Unit 3- Biological Bases of Behavior (modules 9-14) Flashcards
somatic nervous system function:
controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles
aka of somatic nervous system
skeletal nervous system
autonomic nervous system function
controls self regulated action of internal organs and glands
parasympathetic nervous system function:
calms you down and conserves energy. you should typically be calm!
sympathetic nervous system function:
mobilizes in stressful situations arouses/ try’s to mobilizes the body (fight or flight)
3 types of neurons:
sensory, motor, and interneurons
sensory neurons:
carry incoming info from sensory receptors to brain and spinal cord (ex: crash course -> learn it)
motor (efferent) neurons:
carry out info from brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands (“oh ____on their phone?” moultons gonna slap them!”
interneurons neurons
communicate internally (in brain and spinal cord) and they intervene- goes with spinal reflex (ex: touch flame, spinal cord makes you move away before brain even knows)
dopamine
movement, learning attention, and emotions (too much = schizophrenia, not enough = parkinson’s)
serotonin
affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal (not enough = depression, wounds don’t heal as well)
norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal (not enough = depression)
GABA
a major inhibitory neurotransmitter (not enough = seizures)
acetylcholine
enables muscle action, learning, and memory (low on it = more likely to get alzheimer’s)
endorphins
morphine within. linked to pain control and pleasure.
glutamate
a major excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in memory (too much overstimulates brain, migraine or seizures)
agonists
a molecule that by binding to a receptor site will stimulate a response (“hug 4 responses?”)
antagonists
a molecule that by binding to a receptor site, inhibits a response (“hug 4 no response?”)
medulla
base of brainstorm. controls heartbeat and breathing
pons
unconscious movement from sleeping to breathing
cerebellum
“little brain”- processing sensory inputs, coordinates movement output and balance. enables nonverbal learning and movement
reticular formation
“information highway” nerve network controls arousal (in brainstem)
brainstem
oldest part of brain, responsible for automatic survival functions
thalamus
sensory switch board. directs messages to sensory receiving areas in cortex and transmits replies to cerebellum and medulla (on top of brainstem)
MRI
uses magnetic fields and radio waves to make computer generated images of soft tissue to show brain anatomy
fMRI
reveals blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans shows function and structure
CAT
X ray pics of different angles compiled together to show your whole
PET
visual display of brain activity, detects where radioactivity form of glucose goes while brain performs tasks (usually used to find cancer)
EEG
recording of brain waves on brains surface. measured by electrodes placed on scalp
lesioning
tissue destruction. brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue
corpus callosum
axon fibers connecting 2 hemispheres and has them communicate
cerebral cortex
the intricate fabric of interconnected nueral cells covering the hemispheres. (Body’s ultimate control and information processing center)
limbic system
donut shaped neural system. located below cerebral hemisphere. associated with emotions and drives
hippocampus
conscious memory- stores new memories facts or events
thalamus
sensory switch board. directs messages to sensory receiving areas in cortex and transmits replies to cerebellum and medulla
hypothalamus
body maintenance
amygdala
emotions aggression and fear. fight or flight (2 lima bean sized neuron clusters in limbic system)
spinal cord
pathway for neural fibers traveling to and from brain. controls simple reflex’s
adrenal gland
sits above kidneys, secrete hormones helps arouse body in times of stress
pituitary gland
MASTER GLAND. regulate s growth and controls other endocrine glands controlled by hypothalamus
endocrine system
the body’s slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that secret hormones into bloodstream
thyroid
affect metabolism
central and peripheral
main parts of nervous system
spinal reflex
simple automatic response to a sensory stimulus such as a knee jerk response
action potential
neural impulse- electrical charge traveling down the axon (process of it happening)
stimulus threshold
the level required to trigger a neural impulse
all-or-none law
a neurons reaction of either firing (w/ full strength responses or not firing) Ex: flush toilet
resting potential
negative neurons inside axon. postive neurons outside axons (nothing comes through)
synapse
(the gap) the junction between axon tip of the sending neuron and dendrite/ cell body of recieving
neurotransmitter
chemical messengers that cross the synapse gap between neurons
reuptake
a neurotransmitters reabsorbtion by the sending neuron
depolarization
a change (super fast)
plasticity
brains ability to change especially during childhood by reorganizing after damage or by building new habits pathways based on experience
