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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

neuron

A

a nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system

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2
Q

cell body/soma

A

the part of the neuron that contains the nucleus, the cell’s life-support center

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3
Q

dendrites

A

bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

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4
Q

axon

A

attached to the soma, the neuron extension that passes messages through its messages

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5
Q

terminal branches

A

located at the end of the soma, these hold synaptic vessels that store neurotransmitters

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6
Q

myelin sheath

A

the fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; increases transmission speed and provides insulation, and play a role in motor skills

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7
Q

gilal cells

A

cells that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

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8
Q

action potential

A

an electrical signal that neurons communicate through, based on movement of ions between the outside and inside of the cell

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9
Q

threshold

A

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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10
Q

refractory period

A

a resting pause the neuron must take in between communications, until the axon returns to its resting state

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11
Q

all-or-none response

A

more stimulation does NOT produce a more intense neural response: instead, the neuron’s reaction is all-or-none, meaning they fire or they don’t

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12
Q

synapse

A

the junction between the axon and tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron; the tiny gap is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

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13
Q

acetylcholine (ACh)

A

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

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14
Q

What happens with ACh in Alzhemiers’ disease?

A

ACh-producing neurons deteriorate

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15
Q

dopamine

A

the neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

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16
Q

What does an oversupply/undersupply of dopamine lead to?

A

an oversupply of dopamine is linked to schizophrenia; an undersupply of dopamine is linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease

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17
Q

serotonin

A

the neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

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18
Q

What does an undersupply of serotonin lead to?

A

an undersupply of serotonin is linked to depression; some drugs that raise serotonin levels are used to treat depression

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19
Q

norepinephrine

A

the neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal; an undersupply of norepinephrine is linked to a depressed mood

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20
Q

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

A

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

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21
Q

glutamate

A

a major memor and excitatory neurotransmitter

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21
Q

What does an undersupply of GABA lead to?

A

an undersupply of GABA is linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia

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22
Q

What does an oversupply of glutamate lead to?

A

an oversupply of glutamate leads to overstimulation of the brain, producing migranes or seizures (which is why some people avoid MSG, monosodium gluamate, in their food)

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23
Q

endorphins

A

neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure

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24
Q

reuptake

A

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

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25
Q

agonist

A

a drug that excites neuron firing by increasing a neurotransmitter’s action

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26
Q

antagonist

A

a drug that inhibits or blocks neuron firing, and can also work by blocking reputake

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27
Q

nervous system

A

the body’s electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

28
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A

made up of the brain and the spinal cord, the CNS is the decision-maker, responsible for coordinating incoming sensory messages and outgoing motor messages

29
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A

made up of sensory and motor neurons, the peripheral nervous system connects the body to the CNS by gathering information from the senses and transmitting messages from the CNS

30
Q

nerves

A

bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the CNS with muscles, glands, and sense organs

31
Q

sensory (afferent) neurons

A

these enter the brain, contain afferent nerve fibers, and carry information from the sense organs to the CNS

32
Q

motor (efferent) neurons

A

these leave the brain, contain efferent neurons, and carry information from the CNS to our muscles and glands

33
Q

interneurons

A

transmits impulses and enables communication between the sensory and the motor neurons

34
Q

somatic nervous system

A

controls the body’s skeletal muscles, also called the skeletal nervous system

35
Q

autonomic nervous system

A

controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart), functions automatically

36
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A

arouses the body, mobilizing its energy, [fight, flight, or freeze] –> accelerates heartbeat, raises blood pressure, slows digestion, raises blood sugar, and cools the body off

37
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A

calms the body, conserving its energy [rest or digest] –> decelerates heartbeat, lowers blood pressure, stimulates digestion, and processes waste,

38
Q

reflex

A

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk reaction

39
Q

endocrine system

A

the body’s “slow” chemical communication network: a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

40
Q

hormones

A

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel, through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

41
Q

adrenal glands

A

these glands release epinephrine and norepinephrine to energize the body when the sympathetic nervous sytem is activated

42
Q

pituitary gland

A

the endocrine system’s most influential gland –> the hypothalamus directs the pituitary gland to regulate growth and control other endocrine glands

43
Q

lesion

A

brain tissue is destroyed and researchers study the impact on functioning

44
Q

EEG

A

a recording of the waves of electrical activity across the brain’s surface measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

45
Q

MEG

A

a brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brain’s natural electrical activity

46
Q

CT scan

A

x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by a computer to show a slice of the brain’s structure; show structural damage

47
Q

PET scan

A

a visual display of brain activity that detects where one radioactive glucose goes while the brain performs a given task; shows activity

48
Q

MRI

A

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of brain anatomy –> performs the same function as a CT scan but an MRI is more detailed

49
Q

fMRI

A

a measure of blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans to show brain function and structure; shows damage

50
Q

brainstem

A

the primitive brain with simple structures, like motor skills

51
Q

medulla

A

at the base of the brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing

52
Q

thalamus

A

at the tip of the brainstem, the relay station for incoming and outcoming sensory information (except smell)

53
Q

reticular formation

A

nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; helps control arousal and filters incoming sensory stimuli

54
Q

cerebellum

A

at the rear of the brainstem, processes sensory input, coordinating movement and balance, nonverbal learning, and implicit memory

55
Q

limbic system

A

mammal brain with complex structures like motion, memory, and instinctual responses; the human reward system

56
Q

amygdala

A

two lima-bean-sized neural clusters linked to emotion, fear, and aggression; fight-or-flight response

57
Q

hypothalamus

A

below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, and body temperatures, and helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, linked to emotion and reward; both a part of the CNS and the endocrine system

58
Q

cerebral cortex

A

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center –> 20-23 billion nerve cells & 300 trillion synaptic connections, divided into four regions called lobes

59
Q

frontal lobes

A

involved in speaking, motor movements, judgment, and decision-making, emotional regulation

60
Q

parietal lobes

A

receives and processes sensory input for touch and body position; our sensory cortex and motor cortex are located here

61
Q

occipital lobes

A

each lobe receives visual information, primarily from the opposite visual field –> visual cortex

62
Q

temporal lobes

A

each lobe receives auditory information, primarily from the opposite ear; reading lips to understand what another person is saying –> auditory cortex

63
Q

motor cortex

A

controls voluntary movements from the opposite side

64
Q

somatosensory cortex

A

registers information from the skin senses and body movement for the opposite side

65
Q

association areas

A

most of the brain’s cortex which integrates information involved in learning, remembering, thinking, and other high-level functions; attention is shifted, and planning occurs; these are not specifically devoted to motor or sensory cortex functions, and are difficult to map

66
Q

plasticity

A

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing itself after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

67
Q

neurogenesis

A

the brain producing new neurons in order to mend itself

AP Psychology (5 decks)

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