Biological Psych - Systems in the body Flashcards

1
Q

Nature and nurture

A
  • Impossible to separate genetic influences from environmental influences
  • They can work together to determine human behaviour
    Ex. Caspi et al
    MAO-A gene
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2
Q

Epigenetics

A

Changes in gene expression that are due to non-genetic (‘epi’=outer) influences

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3
Q

Heredity

A

The genetic transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring

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4
Q

Heritability

A
  • An estimate of the genetic proportion of the variation in some specific trait
  • Within a particular population, not an individual
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5
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A
  • Somatic nervous system
  • Automatic nervous system
    -> Sympathetic nervous system
    -> Parasympathetic nervous system
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6
Q

Central nervous system

A

Brain and spinal cord

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7
Q

Neurons

A
  • The basic unit of the nervous system
  • Operate through electrical impulses
  • Communicate with other neurons through chemical signals
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8
Q

Types of neurons

A
  • Sensory neurons (afferent neurons)
  • Motor neurons (efferent neurons)
  • Interneurons
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9
Q

How do neurons communicate?

A
  • Via the action potential
  • The neural impulse that passes along the axon and subsequently causes the release of chemicals from the terminal buttons
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10
Q

Resting potential

A

Polarized state (more negative inside the cell, approximately -70mV)

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11
Q

Excitatory signals

A

Increase the likelihood that the neuron will fire

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12
Q

Inhibitory signals

A

Decrease the likelihood that the neuron will fire

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13
Q

How do neurons fire?

A

By affecting the polarization of the cell

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14
Q

All-or-none principle

A
  • A neuron fires with the same magnitude each time (it either fires or does not fire)
  • But how frequently the neuron fires can vary
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15
Q

When do neurons generate an action potential?

A

If the excitatory input (depolarization) reaches a certain threshold (ex. -55mV)

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16
Q

Resting state (resting potential)

A
  • Neurons are polarized at rest (resting membrane potential ~70mV)
  • The inside of the cell is more negative than the outside
  • Also, relatively more sodium (Na+) outside and more potassium (K+) inside
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17
Q

Depolarization

A
  • If the neuron reaches its excitatory threshold, it will fully depolarize (generate an action potential)
  • All or none principle
  • Na+ channels open and the charge across the membrane reverses -> becomes more positive inside the cell, due to influx of Na+
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18
Q

Peak action potential and hyperpolarization

A
  • At the peak of the action potential, Na+ channels will close and K+ channels will open, allowing K+ to leave the cell -> this outflowing of K+ actually leads to a temporary hyperpolarization, during which the cell cannot fire (refractory period)
  • K+ channels close, and the cell returns to its (Polarized) resting state
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19
Q

Neurotransmitters

A
  • Are chemical substances that carry signals from one neuron to another
  • Are stored in vesicles (small packages) inside the terminal buttons
20
Q

Glatumate

A

Primary excitatory neurotransmitter

21
Q

GABA

A

Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter

22
Q

Serotonin

A

Mood, impulsiveness, hunger, sleep

23
Q

Dopamine

A

Reward and motivation, voluntary movement

24
Q

Acetylcholine

A

Movement; memory, cognition, sleep

25
Q

Epinephrine and norepinephrine

A

Ex. stress response (fight or flight

26
Q

Presynaptic membrane

A

Membrane of the neuron that is sending the signal

27
Q

Postsynaptic membrane

A

Membrane of the neuron that is receiving the signal

28
Q

Drugs as agonists

A

By binding to receptors and producing a response to mimic the effects of an endogenous neurotransmitter.

29
Q

Drugs as antagonists

A
  • Inhibiting the action of an endogenous neurotransmitter by
  • Blocking the release of neurotransmitters
  • Destroying neurotransmitters in the synapse
  • Mimicking a neurotransmitter (and blocking neurotransmitter binding)
30
Q

How may drugs enhance the effects of endogenous neurotransmitters?

A
  • Increasing the release of neurotransmitters
  • Blocking the re-uptake of neurotransmitters
31
Q

Neuroplasticity

A
  • The brain is ‘plastic’
  • Able to be changed, reorganized, as a result of experience, drugs, or injury (ex. stroke)
    Ex. Rats in enriched vs not enriched environments study
32
Q

Brainstem

A
  • Controls life sustaining functions of the autonomic nervous system, including breathing, digestion, heartbeat, etc.
  • Reticular formation
  • Alertness
  • Sleep
33
Q

Cerebellum

A

Essential for coordinated movement and balance

34
Q

The diencephalon

A

The hypothalamus
- Tiny but powerful
- Is the brain’s master regulatory structure
- Connects the nervous system to the endocrine system
The thalamus
- Often referred to as a relay station
- Handles all incoming information except smell

35
Q

The basal ganglia

A

Producing and planning movement

36
Q

Hippocampus

A
  • Formation and storage of long-term memory
    Ex. HM
37
Q

Amygdala

A
  • Best known for its role in processing fear
  • Essential to our ability to associate things with emotional responses
  • Located in front of the hippocampus
    Ex. Sharot et al
38
Q

Cerebral cortex

A
  • The outer layer of the brain; each cerebral hemisphere has four lobes
  • The corpus callosum (massive bridge of axons) connects the hemispheres and allows information to flow between them
39
Q

Parts of the cerebral cortex

A
  • Occipital lobes (vision)
  • Temporal lobes (hearing)
  • Parietal lobes (touch)
  • Frontal lobes (planning, movement)
40
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A
  • Transmits information to the CNS
  • Responds to messages from the CNS to perform certain behaviours or make bodily adjustments
41
Q

Somatic nervous system

A
  • Concerned with the external environment
  • Consists primarily of motor neurons responsible for sending signals from the CNS to the skeletal muscles
  • Voluntary motor control; reflex arcs
  • Efferent pathway
  • Also includes sensory neurons which send signals from the skin, skeletal muscles, and other sense organs to the CNS
  • Conscious perception of our environment
  • Afferent pathway
42
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A
  • Concerned with the internal environment
  • Efferent and afferent pathways between the CNS and smooth muscles/glands
  • Autonomic responses typically involve changes in involuntary bodily functions
43
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

Prepares the body for action (fight or flight)

44
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A
  • Returns the body to its normal state (rest and digest, feed and breed)
  • Opposing functions of the sympathetic system, but the two systems work in a complementary fashion
  • Chronic activation of either system can lead to health problems
45
Q

The endocrine system

A
  • Works with the nervous system to regulate psychological activity
  • Whereas the nervous system uses electrochemical signals, the endocrine systems uses hormones
  • Hormones are chemical substances released into the blood stream by endocrine glands until they reach the targeted tissues