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MCAT: Behavioral Sciences > Biology and Behavior > Flashcards

Biology and Behavior Flashcards

1
Q

Franz Gall

A

~Phrenology –> If a particular trait was well developed the part of the brain responsible for that would expand an develop bulges on the head.

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2
Q

Pierre Flourens

A

~Extirpation –> Surgical destruction of a body part.
~Ablation –> Various parts of the brain are surgically removed and behavioral consequences are observed.
~His findings led to the discovery that specific brain parts for specific functions.

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3
Q

William James

A

~Functionalism –> Study of how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments.
~How the mind functioned in adapting to the environment.

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4
Q

John Dewey

A

~Criticized the reflex arc.

~Believed psychology should study the organism as a whole as it functioned to adapt to the environment.

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5
Q

Paul Broca

A

~Discovered a part of the brain that allows someone to physically talk. Located in the left hemisphere.

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6
Q

Herman von Helmholtz

A

~First to measure the speed of a nerve impulse.

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7
Q

Sir Charles Sherrington

A

~Inferred the existence of a synapse.

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8
Q

Sensory (Afferent) Neurons

A

~They ascend in the cord toward the brain.

~Transmit sensory information from receptors to the spinal cord and brain..

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9
Q

Motor (Efferent) Neurons

A

~They exit the cord on their way to the rest of the body.

~Transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands.

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10
Q

Interneurons

A

~Often linked to reflexive behavior .
~Part of the CNS.
~The most numerous of the three types of neurons.

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11
Q

Reflex Arc Example

A
  1. Step on a nail.
  2. Pain is detected and a signal is transmitted by the sensory neurons and it’s sent up the spinal cord.
  3. Sensory neurons and interneurons connect.
  4. Interneurons send the information up to the brain, BUT interneurons send signals to the muscles in both legs.
  5. Person lifts up one foot, while balancing on the other one.
    (Remember that the information is sent up to the brain but, by the time it arrives the reflex arc has already taken action.
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12
Q

Central Nervous System

A

~Process how we want to react to a sensory stimuli.

~Has two parts: Brain and Spinal Cord.

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13
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

~Collects those sensory stimuli and firing motor neurons.
~Somatic –> It control voluntary movement. It consists of sensory and motor neurons distributed throughout the skin, joints, and muscles.
~Autonomic –> Manages the involuntary movement muscles associated with many internal organs and glands. It is independent of conscious control. Helps regulate body temperature, heartbeat, respiration and digestion.
1. Parasympathetic –> Its main role is to CONSERVE energy. Neurotransmitter responsible: Acetylcholine. It constricts pupils, stimulates flow of saliva, constricts bronchi (less oxygen), slows heartbeat, contracts bladder, stimulates bile release, and stimulates peristalsis and secretion.
2. Sympathetic –> Fight or flight. Activated by stress. Dilates pupils, inhibits salivation, relaxes bronchi (more oxygen), accelerates heartbeat, stimulates orgasm, inhibits bladder contraction, secretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline, stimulates glucose production and release (muscles use a lot of ATP, they want to break down glycogen by the liver), stimulates sweating or piloerection, and inhibits peristalsis and secretion.

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14
Q

Meninges

A

~Helps protect the brain, keep it anchored within the skull, and reabsorb cerebrospinal fluid.
It has three layers: dura mater, arachnoid mater and Pia mater (closer to brain)

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15
Q

Hindbrain

A

~Controls balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion and general arousal.
~Medulla Oblongata –> Regulates vital functions such as breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.
~Pons –> Contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and the medulla. It relays information and regulates sleep.
~Cerebellum –> It helps maintain posture and balance and coordinates body movements.

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16
Q

Mnemonic for Hindbrain Parts

A
  1. Sleep PON the bed.
  2. GOTTA breath.
  3. BELLA balance.
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17
Q

Midbrain

A

~Receives sensory and motor information from the rest of the body.
~Associated with involuntary reflex responses triggered by visual or auditory stimulus.
~Superior Colliculus –> receives visual sensory input.
~Inferior Colliculus –> receives auditory sensory input.

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18
Q

Mnemonic for Midbrain

A

Superman has SUPERIOR vision.

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19
Q

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

Involves placing several electrodes on the scalp. This is noninvasive. This is used on research on sleep, seizures and brain leisures. Detects electrical activity

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20
Q

Regional Cerebral Blood Flow (rCBF)

A

Detects broad patterns of neural activity based on increase blood flow to different parts of the brain.

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21
Q

Computed Tomography (CT)

A

Multiple X-rays are taken at different angles and processed by a computer to cross-sectional slice images of the tissue.

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22
Q

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

A

Radioactive sugar is injected and absorbed into the body, and its dispersion and uptake throughout the target tissue is imaged.

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23
Q

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A

Uses a magnetic field to interact with hydrogen and map out hydrogen dense regions of the body.

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24
Q

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

A

Uses same techniques as MRI, but specifically measures changes associated with blood flow . Useful for monitoring neural activity

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25
Q

Parts of the Forebrain

A

Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Basal Ganglia, Limbic System, Septal Nuclei, Amygdala and Hippocampus

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26
Q

Thalamus

A

Important relay station for incoming sensory information, including all senses except for smell. It sorts the information and sends it to different parts of the brain.

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27
Q

Hypothalamus

A

~Serves homeostatic functions.
~Key player in emotional experiences during high arousal states, aggressive behavior and sexual behavior.
~Helps control some endocrine functions.
~Lateral Hypothalamus –> The hunger center. It triggers eating and drinking.
~Ventromedial Hypothalamus –> Provides signals to stop eating.
~Anterior Hypothalamus –> Controls sexual behavior. It regulates sleep and body temperature.

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28
Q

The Four F’s for the Hypothalamus

A

Feeding, Fighting, Flighting and (Sexual) Functioning.

29
Q

Mnemonics for LH and VMH

A

~When the Lateral Hypothalamus is destroyed one Lacks Hunger.
~When the VentroMedial Hypothalamus is destroyed one is Very Much Hungry.

30
Q

Posterior Pituitary Gland

A

Compromised of axonal projections from the hypothalamus and is the site of release for hypothalamic hormones : antidiuretic hormone (ADH aka vasopressin) and oxytocin.

31
Q

Pineal Gland

A

Key player in several biological rhythms. It secretes melatonin, which regulates the circadian rhythm; therefore, it receives direct signals from the retina.

32
Q

Basal Ganglia

A

~Coordinate muscle movements.
~Helps make our movements smooth and our posture steady.
~Extrapyramidal System –> gathers information about the body position and carries this information to the central nervous system (does not function directly with the motor neurons).

33
Q

Parts of the Limbic System

A

~Primarily associated with memory and emotion.

~Septal Nuclei, Amygdala and Hippocampus.

34
Q

Septal Nuclei

A

Primary pleasure center

35
Q

Amygdala

A

~Important role in defensive and aggressive behaviors

36
Q

Hippocampus

A

~Plays vital role in memory and learning processes.
~Consolidate information to form long-term memories.
~Damage to this can cause amnesia.

37
Q

Anterograde Amnesia

A

Can’t form new memories

38
Q

Retrograde Amnesia

A

Can’t remember memories before the accident.

39
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

~Has gyro and sulk to increase the surface area of the brain.
~Frontal, Parietal, Temporal and Occipital.

40
Q

Frontal Lobe

A

~Prefrontal Cortex –> manages executive function by supervising and directing the operations of other brain regions. Perception, memory (doesn’t store the actual memories), emotion, impulse control and long-term planning. In addition, it communicates with the reticular formation in the brainstem to tell the person to wake up or relax. Regulates attention and alertness. It is know as an association area (area that integrates input from diverse brain regions)
~Primary Motor Cortex –> initiates voluntary motor movements by sending neural impulses down the spinal cord toward the muscles. It is know as a projection area (Performs more rudimentary or simple perceptual and motor tasks).
~Broca’s Area –> It is important in speech production. Found in one hemisphere only (dominant hemisphere which is usually the left)

41
Q

Parietal Lobe

A

~Somatosensory Cortex –> Involved in somatosensory information processing. Known as a projection area due to the fact that sensory information goes here. The central part is associated with spatial processing and manipulation.

42
Q

Occipital Lobe

A

~Visual Cortex –> Sensation and perception of visual information. Implicated in learning and motor control.

43
Q

Temporal Lobe

A

~Auditory Cortex –> Sound processing

~Wernicke’s Area –> Language reception and comprehension.

44
Q

Acetylcholine

A

~Used by the somatic nervous system (to move muscles), the parasympathetic nervous system and the central nervous system (for arousal and alertness).

45
Q

Epinephrine and Norepinephrine

A

~Maintain wakefulness and alertness,
~Mediate flight or fight response.
~Epinephrine tends to act as a hormone.
~Norepinephrine tends to act as a neurotransmitter.

46
Q

Dopamine

A

~Maintains smooth movement and steady posture.
~Activates reward system
~Emotion.

47
Q

Serotonin

A

~Modulates mood, sleep patterns, eating patterns and dreaming

48
Q

GABA and glycine

A

~Brain stabilizers. Hyperpolarizers.

49
Q

Glutamate

A

~Excitatory neurotransmitter.

50
Q

Endorphines

A

~Natural painkillers produced in the brain.

51
Q

Anterior Pituitary

A

~It is called the master gland because it releases hormones that regulate activities of endocrine glands.
~Its controlled by the hypothalamus and not connected so it is controlled by it through the blood.
~FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH, prolactin, endorphines, GH.

52
Q

Adrenal Medulla

A

~ Releases epinephrine and norepinephrine

53
Q

Adrenal Cortex

A

~Releases cortisol (a stress hormone)

~Produces testosterone and estrogen (mediate libido).

54
Q

Nature vs Nature

A

~Nature –> genetics.

~Nurture –> environment.

55
Q

Family Studies

A

~Look at the relative frequency of a trait within a family compared to the general population.

56
Q

Twin Studies

A

~Compare concordance rates between identical and fraternal twins.

57
Q

Adoption Studies

A

~Compares similarities between adopted children and their adoptive parents, relative to similarities with their biological parents.

58
Q

Neurulation

A

~How the nervous system develops.

~The notochord stimulates the overlaying ectoderm to fold over (creating a neural tube topped with neural crest cells)

59
Q

Neural Tube

A

Becomes the CNS

60
Q

Neural Crest

A

Cells spread out throughout the body, differentiating into many different tissues.

61
Q

Primitive Reflexes

A

Exists in infants but should disappear by adulthood.

62
Q

Rooting Reflex

A

Infant turns his or her head over towards anything that touches the cheeks.

63
Q

Moro Reflex

A

The infant extends the arms, the slowly retracts then and cries in response to a sensation of falling.

64
Q

Babinski Reflex

A

The big toe is extended and the other toes fan in response to the brushing of the sole of the foot.

65
Q

Grasping Reflex

A

The infant grabs anything that is out into his or her hand.

66
Q

Gross and Fine Motor Abilities

A

Progress head to toe and core to periphery.

67
Q

Social Skills

A

Shift from parent oriented to self oriented to other oriented.

68
Q

Language Skills

A

Become increasingly complex.

MCAT: Behavioral Sciences (3 decks)

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