2: bio foundations of behavior

Question 1

neurone (neurone/nerve cell)

Answer 1

electrically excitable ell that processes and transmits info through electrical/chemical signals
core components of the brain, spinal cord (CNS), ganglia (PNS)

Question 2

sensory neuron

Answer 2

detects changes in external/internal environment and sends info to CNS
touch, sound, light, etc.

Question 3

PNS

Answer 3

.

Question 4

CNS

Answer 4

.spinal cord and brain

Question 5

afferent neurons

Answer 5

carry messages inward toward CNS

Question 6

motor neuron

Answer 6

in CNS, controls contraction of muscles (from CNS signals)

Question 7

efferent neurons

Answer 7

carry messages outward from CNS

Question 8

interneuron

Answer 8

located entirely within CNS

connects neurons within same region of brain/spinal cord in neural networks

Question 9

bipolar neuron

Answer 9

sensory systems

vision/hearing

Question 10

unipolar neuron

Answer 10

somatosensory systems

touch/pain etc.

Question 11

soma`

Answer 11

cell body, contains nucleus (keeps cell alive/functional)

Question 12

dendrite

Answer 12

attached to soma

receives info from terminal buttons of other neurons

Question 13

terminal buttons

Answer 13

end of the neuron, sends info to dendrites of other neurons (synapses)

Question 14

axon (nerve fiber)

Answer 14

long, thin, cylindrical structure

sends info from soma to terminal buttons

Question 15

action potential

Answer 15

.

Question 16

glia

Answer 16

surrounds neurons and keep them in place
provide nourishment/oxygen to cells
insulate neurons
destroy pathogens/remove dead neurons
protect from harmful substances
form the myelin sheath
can send signals that regulate strength of connections between neurons
release chemicals that increase reactivity of neurons
form networks
may modulate the activity level o neurons nearby

Question 17

myelin

Answer 17

white fatty substance
makes up some types of glial cells
glial cells wrap around axon to provide insulating myelin sheath

Question 18

white matter

Answer 18

myelinated axons traveling (within brain or to/from body)

Question 19

gray matter

Answer 19

cell bodies + dendrites + unmyelinated axons

Question 20

action potential

Answer 20

electrical signal communication within the neuron
sent from cell body to terminal buttons telling them to release neurotransmitters
fundamental info carrier of the nervous system
will always be same size and speed

Question 21

resting potential

Answer 21

membrane potential of a neuron when it is not being altered by excitatory/inhibitory postsynaptic potentials

Question 22

threshold of excitation

Answer 22

value of the membrane potential that must be riches to produce an action potential

Question 23

Depolarization

Answer 23

reduction of membrane potential from normal resting potential

Question 24

refractory period

Answer 24

time after an action potential where neuron’s cell membrane is unprepared for next action potential

Question 25

neuron fire

Answer 25

when neuron produces action potential

Question 26

propagation

Answer 26

spread of action potential down axon caused by successive changes in electrical charge alone length of axon's membrane

Question 27

all-or-none law

Answer 27

action potential is always same speed/strength

Question 28

synapse

Answer 28

junction between terminal button and membrane of another neuron

Question 29

neurotransmitter

Answer 29

chemical released by terminal button | has excitatory/inhibitory effect on other neurons

Question 30

presynaptic neuron

Answer 30

sends message

Question 31

post synaptic neuron

Answer 31

receives message

Question 32

presynaptic membrane

Answer 32

membrane of terminal button that lies adjacent to postsynaptic membrane

Question 33

postsynaptic membrane

Answer 33

opposite to the terminal buttons (which receive info)

Question 34

synaptic cleft

Answer 34

space between pre/post synaptic membrane

Question 35

synaptic vesicle

Answer 35

small, hollow, beadlike structure interminal buttons contains molecules of a neurotransmitter

Question 36

Dopamine (DA)

Answer 36

Influences movement, motivation, emotion, learning, attention

Question 37

Norepinephrine (NE)

Answer 37

Helps control arousal level; influences wakefulness, learning, + memory

Question 38

Glutamate

Answer 38

Major excitatory transmitter in the brain, role in learning and memory

Question 39

Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)

Answer 39

Most widely distributed inhibitory transmitter in CNE

Question 40

Serotonin (5HT - 5-hydroxy-tryptamine)

Answer 40

Involved in sleep, mood, hunger, and arousal

Question 41

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Answer 41

Realized at many synapses, makes muscle fibers contract. Involved in learning, memory

Question 42

Postsynaptic potential

Answer 42

Produced by release of neurotransmitter at synapse Alteration of the membrane potential of a postsynaptic neuron depolarizing (excitatory) Hyper-polarizing (inhibitory)

Question 43

Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)

Answer 43

Excitatory depolarization of the postsynaptic membrane of a synapse Caused by liberation of a neurotransmitter by terminal button

Question 44

Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)

Answer 44

Inhibitory hyper-polarization of the postsynaptic membrane of a synapse caused by liberation of a neurotransmitter by the terminal button

Question 45

Neural integration

Answer 45

Process where inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic potentials summate and control the rate of firing Inhibitory = IPSPs diminish the size of EPSPs and prevent firing Excitatory = EPSPs summate as they travel towards axon and the axon fires

Question 46

Reuptake

Answer 46

Re entry of a neurotransmitter just released by a terminal button back through its membrane (terminating the postsynaptic potential)

Question 47

Enzymatic deactivation

Answer 47

Destruction of a neurotransmitter by an enzyme after its release (ex: acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase)

Question 48

Agonists

Answer 48

Drugs that enhance a neurotransmitter's activity

Question 49

Antagonists

Answer 49

Drugs that impede the activity of a neurotransmitter