to speak but they can’t understand words
Frontal lobe
- anatomical area of cerebral cortex
- involved in reasoning, emotion, judgement, and voluntary movement
- Front of the line
Occipital Lobe
- anatomical area of cerebral cortex
- vision and ability to read
Temporal Lobe
- anatomical area of cerebral cortex
- sound
- Tempera paint
Parietal Lobe
- anatomical part of cerebral cortex
- sensory information
- Halloween Party
Broca’s Area
- association cortex in frontal lobe near motor areas that control facial muscles
- helps to generate articulate speech
- Broken doll
Wernicke’s Area
- association cortex located in temporal lobe, near Area that receives info from ears and eyes
- involved in the interpretation of speech and written words
ABD - Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area
- alike because both are involved in speech
- different because BROCAS Area is involved in the formation of speech and WERNICKES Area is involved in the interpretation and ability to understand speech
ABD - Pons and Reticular Formation
- alike because both are in the brainstem
- different because PONS joins the cerebrum and the cerebellum and RETICULAR FORMATION controls attention
ABD - Frontal Lobe and Parietal Lobe
- alike because both are anatomical parts of the cerebral cortex
- different because FRONTAL LOBE is involved in reasoning, judgement, emotion and PARIETAL is involved in sensory info
Corpus Callosum
- connects the right and left hemispheres and allows them to communicate with each other
- Corpse in the coliseum
Split Brain Studies
- studies of split-brain patients, who had their corpus callosums severed in an attempt to control epilepsy, isolating their hemispheres
- when image of a spoon was presented to the left side of the brain they could say what it was, but not when presented to the right
- right hemisphere has no control over spoken language, but is involved in tasks involving spatial relations and self-awareness
Left Hemisphere
- better logical and language abilities than the right
- lateralization can vary depending on the person, gender
- differences between them not huge
- Left, left…
Right Hemisphere
- better spatial, artistic, and musical abilities
- 9. Only turn right
Plasticity
- ability of the CNS to strengthen neural connections at synapses and establish new connections
- ex) ppl learning to juggle = increase in density in cortical regions associated with processing visual info about moving objects
Norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
- arousal
- activate you
- learning
- mood regulation
- depression
Glutamate
- main excitatory neurotransmitter
- plays a big role in the ability of the brain to strengthen its synaptic connections, allow messages to cross synapse more effectively
- can “excite Neurons to death” so block glutamate receptors after brain trauma can prevent permanent brain damage
Endorphins
- pain control
- no established disorder
Estrogen
- hormone secreted by ovaries
- activates a woman’s reproductive system, uterus grows, enlarges breasts etc.
Testosterone
- testes secrete this sex hormone
- stimulate sperm maturation, increase aggression etc.
Agonists
-mimic neurotransmitters and make the neuron fire ex) morphine
Antagonists
- keep a neuron from firing
- blocks neurotransmitter
Adrenaline
- hormone secreted by adrenal gland
- affects autonomous Nervous System which controls heart rate, secretion of sweat etc.
- fight or flight
Insulin
- hormone produced by pancreas
- signals liver, muscle and fat cells to take in extra glucose from the blood
Angular Gyrus
- number processing, reasoning, social cognition
- where info from many senses is combined to comprehend events
- transforms visual representation into auditory code
Lesions
- removal or destruction of part of the brain
- by removing parts, we can determine their function
MEG
-allows measurement of ongoing brain activity and shows where the activity is
SPECT
- analyze function
- uses a radioactive molecule and camera to make 3-D images
Phineas Gage
- steel rod straight through his frontal lobe and survived!
- changed personality and couldn’t control his emotions
ABD - Cerebrum and Cerebellum
- alike because both are needed for survival
- different because CEREBRUM is main part of the brain, and CEREBELLUM is involved in balance, and coordination
ABD - Hemispheres
- alike because both are part of the cerebrum
- different because LEFT language and RIGHT is spatial
ABD - Dopamine and Serotonin
- alike because a wrong amount leads to disease
- different because DOPAMINE is involved with the reward pathway and involuntary motor activity and SEROTONIN is involved with sleep, appetite
ABD - Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
- alike because both are caused by imbalances in neurotransmitters
- different because ALZHEIMER’S causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior, and PARKINSON’S affects movement causing tremors
