Week 3 Flashcards
What does biological psychology study ?
Studies the
relationship between
the nervous system
and behaviour
What is phrenology?
It is a brain mapping method and was one of the earliest ones.
Thought that skull shape reflected brain size and cognitive function
Discredited by mid 1800s (linked to eugenics)
Which brain techniques involve radiation?
CT Scan
PET Scan
Which brain techniques involve magnetic fields
MRI
FMRI
Which brain imaging techniques involve electric activity
EEG
Explain CT Scan
Computerized tomography : Involves x rays and creates an image through x rays passing through varied densities within the brain,, can used to show brain tumors
What is PET Scan
Positron Emission Tomography :
Helpful for showing brain activity
Involves injection of mildly radioactive substance and monitoring changes in blood flow to different brain areas
What is MRI & FMRI
Magnetic resonance imaging :
MAgnetic fields used to produce picture of tissue
Functional MRI shows changes in metabolic activity over time
What is EEG
Electroencephalography : Recording electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on scalp
EEG research can study precise timing of overall brain activity by tracking amplitude and frequency
Hard to study small areas
What is MEG
Magnetoencephalography : Measures tiny magentic fields generated by the brain, used to identify location of epilepsy related seizures
What is DBS
Deep brain stimulation : Modify brain function through implanted electrodes, used to treat disorders ( ex; parkinsons, depression etc)
What is TMS
Transcranial magnetic stimulation : Applies strong and quickly changing magnetic fields to the surface of the skull that can either enhance or interrupt brain function
Is brain imaging photo s of the brain in action ?
NO
What could brain area activtity on brain scan mean ?
That neurons are inhibiting rather than exciting
What are action potentials ?
Nerve impulse or electrical signals that travel down an axon
What are glial cells
Support, nourish & protect neurons
Where do neurons meet ?
Synapses
How do neurons communicate ?
Through neurotransmission
What are neurons and what are they specialized in ?
They are nerve cells and specialize in communication with each other, they also transmit information in the form of electrical signals
What is the cell body (soma)
Centre of neuron, builds new cell componentds
What are axons ?
Tails that transmit info
What are synapses (synaptic clef)
Space between neurons through which NT travel
What is a dendrite
Branchlike extension that receive infromation
What is an axon terminal
Knob at the end of the axon containing synaptic vesicles filled with neurotransmitters
What are glial cells
They play a valuable support role, involved in psychological functioning (ex; make mylein) They are bodyguards and feed & protect.
What is myelin sheath
Fatty insulation from glial cells surrounding axon
What is multiple sclerosis
Loss of myelin causes erratic signals
Explain step by step how a neuron fires
The electrical impulse is called the action potential.
- Resting potential
Neuron is polarized (negative inside, positive outside)
Selectively permeable-gates dont allow sodium ions to pass through - Action potential, brief electrical charge that travels down neuron
Transmits neural messages to other neurons, muscles etc..
When stimulated, neuron depolarized
All or none law
Frequency = intensity
- Repolarization
Potassium flows out, repolarizing the axon (Ka+) - Return to resting potential
- Refractory period
Brief period of time where neuron wont fire no matter how much stimulation
How does electrochemical communication work ?
When an electrical signal reaches the end of an axon, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse.
Neurotransmitters then bind to receptors of receiving neurons, dendrites, transmitting the signal
What is an excitatory message ?
Messages that make it more likely a neuron will fire
What is inhibitory message ?
Messages that make it less likely that neuron will fire
What are neurotransmitters ?
Chemical messengers that help neurons communicate wiht each other
What do neurotransmitters influence or do ?
- Influence emotions & mood (serotonin &
dopamine) - Control movement (acetylcholine)
- Regulate sleep and alertness (GABA &
norepinephrine) - Learning & memory (glutamate)
- Implicated in mental illness
What is release in the context of neurotransmission ?
Release
- Action potential triggers
neurotransmitter (NT) released
from vesicles into the synaptic
cleft. - NTs bind to receptors on the
postsynaptic neuron (lock and
key
What is reuptake in context of neurotransmission ?
Excess NTs are removed by
drifting away, being broken down,
or reabsorbed.
* Reuptake: NTs are taken back
into the presynaptic neuron
(recycling!)
* Some drugs (e.g., cocaine) block
reuptake, prolonging NT effects
What is an agonist
Mimic or enhance the effect of a neurotransmitter
What is an antagonist
Block or impedes the normal activity of a neurotransmitter
What is schizophrenia associated with and what medecine is prescribed ?
Schizophrenia associated with excess dopamine —> dopamine antagonists prescribed (antipsychotic medication)
What is parkinsons associated with and what is prescribed ?
Parkinson’s associated with low dopamine —> prescribed dopamine
agonist
Name all neurotransmitters
Glutamate
GABA
Acetylcholine
Dopamine
Serotonin
Anandamines
Glutamate and GABA + explain who is inhibitoy and excitatory
Most common NTS
Associated with learning and memory
Glutamate is excitatory and increases the chance neurons will communicate
Toxic in high doses, may contribute to shizophrenia and other mental disorders
GABA is inhibitory , dampening neural activity
What is acetylcholine and which condition is it related to
Arousal, selective attention, memory,
sleep
* Anticholinergic: Benadryl, unison
* Increased risk of dementia
* Alzheimer’s —> neurons containing
acetylcholine are destroyed, leads to
memory loss
* Aricept -> boosts acetylcholine levels
* Insecticide limits breakdown (more
acetylcholine
What is dopamine and which conditions is it related to ?
Pleasure and reward,
voluntary movement
* Attention
* Parkinson’s à deficit of
dopamine
* Schizophrenia +
symptoms à excess
dopamine
What is serotonin and which medical condition is it related to
Sleeping, eating, mood, pain,
depression
* Increase serotonin by: eating
foods rich in tryptophan, working
out, “runner’s high”, light exposure
Depression drugs act on
serotonin – increase availability
* MDMA causes massive release,
empties tank
What is Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for and what does it do ?
Used to treat depression
* Blocks reuptake of
serotonin
What is neural plasticity
The brain is adaptable and can change
What is myelination :
makes neurons faster,
brain regions more efficient
What is pruning
Reorganizing to make bain more efficient! Remove some synaptic
connections (e.g., pruning an apple
tree)
What is hindbrain and what does it do ?
Reptilian/primitive brain
* Controls basic functions like eating, sleeping
What is medulla
Vital functions like controlling heartbeat, m uscles involced with breathing, vomiting, blood prssure, swallowing etc
What is pons
Sleep & arousal
What is cerebellum
Motor coordination
What is reticular activating system ?
key in arousal
(regulating sleep & wakefulness), directing
attention, - dysregulated in ADHD brains
What is the cerebral cortex / what is it responsible for
Higher mental
processes (sense, self,
reasoning)
* Consists of two
cerebral
hemispheres (4
lobes) connected by
the corpus callosum
* Contralateral control
What are the lobes
Part of the cerebral cortex
Frontal : Planning, decision making
Parietal : Sesnation
Temporal : auditory
Occipital : Vision
What is laterilization
Cognitive function that relies more on one side of the brain than the other
What is the left hemisphere responisble for
Fine tuned language skills : Speech comprehension, prodution, reading, writting etc
Actions : Making facial expressions
Motion detection
What is the right hemisphere responsible for
Coarse language skills : Simple speech, simple writting, tone of voice
Visuospatial skills : Perceptual grouping, face perception
What is the split brain surgery
Procedure that involves
severing the corpus callosum to reduce the
spread of epileptic seizures
What is the frontal lobe responsible for and what are the areas in it ?
Responsible for planning, executive functions, motor ..
Broca’s area: language
production
Motor cortex: responsible for
body movement
Prefrontal cortex: thinking,
planning and language, the
“CEO”
What is the midbrain
Controls movement and transmits information that enables seeing and hearing
What does the forebrain do
Manages complex associative functions, cognitive, sensory, and voluntary motor activities.
What are the major components of the forebrain
Cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system
What is the PFC important for ?
Thoughtful decisions, controlling impulses, regulating emotions
Where do people with psychopathic traits have reduced activities ?
Prefrontal cortex
What is the somatosensory cortex ?
Part of the pareital lobe and it is sensitive to prpessure, pain and temperature
What is the temporal lobe responsible for and what does it contain ?
Hearing, understanding language, storing autobiographical memories. IT also contains the auditory cortex and Wernickes area, responsible for language comprehension
What is the occipital lobe responsible for and where is it located
Specialized for vision processing and
higher-order visual functions (e.g.,
recognizing complex shapes)
* Located at the back of the brain
Damage to which lobe can lead to prosopagnosia (face blindness), visual agnosia
Occipital lobe
What is the limbic system and what does it contain
It is the emotional center - also plays a role in smell, motivation, and memory
Contains the hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, and thalamus
What is the hypothalamus
Regulates and controls internal bodily states (homeostasis) controls pituitary gland .. Body temperature, hunger, thirst, sexual behavior etc
What is a thalamus
relays information from
the sense organs to primary sensory
cortex
Amygdala
Plays key role in fear, agression, excitement and arousal if this area is damaged, it makes it impossible to recognize facial expressions for threat/distress
Hippocampus
Responsible for spatial memory, damage causes inability to form new memories
What is the primary communication system of the body
Nervous system
What is the endocrine system
Second communication system
What is a part of the peripheral nervous system ?
Somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system
What does the somatic nervous system do
Conveys info from CNS to muscles
What does the autonomic nervous system do
controls all the involuntary movements of the body
Which system are the sympathethic nervous system and parasympathethic nervous system a part of ?
They are a part of the Autonomic nervous system
What is sympathethic nervous system responsible for ?
Fight or flight
What is parasympathetic responsible for
rest & digest
How does a polygraph work ?
It uses physiological measurements linked to ANS
What is the endocrine system
Series of glands that produce hormones to regulate normal bodily functions, regulate emotions
What does the hypothalamus do in the endocrine system ?
It links the nervous system and endocrine system via the pituitary gland
What does the pineal gland do in the endocrine system
Secretes melatonin - can calcify with age or Alzheimer
What is the pituary gland
Controlled by the hypothalamus
* In turn, controls the other glands in the body
* Releases hormones that influence growth, blood pressure, and other
functions
What is oxytocin
Responsible for numerous reproductive functions, implicated in
maternal and romantic love
* May be key in trust
