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PSYC 1010 > Topic 3 > Flashcards

Topic 3 Flashcards

1
Q

Biological psychology

A

Studies the relationship between the nervous system and behavior

Researchers are biological psychologists or neuroscientists

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2
Q

Brain mapping methods (Before)

A

Phrenology

Brain Damage

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3
Q

Phrenology (brain mapping)

A

Skull shape through to reflect brain size and cognitive function

Discredited by mid-1800s

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4
Q

Brain Damage (brain mapping)

A

Understanding how the brain works by seeing how it doesn’t

Studies of cognitive function in people with brain damage (part of neuropsychology)

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5
Q

Brain Imaging

A

Techniques involving radiation:
*CT Scan
*PET scan

Techniques involving magnetic fields:
*MRI
*FMRI

Techniques involving electric activity
* EEG

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6
Q

Computerized tomography (CT) scan

A

Involves X-rays and creates an image through X-rays passing through varied densities within the brain

A CT scan can be used to show brain tumors

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7
Q

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan

A

Helpful for showing brain activity

Invloces injection of mildly radioactive substances and monitoring changes in blood flow to different brain areas

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8
Q

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) & FMRI

A

Magnetic fields are used to produce pictures of tissue

Functional MRI shows changes in metabolic activity over time

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9
Q

Electroencephalography (EEG)

A

Recording the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on the scalp

EEG research can study the precise timing of overall brain activity by tracking amplitude and frequency

Challenging to study small areas

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10
Q

Brain mapping continued

A

Magnetoencephalography (MEG):
*Measures tiny magnetic fields generated by the brain
*Used to identify the location of epilepsy-related seizures

Deep brain stimulation (DBS):
*Modify brain function throught implanted electrodes
*Used as a treatment for disorders (e.g parkinsons, depression)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS):
Applies strong and quickly changing magnetic fields to the surface of the skull that can either enhance or interrupt brain function

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11
Q

Interpreting brain imaging

A

They are not photos of the brain in action

How brain activity during an activity of interest increases, decreases or differs relative to a control

Brain area activity on brain scan could mean neurons are inhibiting rather than exci0ting

Scientifically, extremely persuasive (like expert testimony) - problematic when introduced into the courtroom (e.g. to prove diminished culpability)

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12
Q

The nervous system (An overview)

A

Neurons:
* The building blocks! Consistently created and pruned during life

Action Potentials:
* Never impulse or electrical signals that travel down an axon

Glial Cells:
*Support nourish & protect neurons

Neurons meet at synapses

Neurons communicate through neurotransmission

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13
Q

Neurons

A

The brain communicators

Neurons are nerve cells, specialized in communicating with each other

building blocks of the nervous system

Transmit information in the form of electrical signals

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14
Q

Neural components

A

Cell body (soma): center of neuron, builds new cell components

Dendrites: branchlike extensions that receive information

Axons: “tails” that transmit information

Axon terminal: knob at the end of the axon containing synaptic vesicles filled with neurotransmitters

Synapse (synaptic clef): space between neurons through which NTs travel (meeting place)

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15
Q

Glial Cells

A

Glial means glue

Plentiful in the brain

Play valuable support role, involved in psychological functioning

Bodyguards: Feed & protect\

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16
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

Fatty insulation from glial cells surrounding the axon

Multiple sclerosis (ms): loss of myelin causes erratic signals

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17
Q

How does a neuron fire

A

called action potential

Step 1: resting potential
*Neuron is polarized (negative inside, positive outside)
*Selectively permeable - gates don’t allow sodium ions (Na+) to pass through

Step 2: action potential - brief electrical charge that travels down neuron
*Transmits neural messages to other neurons, muscles etc.
*Frequency = intensity

Step 3: Repolarization
*Potassium (Ka+) flows out repolarizing the axon

Step 4: Return to resting potential

Step 5:refractoryu period
*Brief period of time where neuron wont fire no matter how much stimulation

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18
Q

Electrochemical communication

A

When an electrical signal reaches the end of an axon (electro), it triggers the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse (chemical)

Neurotransmitters then bind to receptors of receiving neuron dendrites, transmitting the signal

Excitatory: Messages that make it more likely a neuron will fire

Inhibitory: Messages that make it less likely that a neuron will fire

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19
Q

Neurotransmitters (Functions)

A

Chemical messengers that help neurons communicate with each other:
*Influence emotions & mood (serotonin & dopamine)
* Control movement (acetylcholine)
(Implicate mental illness
* Regulate sleep and alertness (GABA & norepinephrine)
* Learning & memory (glutamate)
* Implicate mental illness

Release:
* Action potential trigger neurotransmitter (NT) released from vesicles into the synaptic cleft
* NTs bind receptors on the postsynaptic neuron (lock and key)

Reuptake:
* Excess NTs are removed by drifting away, being broken down.
* reabsorbed Reuptake: NTs are taken back into the presynaptic neuron
* Some drugs block reuptake prolonging NT effects

Agonist:
* Mimic or enhance the effects of an neurotransmitter (helpers)

Antagonist;
* Block or impeds the normal activity of a neurotransmitter (blockers)

Opioids (e.g, fentanyl) vs. Naloxone

Schizophrenia associated with excess dopamine→ dopamine antagonists prescribed

Parkinson’s associated with low dopamine → prescribed dopamine agonist

20
Q

Neurotransmitters (List)

A

Glutamate

GABA

Acetylcholine

Dopamine

Serotonin

Anadamines

21
Q

Glutamate and GABA

A

Most common NTs in the CNS

Associated with learning and memory.

Associated with learning and memory

Glutamate is excitatory and increases the chace that neurons will communicate:
* Tocix in high doses, may contribute to schizophrenia and other mental disorders

GABA is inhibitory, dampening neural activity

22
Q

Acetylcholine

A

Arousal, selective attention, memory, sleep

Anticholinergic: Benadryl, unison:
* Increased risk of dementia

Alzheimer’s → Neurons containing acetylcholine are destroyed, leading to memory loss

Aricepyt -> boosts acetylcholine levels

Insecticide limits breakdown (more acetylcholine)

23
Q

Dopamine

A

Pleasure and reward voluntary movement

Attention

Parkinson’s → deficit of dopamine

Schizophrenia + symptoms → excess dopamine

24
Q

Serotonin

A

Sleeping, eating, mood, pain, depression

Increase serotonin by eating food rich in tryptophan, working out “Runners high”, and light exposure to depression drugs act on serotonin - increase availability

MDMA causes massive release, empties the tank

25
Q

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)

A

Used to treat depression

Blocks reuptake of serotonin

Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, etc

Agonist or antagonist

26
Q

Neural plasticity

A

The brain is adaptable and can change

Myelination:
*makes neurons faster, and brain regions more efficient

Pruning:
*Organizing to make the brain more efficient
*Remove some synaptic connection

Plasticity decreases in adulthood

27
Q

Intergenerational trauma

A

1st observed in children of holocaust survivors - also Vietnam vertens in the us, residential school survivors in canada

Assumed that trauma was passed down through env’t or behavioral

PTSD is associated with changes in brain structure, function & chemistry which may be passed down - making the brain more vulnerable to trauma

28
Q

HindBrain

A

replition/primitve brain:
* Controls basic functions like eating, sleeping

Major components:
* Medulla: Vital functions like controlling heartbeat, and muscles involved with breathing, vomiting, blood pressure, swallowing

  • Pons: Sleep & arousal
  • Cerebellum: Motor coordination

*Reticular activating system:Key in arousal (regulating sleep & wakefulness), directing attention - dysregulated in ADHD brains

29
Q

Midbrain & forebrain

A

Midbrain:
* Controls movement and transmits information that enables seeing and hearing (relays information between the brain and the eyes and ears)

Forebrain:
*Manages complex cognitive activist, sensory and associative functions, and voluntary motor activities
* Major components: cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus system

30
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

Higher mental processes (sense, self, reasoning)

It consists of two cerebral hemispheres (4 lobs) connected by the corpus callosum

Contralateral control

30
Q

Slot brain surgery

A

A procedure that involves servering the corpus callosum to reduce the spread of epileptic seizures

31
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

Lobes:
* Frontal: planning, decision maki
* Parietal: sensation (somatosensory)
* Temporal: auditory
* Occipital: vision

31
Q

Lateralization

A

Cognitive function that relies more on one side of the brain than the other

Left hemisphere:
* Fine-tuned language skills
* Actions: Making facial expressions, Motion detection

Right hemisphere:
* Coarse language skills:Simple speech, Simple writing, Tone of voice

  • Visuospatial skills:Perceptual grouping, Face perception
32
Q

Frontal lobes

A

Planning, executive function, motor

Most sophisticated information processing

Broca’s area:
* Language production

Motor Cortex:
* Body movement

Prefrontal cortex:
* Thinking planning and language, the CEO

33
Q

The psychopathy connection

A

PFC is important for thoughtful decisions, controlling impulses, regulating emotions

Brain injuries involving PFC resulted in “pseudo psychopathy”

People with psychiopathic traits sometimes have abnormal or reduced activity in PFC

PFC damage is linked to change in moral judgement, decrease in guilt, empathy, learning from punishment

34
Q

Parietal lobe

A

Somatosensory cortex:
* Sensitive to pressure, pain and temperature

Communicates info to the motor cortex every time we reach, grasp, or move our eyes

35
Q

Temporal lobe

A

Healing, understanding language, storing autobiographical memories

Contains the auditory cortex and Wernicke’s area, responsible for language comprehension

36
Q

Occipital lobe

A

Specialized for visikon processing and higher order visual functions (e.g recognizing complex shapes)

Located at the back of the brain

“Seeing stars” activated your visual cortex

Damage can lead to prosopagnosia (face blindness) visual agnosia

37
Q

Limbic System

A

Emotional center - also a role in smell, motivation, and memory

Hypothalamus:
* Regulates and controls internal bodily states (homeostasis) controls pituitary gland
* Body temp, hunger, thirst, sexual behavior, etc.

Thalamus
* Relays information from the sense organs to the primary sensory cortex

Amygdala
* Plays a key role in fear, aggression, excitement, and arousal
* Damage makes it impossible to recognize facial expressions for threat/distress

Hippocampus
* Spatial memory damage causes the inability to form new memories (anterograde amnesia)
* Memories not stored here

38
Q

Concussion

A

A traumatic brain injury that affects your brain function

39
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

1 somatic nervous system:
* Convery info from CNS to muscles

2 autonomic nervous system:
* Controls all the involuntary movement of the body (e.g. heart, breathing, and other organs) which is subdivided into: Sympathetic nervous system Parasympathetic nervous system

40
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

sympathetic
* Fight or flight

Parasympathetic
* Rest and digest

When one is active the other is inactive

41
Q

The polygraph

A

Uses physiological measurements linked to ANS (e.g., galvanic skin response, heart rate, breathing) to detect deception

How could you fool a polygraph?

42
Q

Endocrine system

A

Series of glands that produce hormones to regulate normal bodily function, regulate emotions

The hypothalamus links the nervous system and endocrine system via the pituitary gland

The pineal gland secretes melatonin:
* Can calcify with age or Alzheimers

43
Q

Pituitary gland

A

Controlled by the hypothalamus

In turn controls the othe rglands in the body

Releases hormones that influence growth, blood pressure, and other functions

Oxytocin:
* Responsible for numerous reproductive functions, implicated in maternal and romantic love

*May be key in trust

44
Q
A

PSYC 1010 (8 decks)

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