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SS Research KAP- Final RW > Unit 3- Biological Basis of behavior > Flashcards

Unit 3- Biological Basis of behavior Flashcards

1
Q

What are the building blocks of the body’s neural information system (nervous system) ?

A

Neurons or nerve cells

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2
Q

What are dendrites?

A

Branching extensions of a neuron that receives information from other cells and conducts it toward the cell body

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3
Q

What is the axon?

A

A neuron extension passing messages from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

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4
Q

What encases an axon?

A

Myelin sheath, a layer of fatty tissue that insulates them and speeds their impulses

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5
Q

What is the action potential?

A

A brief electrical charge that travels down the axon; a neural impulse

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6
Q

What is the refractory period?

A

A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired.

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7
Q

What does threshold mean?

A

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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8
Q

The neuron’s action is an ___ ___ _____ response

A

all or none

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9
Q

What is the synapse?

A

A tiny gap at the junction between the axon terminal and dendrites of the receiving neuron

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10
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Chemical messengers that cross the synapses between neurons

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11
Q

What is reuptake?

A

A neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron neuron

The sending neuron reabsorbs the excess neurotransmitters

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12
Q

What does the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine do? Give an example of a malfunction.

A

Enables muscle action, learning, and memory.

AC-h producing neurons deteriorate in those with Alzheimer’s disease

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13
Q

What does the neurotransmitter dopamine do? Give an example of a malfunction.

A

Influences learning, movement, attention, and emotion.

Oversupply is linked to schizophrenia, undersupply is linked to decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease.

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14
Q

What does the neurotransmitter serotonin do? Give an example of a malfunction.

A

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.

Undersupply linked to depression, some antidepressant drugs raise serotonin levels.

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15
Q

What does the neurotransmitter norepinephrine do? Give an example of a malfunction.

A

Helps control alertness and arousal.

Undersupply can depress mood.

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16
Q

What does the neurotransmitter GABA do? Give an example of a malfunction.

A

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter.

Undersupply linked to insomnia, tremors, and seizures.

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17
Q

What does the neurotransmitter Glutamate do? Give an example of a malfunction.

A

A major excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in memory.

Oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines or seizures, which is why some avoid foods with MSG.

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18
Q

What are endorphins?

A

natural neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure.

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19
Q

What is an agonist?

A

A molecule that mimics the effects of a neurotransmitters

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20
Q

What is an antagonist?

A

A molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s functioning.

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21
Q

What is the central nervous system?

A

Includes the brain and spinal cord, it is the nervous system’s decision maker.

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22
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system?

A

Connects the CNS to the rest of the body through nerves

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23
Q

What are the two main divisions of the PNS?

A

-Somatic nervous system; enables voluntary control of the skeletal muscle

-Autonomic nervous system; controls the involuntary muscles and glands by means of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.

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24
Q

What are the three types of neurons?

A

Sensory- carry info from sense receptors to the brain and spinal cord

Motor- carry info from brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

Interneurons- communicate with brain and spinal cord and between sensory and motor neurons

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25
Q

What is the endocrine system?

A

A set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream where they travel through the body and affect other tissues, including the brain.

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26
Q

What do the adrenal glands do?

A

Release hormones that trigger the fight or flight response.

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27
Q

What is the endocrine system’s master gland?

A

Pituitary gland- produces and releases different hormones that help carry out important bodily functions.

Ex.: Growth, sexual/reproductive development and functions, metabolism

28
Q

The ____________ influences the pituitary gland

A

hypothalamus

29
Q

What is the difference between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?

A

sympathetic- arouses and expends energy

parasympathetic- calms the body & conserves energy

30
Q

What are reflexes?

A

Our automatic responses to stimuli.

Ex.: Knee-jerk

31
Q

What does the thyroid gland regulate?

A

metabolism

32
Q

What is the process of lesioning?

A

Tissue destruction.

33
Q

What is an electroencephalogram?

A

A recording of the waves of electrical activity across the brain’s surface, which are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

34
Q

What is a CT (computed tomography) scan?

A

Examines the brain by taking x-ray photographs

35
Q

What is a PET (Positron emission tomography) scan?

A

Depicts brain activity by detecting radioactive forms of glucose

36
Q

What is an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan?

A

Uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissues and show brain anatomy.

37
Q

What is a fMRI?

A

Reveals the brain’s functioning as well as structure.

Reveals bloodflow and brain activity

38
Q

What is the brainstem?

A

Oldest and central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival functions

39
Q

What is the medulla?

A

The base of the brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing

40
Q

Located above the medulla is the pons, what do they do?

A

Help coordinate movements

41
Q

On the top of the brainstem is the thalamus, what does it do?

A

The brain’s sensory control center, directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

42
Q

In the brainstem located between your ears is the reticular formation, what does it do?

A

A neuron network that extends from the spinal cord right up through the thalamus.

Plays and important role in controlling arousal

43
Q

What does the hypothalamus do?

A

Lies below the thalamus, influences hunger/eating, thirst, body temp., and sexual behavior

Also helps govern the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

44
Q

What is the cerebellum?

A

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem

Responsible for processing sensory input, coordinating movement and balance, and enabling non verbal learning and memory.

44
Q

What is the limbic system?

A

limbus, meaning border, includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus

associated with emotions and drives (amygdala), processes conscious memories, form new memories, facts, or events (hippocampus)

45
Q

What are glial cells?

A

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons, also play a role in thinking and learning.

45
Q

What are the four lobes of your brain?

A

-frontal (behind your forehead)
-parietal (at the top and rear)
-occipital (back of your head)
-temporal (just above your ears)

46
Q

What is the motor cortex?

A

An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movement

47
Q

What is the somatosensory cortex?

A

Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

48
Q

What are association areas?

A

Areas of the cerebral cortex not involved in primary motor or sensory functions

They are involved in higher mental functions such a learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.

49
Q

What is plasticity?

A

The brain’s ability to change by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

50
Q

What is neurogenesis?

A

The formation of new neurons

51
Q

What do the frontal lobes do?

A

Involved in speaking and muscle movements, making plans and judgements

52
Q

What do the parietal lobes do?

A

Receives sensory input for touch and body position

53
Q

What do the occipital lobes do?

A

Receive info from the visual fields

54
Q

What do the temporal lobes do?

A

Auditory, each receiving info from the opposite ear

55
Q

What is the corpus callosum?

A

The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

56
Q

What is split brains?

A

A condition resulting from surgery that isolates the two brain hemispheres by cutting the fibers of the corpus callosum.

57
Q

What is dual processing?

A

Information is simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

58
Q

What does the left hemisphere process?

A

Speech, logic, analytical thinking

59
Q

What does the right hemisphere process?

A

Making inferences, creativity, attention, memory, intuitive, artistic

60
Q

Genes make up ___________, the thread like coils of ___

A

chromosomes

DNA

61
Q

What do behavior geneticists do?

A

Analyze genetic and environmental influences on our traits.

62
Q

Shared family environments have little effect on ___________, and the stability of a ____________, suggests a _________ predisposition.

A

personality x2

genetic

63
Q

What do molecular geneticists do?

A

Study the molecular structure and function of genes, including those that affect behavior

64
Q
A
65
Q

What is heritability?

A

The extent to which variation among members of a group can be attributed to genes.

SS Research KAP- Final RW (4 decks)

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