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AP Psychology > Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior > Flashcards

Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

Acetylcholine

A

neurotransmitter stimulated by nicotine that affects muscle action, learning, and memory

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2
Q

action potential

A

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

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3
Q

adrenal cortex

A

outer region and the largest part of an adrenal gland

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4
Q

adrenal glands

A

secrete the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine and are responsible for the fight-or-flight response

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5
Q

adrenal medulla

A

inner portion of the adrenal gland

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6
Q

all-or-none principle

A

idea that a neuron either fires or it doesn’t depend on the excitatory and inhibitory signal

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7
Q

Aphasia

A

loss of ability to understand or express speech due to brain damage

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8
Q

autonomic nervous system

A

part of the nervous system responsible for involuntary responses of the body like breathing, the beating of the heart, etc

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9
Q

Axon

A

long, thin fiber that sends messages from the cell body to axon terminals via action potentials

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10
Q

biological psychology

A

study of how the biology of the brain and communication systems of the body influence behavior and cognition

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11
Q

brain lateralization

A

idea that the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice versa

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12
Q

brain plasticity

A

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

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13
Q

Broca’s area

A

area in frontal lobe linked to speech production

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14
Q

central nervous system

A

part of the nervous system that controls the entire nervous system

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15
Q

cerebral hemispheres

A

left and right halves of the brain each with a specific function

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16
Q

Cerebrum

A

largest part of the brain that processes the senses and many mental activities

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17
Q

connector neuron

A

neurons that make up the brain and spinal cord

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18
Q

corpus callosum

A

connects the two halves of the brain

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19
Q

Corticalization

A

process of transferring information from the primitive parts of the brain to the cerebral cortex

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20
Q

cranial nerves

A

nerves emerging directly from the brain and brainstem

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21
Q

CT or CAT scan / computerized tomography

A

uses x-ray technology to piece together a structure of the brain on the computer

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22
Q

Dendrites

A

parts of a neuron that receive information and transmit it to the cell body

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23
Q

dominant hemisphere

A

hemisphere of brain that majorly controls the language and logical abilities of a person

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24
Q

Dopamine

A

excitory neurotransmitter involved in the movement, learning, attention, and emotion

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25
Q

effector cells

A

cell in the body that responds to a stimulus alarming the nervous

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26
Q

electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB)

A

type of electrotherapy where one stimulates a neuron with electricity to excite it

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27
Q

Electrode

A

used to measure electrical activity

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28
Q

electroencephalograph (EEG)

A

uses electrodes to measure electrical activity via waves

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29
Q

endocrine system

A

a system of glands that secretes hormones for chemical and long-term communication

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30
Q

Endorphins

A

neurotransmitters in response to pain and exercise

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31
Q

Enkephalins

A

pentapeptide endorphins

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32
Q

epinephrine/adrenaline

A

hormones released by adrenal glands in response to stress

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33
Q

excitatory neurotransmitters

A

increase signaling in the brain

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34
Q

functional MRI (fMRI scan)

A

using MRI to reveal both the structure and function of the brain

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35
Q

Handedness

A

idea that individuals prefer the use of one specific hand for most activities

36
Q

Hemispheres

A

two halves of the brain

37
Q

Hormone

A

chemical messenger traveling throughout the bloodstream released by endocrine glands

38
Q

inhibitory neurotransmitters

A

neurotransmitters that slow down signals in neurons

39
Q

Lesions

A

damaged abnormality in brain tissue

40
Q

Lobes

A

4 parts of the brain

41
Q

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan

A

set the atoms in the brain in a magnetic field to reveal the structure of the brain

42
Q

Melatonin

A

chemical in body responsible for sleep cycles, light dependence, and dreaming

43
Q

Midbrain

A

region of brain that receives visual and auditory information

44
Q

motor (efferent) neuron

A

neurons that transmit signals from the brain to muscle cells to move

45
Q

myelin sheath

A

fatty protective layer of glial cells surrounding the axon to help its function

46
Q

negative after-potential

A

minimal additional negative membrane potentials which are displayed by nerve and muscle cells during the refractory period

47
Q

Nerve

A

bundle of neuron fibers connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body

48
Q

neural firing

A

initiation of an action potential by a neuron

49
Q

Neurogenesis

A

process by which the brain can replace damaged neurons with newer ones

50
Q

neurological soft signs

A

neurological abnormalities

51
Q

Neuron

A

nerve cell that makes up the nervous system

52
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

electrochemical messenger that travels across the synaptic gaps between neuron

53
Q

norepinephrine/noradrenaline

A

hormone responsible for alertness and arousal

54
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A

part of nervous system that calms down the body and conserves energy

55
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

part of nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body

56
Q

positron emission tomography (PET) scan

A

visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes in the brain

57
Q

pineal gland

A

“internal clock” within the brain

58
Q

receptor sites

A

places on the soma where neurotransmitters can bind

59
Q

reflex arc

A

neural pathway that controls a reflex

60
Q

resting potential

A

state of the electrochemical gradient such that the + charged ions are outside and the - charged ions are inside the axon membrane

61
Q

reticular activating system (RAS)

A

neurons in the brainstem that play a role in arousal and sleep-wake transitions

62
Q

sensory (afferent) neurons

A

carry information from sensory receptors to the CNS

63
Q

Serotonin

A

neurotransmitter connected to mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

64
Q

Soma

A

cell body of neuron

65
Q

somatic nervous system

A

part of nervous system dealing with the voluntary responses of the body

66
Q

spinal nerves

A

nerves connecting the spine to the body

67
Q

split-brain operation subcortex

A

cutting the corpus callosum to split the two hemispheres of the brain in half and relieving seizures

68
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A

part of nervous system that arouses the body and expends energy

69
Q

Synapse

A

meeting point between neurons

70
Q

terminal buttons

A

bulblike structures at the ends of axon terminals that hold vesicles for neurotransmitter transport

71
Q

Threshold

A

level of stimulation where the excitatory signals overtake the inhibitory signals and create an action potential

72
Q

thyroid gland

A

gland in neck regulating metabolism and heat production

73
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

area of left temporal lobe involved in language comprehension

74
Q

Paul Broca

A

a french physician and anatomist known for the discovery of Broca’s area for speech and aphasia as well

75
Q

Michael Gazzaniga

A

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

76
Q

Roger Sperry

A

discovered that the human brain was split into two parts- the right and left hemispheres

77
Q

Carl Wernicke

A

german neuropsychiatrist who made advances in brain anatomy and pathology, is known for being named after the Wernicke’s area of the brain

78
Q

How do nerve cells operate and communicate?

A

Nerve cells operate via action potentials, and they communicate using neurotransmitters

79
Q

What are the functions of major parts of the nervous system?

A

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

80
Q

How do we know how the brain works ?

A

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.

81
Q

How is the brain organized, and what do its higher structures do?

A

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.

82
Q

Why are the brain’s association areas important? What happens when they are injured?

A

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

83
Q

What kinds of behaviors are controlled by the subcortex?

A

Behaviors controlled by the subcortex include sex, rage, temperature control, hormone release, eating and drinking, sleep, waking, and emotion.

84
Q

How does the endocrine system affect behavior?

A

It secretes hormones that influence behaviors such as stress, fight or flight, and others

85
Q

How do drugs affect brain function?

A

Drugs imitate the brain’s natural chemicals overwork it and overuse the reward system

86
Q

Are injuries that create brain damage always permanent?

A

No; sometimes the brain can repair itself or at least reorganize itself if damaged via neurogenesis and plasticity principles

AP Psychology (19 decks)

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