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Psych > Unit 3 (Biological Basics of Behavior) > Flashcards

Unit 3 (Biological Basics of Behavior) Flashcards

1
Q

Neurons

A

the building blocks of our nervous system (Santiago Ramon y Cajal is the first one to discover that we have many neurons, and ended up drawing a bunch of pictures of them since there weren’t camera’s attached to microscopes at the time)

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2
Q

Dendrites

A

receive signals

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3
Q

Cell body

A

maintains cell life

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4
Q

Axon

A

send signals electrically

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5
Q

Myelin

A

insulate axon

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6
Q

Axon terminal

A

send signals chemically

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7
Q

Resting potential

A

stored energy that results from the separation of positive and negative ions across the axon’s membrane

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8
Q

Action potential

A

a brief change in electrical charge

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9
Q

Neutral threshold

A

the minimum amount of stimulation needed to fire an action potential

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10
Q

Oligodendrocytes

A

These myelinate axons in the central nervous system

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11
Q

Schwann cells

A

These myelinate axons in the PNS

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12
Q

Node of Ranvier

A

Saltatory conduction, AP jumps from node to node

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13
Q

Unmyelinated axon

A

These can signal at speeds of 0.5 m/s (1 mph)

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14
Q

Myelinated axon

A

These can signal at speeds of 150 m/s (335 mph)

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15
Q

Acetylchilne

A

Activates the muscles and is involved in memory and learning (Alzheimer’s disease)

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16
Q

Dopamine

A

Vital for voluntary movement, attention, emotion, and motivation (Addiction, Schizophrenia, Parkinson’s Disease)

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17
Q

Seratonin

A

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal (Depression)

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18
Q

Norepinephrine (Adrenaline)

A

Helps control alertness and arousal (Depression. Anxiety

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19
Q

GABA

A

Major inhibitor neurotransmitter (Seizures, Anxiety)

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20
Q

Glutamate

A

Major excitatory neurotransmitter (Seizures, Migranes)

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21
Q

EFG (electroencephalogram)

A

Electrodes attached to the skull to record brain activity (functional)

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22
Q

CT (computed tomography) scan

A

Computer enhanced X-ray technique (structure)

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23
Q

PET (positron emission tomography) scan

A

Computer generated image of the brain, formed by measuring a radioactive tracer (often glucose)

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24
Q

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

A

Computer generated image of the brain, formed by measuring the blood flow (function)

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25
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A

Controls the brain and the spinal cord

26
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A

All neurons not within the brain and spinal cord. Nerves in the PNS have the ability to regrow, regenerate, or reattach if served or damaged

27
Q

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

A

Carries into from sensory organs to CNS and relays motor commands from CNS to muscles

28
Q

Automatic Nervous System (ANS)

A

Regulates involuntary bodily processes, including heart rate, respiration, and digestion

29
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

“Fight-or-Flight”; Mobilizes bodily resources in response to threat by speeding up heart rate and respiration and drawing energy from bodily reserves (getting stressed)

30
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

Replenishes bodily resources by promoting digestion and slowing down other bodily procedures (calming down)

31
Q

Spinal Cord

A

Communication (Passes messages from body to brain, and from brain to body)
Integrative functions (Mediates spinal reflexes - simple, automatic behaviors that occur without conscious voluntary action. This does not include the brain. Only the spinal cord.)

32
Q

Medulla

A

Conveys sensory information from the spinal cord to the forebrain; control of basic bodily processes including heart rate, breathing, and certain reflexes

33
Q

Cross laterality

A

Each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body

34
Q

Pons

A

Conveying sensory information from the spinal cord to the forebrain; regulation of states of wakefulness and sleep

35
Q

cerebellum

A

Motor/movement (this is the first area of the brain where functions are affected after an injury to the brain)

36
Q

Reticular formation

A

Filter of sensory info. Works with pons for alertness

37
Q

Basal Ganglia

A

Movement. Uses dopamine –> Parkinson’s

38
Q

Limbic system

A

Emotion, Memory (Amygdala, Hypothalamus, and Hippocampus)

39
Q

Amygdala

A

Emotional response + FEAR

40
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Master regulator. Pituitary gland - Master gland (all basic drives - hunger, thirst, sleep, sex, temperature)

41
Q

Hippocampus

A

Memory formation/ Consolidation (example: Patient HM)

42
Q

Thalamos

A

Post office. Receives and sends signals

43
Q

Corpus Callosum

A

Connects the left and right brain

44
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

Large outer covering of the brain that is the seat of voluntary action and cognitive function. Two hemispheres connected by the corpus callosum.

45
Q

Left hemisphere

A

Language and right side of the body

46
Q

Right hemisphere

A

Visual, spatial processing, and left side of the body

47
Q

Hemispherectomy

A

Involves surgically removing an entire brain hemisphere

48
Q

Split brain procedure

A

Involves surgically removing the corpus callosum

49
Q

Frontal lobe

A

Planning motor

50
Q

Temporal lobe

A

Hearing, memory, learning, emotion

51
Q

Pariental lobe

A

Body sensations

52
Q

Occipital lobe

A

Vision

53
Q

Motor cortex

A

Movement

54
Q

Broca’s area

A

Speech production

55
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

Understanding language

56
Q

Sphasia

A

Language difficulty

57
Q

Broca aphasia

A

Able to understand language but cannot speak (aka non-fluent)

58
Q

Endocrine System

A

Set of glands that release hormones into the blood (hypothalamus regulates the pituitary gland which releases hormones)(Adrenal glands -> fight of flight)

59
Q

Nature or Nurture Debate

A

Is it genetic or learned? -> Is it genetic or the result of an experience? -> How much of it is genetic, and how much of it is the result of experience?

60
Q

Epigenetics

A

Modifying expressions of genes

61
Q

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

A

Condition in which the body can’t break down an amino acid (phenylalanine)

Psych (6 decks)

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