Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards
Acetylcholine
neurotransmitter stimulated by nicotine that affects muscle action, learning, and memory
action potential
an electrochemical gradient of ions along the axon of a neuron to send neural impulses to the axon terminals and then to other neurons and body parts
adrenal cortex
outer region and the largest part of an adrenal gland
adrenal glands
secrete the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine and are responsible for the fight-or-flight response
adrenal medulla
inner portion of the adrenal gland
all-or-none principle
idea that a neuron either fires or it doesn’t depend on the excitatory and inhibitory signal
Aphasia
loss of ability to understand or express speech due to brain damage
autonomic nervous system
part of the nervous system responsible for involuntary responses of the body like breathing, the beating of the heart, etc
Axon
long, thin fiber that sends messages from the cell body to axon terminals via action potentials
biological psychology
study of how the biology of the brain and communication systems of the body influence behavior and cognition
brain lateralization
idea that the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice versa
brain plasticity
the idea that if one half of the brain is damaged at a young age, the other half can reorganize itself such that it takes on the functions of the other half as well as its own
Broca’s area
area in frontal lobe linked to speech production
central nervous system
part of the nervous system that controls the entire nervous system
cerebral hemispheres
left and right halves of the brain each with a specific function
Cerebrum
largest part of the brain that processes the senses and many mental activities
connector neuron
neurons that make up the brain and spinal cord
corpus callosum
connects the two halves of the brain
Corticalization
process of transferring information from the primitive parts of the brain to the cerebral cortex
cranial nerves
nerves emerging directly from the brain and brainstem
CT or CAT scan / computerized tomography
uses x-ray technology to piece together a structure of the brain on the computer
Dendrites
parts of a neuron that receive information and transmit it to the cell body
dominant hemisphere
hemisphere of brain that majorly controls the language and logical abilities of a person
Dopamine
excitory neurotransmitter involved in the movement, learning, attention, and emotion
effector cells
cell in the body that responds to a stimulus alarming the nervous
electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB)
type of electrotherapy where one stimulates a neuron with electricity to excite it
Electrode
used to measure electrical activity
electroencephalograph (EEG)
uses electrodes to measure electrical activity via waves
endocrine system
a system of glands that secretes hormones for chemical and long-term communication
Endorphins
neurotransmitters in response to pain and exercise
Enkephalins
pentapeptide endorphins
epinephrine/adrenaline
hormones released by adrenal glands in response to stress
excitatory neurotransmitters
increase signaling in the brain
functional MRI (fMRI scan)
using MRI to reveal both the structure and function of the brain
Handedness
idea that individuals prefer the use of one specific hand for most activities
Hemispheres
two halves of the brain
Hormone
chemical messenger traveling throughout the bloodstream released by endocrine glands
inhibitory neurotransmitters
neurotransmitters that slow down signals in neurons
Lesions
damaged abnormality in brain tissue
Lobes
4 parts of the brain
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
set the atoms in the brain in a magnetic field to reveal the structure of the brain
Melatonin
chemical in body responsible for sleep cycles, light dependence, and dreaming
Midbrain
region of brain that receives visual and auditory information
motor (efferent) neuron
neurons that transmit signals from the brain to muscle cells to move
myelin sheath
fatty protective layer of glial cells surrounding the axon to help its function
negative after-potential
minimal additional negative membrane potentials which are displayed by nerve and muscle cells during the refractory period
Nerve
bundle of neuron fibers connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body
neural firing
initiation of an action potential by a neuron
Neurogenesis
process by which the brain can replace damaged neurons with newer ones
neurological soft signs
neurological abnormalities
Neuron
nerve cell that makes up the nervous system
Neurotransmitter
electrochemical messenger that travels across the synaptic gaps between neuron
norepinephrine/noradrenaline
hormone responsible for alertness and arousal
parasympathetic nervous system
part of nervous system that calms down the body and conserves energy
peripheral nervous system
part of nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body
positron emission tomography (PET) scan
visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes in the brain
pineal gland
“internal clock” within the brain
receptor sites
places on the soma where neurotransmitters can bind
reflex arc
neural pathway that controls a reflex
resting potential
state of the electrochemical gradient such that the + charged ions are outside and the - charged ions are inside the axon membrane
reticular activating system (RAS)
neurons in the brainstem that play a role in arousal and sleep-wake transitions
sensory (afferent) neurons
carry information from sensory receptors to the CNS
Serotonin
neurotransmitter connected to mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Soma
cell body of neuron
somatic nervous system
part of nervous system dealing with the voluntary responses of the body
spinal nerves
nerves connecting the spine to the body
split-brain operation subcortex
cutting the corpus callosum to split the two hemispheres of the brain in half and relieving seizures
sympathetic nervous system
part of nervous system that arouses the body and expends energy
Synapse
meeting point between neurons
terminal buttons
bulblike structures at the ends of axon terminals that hold vesicles for neurotransmitter transport
Threshold
level of stimulation where the excitatory signals overtake the inhibitory signals and create an action potential
thyroid gland
gland in neck regulating metabolism and heat production
Wernicke’s area
area of left temporal lobe involved in language comprehension
Paul Broca
a french physician and anatomist known for the discovery of Broca’s area for speech and aphasia as well
Michael Gazzaniga
professor and president of the cognitive neuroscience institute known for research on communication between the right and left sides of the brain as well as writing many books on his studies
Roger Sperry
discovered that the human brain was split into two parts- the right and left hemispheres
Carl Wernicke
german neuropsychiatrist who made advances in brain anatomy and pathology, is known for being named after the Wernicke’s area of the brain
How do nerve cells operate and communicate?
Nerve cells operate via action potentials, and they communicate using neurotransmitters
What are the functions of major parts of the nervous system?
The central nervous system controls the entire nervous system, the peripheral nervous system connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body, the somatic nervous system controls the voluntary movements of skeletal muscles, the autonomic nervous system controls the voluntary and involuntary parts of the nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system arouses the body and expends energy, and the parasympathetic nervous system calms the body and conserves energy
How do we know how the brain works ?
We used technologies such as the electroencephalogram, the computed tomography scan (CCT), the positron emission tomography scan (PET), MRI, and fMRI to study the brain in detail.
How is the brain organized, and what do its higher structures do?
The brain is organized into different regions with different functions for each region. The brain is organized majorly into the forebrain, responsible for processing information for complex analytical activities, the midbrain receives information from the visual and auditory senses, and the hindbrain coordinates punctions important to survival.
Why are the brain’s association areas important? What happens when they are injured?
They are important because they are involved in higher functions that make us human, including learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking. If they are injured, the functions that the association regions allow us to do would also be damaged and altered, changing ourselves dramatically
What kinds of behaviors are controlled by the subcortex?
Behaviors controlled by the subcortex include sex, rage, temperature control, hormone release, eating and drinking, sleep, waking, and emotion.
How does the endocrine system affect behavior?
It secretes hormones that influence behaviors such as stress, fight or flight, and others
How do drugs affect brain function?
Drugs imitate the brain’s natural chemicals overwork it and overuse the reward system
Are injuries that create brain damage always permanent?
No; sometimes the brain can repair itself or at least reorganize itself if damaged via neurogenesis and plasticity principles
