Barron's: Chapter 3 - Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards
(81 cards)
1
Q
Neuroanatomy
A
- the study of the parts and function of neurons
2
Q
Neuron
A
- individual nerve cells
3
Q
Dendrites
A
- rootlike parts of the cell that stretch out from the cell body. dendrites grow to make synaptic connections with other neurons (see Synapse, below)
4
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Cell body (also called the soma)
A
- contains the nucleus and other parts of the cell needed to sustain its life
5
Q
Axon
A
- wirelike structure ending in the terminal buttons that extends from the cell body
6
Q
Myelin sheath
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- a fatty covering around the axon of some neurons that speeds neural impulses
7
Q
Terminal buttons (also called end buttons, axon terminal, terminal branches of axon, and synaptic knobs)
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- the branched end of the axon that contains neurotransmitters
8
Q
Neurotransmitters
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- chemicals contained in terminal buttons that enable neurons to communicate. neurotransmitters fit into receptor sites on the dendrites of neurons like a key fits into a lock
9
Q
Synapse
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- the space between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites of the next neuron
10
Q
Receptor sites
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- proteins that are on the surface of each cell and act as little receivers
11
Q
Threshold
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- the level of strength a stimulus must reach to be detected
12
Q
Action potential
A
- the change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.
13
Q
All-or-none principle
A
- when a neuron either fires completely or its does not fire
14
Q
Neural firing
A
- an electrochemical process. electricity travels within the cell (from the dendrites to the terminal buttons), and chemicals (neurotransmitters) travel between cells in the synapse. Electricity does not jump between the neurons
15
Q
Excitatory neurotransmitters
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- they excite the next cell into firing
16
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Inhibitory neurotransmitters
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- they inhibit the next cell from firing
17
Q
Acetylcholine
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- Function: Motor movement
- Problems Associated with an Excess of Deficit: lack of acetylcholine is associated with Alzheimer’s disease
18
Q
Dopamine
A
- Function: Motor movement and alertness
- Problems Associated with an Excess of Deficit: Lack of dopamine is associated with Parkinson’s disease, an overabundance is associated with schizophrenia
19
Q
Endorphins
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- Function: Pain control
- Problems Associated with an Excess of Deficit: involved in addictions
20
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Serotonin
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- Function: mood control
- Problems Associated with an Excess of Deficit: lack of serotonin is associated with clinical depression
21
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GABA
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- Function: Important inhibitory neurotransmitter
- Problems Associated with an Excess of Deficit: seizures, sleep problems
22
Q
Glutamate
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- Function: excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in memory
- Problems Associated with an Excess of Deficit: migraines, seizures
23
Q
Norepinephrine
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- Function: alertness, arousal
- Problems Associated with an Excess of Deficit: depression
24
Q
Afferent neurons (or sensory neurons)
A
- take information from the senses to the brain (you can think of afferent nerves as taking information in at the brain)
25
Efferent neurons (or motor neurons)
- take information from the brain to the rest of the body (you can think of efferent nerves as carrying information that exits the brain)
26
Central nervous system (CNS)
- consists of our brain and spinal cord - all the nerves housed within bone (the skull and vertebrae)
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Spinal cord
- a bundle of nerves that run through the center of the spine, it transmits information from the rest of the body to the brain
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Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
- consists of all the other nerves in your body - all the nerves not encased in bone
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Somatic nervous system
- controls our voluntary muscle movement
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Accidents
- Phineas Gage was in an accident that damaged the front part of his brain
- his behavior changed and he became highly emotional and impulsive
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Lesions
- the removal or destruction of part of the brain
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Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- detects brain waves
| - widely used in sleep research to identify the different stages of sleep and dreaming
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Computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scan)
- uses several X-ray cameras that rotate around the brain and combine all the pictures into a detailed three-dimensional picture of the brain's structure
- can only show structure of the brain
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan)
- uses magnetic fields to measure the density and location of brain material
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Positron emission tomography (PET scan)
- measures how much of a certain chemical (glucose, for example) parts of the brain are using
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Functional MRI (fMRI)
- shows details of brain structure with information about blood flow in the brain, tying brain structure to brain activity during cognitive tasks
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Hindbrain (old brain)
- consists of structures in the top part of the spinal cord
| - our life support system; it controls the basic biological functions that keep us alive
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Medulla (medulla oblongata)
- controls our blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing
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Pons
- connects the hindbrain with the midbrain and forebrain
| - involved in the control of facial expressions
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Cerebellum
- located on the bottom rear of the brain
- means little brain
- coordinates some habitual muscle movements
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Midbrain (old brain)
- located just above the spinal cord but still below areas categorized as the forebrain
- coordinates simple movement with sensory information
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Reticular formation
- netlike collection of cells throughout the midbrain that controls general body arousal and the ability to focus our attention
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Forebrain (new brain)
- control what we think of as thought and reason
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Thalamas
- located on top of the brain stem
- responsible for receiving the sensory signals coming up the spinal cord and sending them to the appropriate areas in the rest of the forebrain
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Hypothalamus
- small structure right next to the thalamus
- controls several metabolic functions, incluidng body temperature, sexual arousal (libido), hunger, thirst, and the endocrine system
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Amygdala
- vital to our experiences of emotion
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Hippocampus
- vital to our memory system
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Limbic system
- consists of the thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus
- they all deal with aspects of emotion and memory
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Cerebral cortex
- a thin layer of densely packed neurons
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Hemispheres
- cerebral cortex divided in half: left and right
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Left hemisphere
- gets sensory messages and controls the motor function of the right half of the body
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Right hemisphere
- gets sensory messages and controls the motor function of the left half of the body
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Brain lateralization (or hemispheric specialization)
- the specialization of function in each hemisphere
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Corpus callosum
- the nerve bundle that connects the two hemispheres
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Lobes
- each of the parts of the cerebrum of the brain
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Association area
- thought to be responsible for complex, sophisticated thoughts like judgment and humor
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Frontal lobes
- located at the front part of the brain behind the eyes
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Broca's area
- in the frontal lobe and is responsible for controlling the muscles involved in producing speech
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Wernicke's area
- interprets both written and spoken speech
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Motor cortex
- sends impulses to the somatic nervous system, which controls the muscles that allow us to move
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Parietal lobes
- behind the frontal lobe but still on top of the brain
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Sensory cortex (somato-sensory cortex)
- thin vertical strip that receives incoming touch sensations form the rest of our body
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Occipital lobes
- the very back of our brain
| - impulses from retinas in our eyes are sent to visual cortex then to occipital lobes
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Temporal lobes
- processes sound sensed by our ears
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Brain plasticity
- other parts of the brain can adapt themselves to perform other functions if needed
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Endocrine system
- a system of glands that secrete hormones that affect many biological processes in our bodies
- controlled by the hypothalamus
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Adrenal glands
- produce adrenaline
| - signals the rest of body to prepare for fight or flight
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Monozygotic twins
- twins that develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two embryos
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Roger Sperry
- he and Michael Gazzaniga created the operation that cuts the corpus callosum to treat severe epilepsy
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Michael Gazzaniga
- he and Roger Sperry created the operation that cuts the corpus callosum to treat severe epilepsy
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Paul Broca
- he was a French physician, anatomist and anthropologist.
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Carl Wernicke
- he was a German physician, anatomist, psychiatrist and neuropathologist.
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Thomas Bouchard
- he did research on twins that were given up for adoption and raised in different families
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Autonomic nervous system
- controls the automatic functions of our body - our hearts, lungs, internal organs, glands, and so on
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Sympathetic nervous system
- mobilizes our body to respond to stress
| - carries messages to the control systems of the organs, glands, and muscles that direct our body's respond to strees
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Parasympathetic nervous system
- responsible for slowing down our body after a stress response
- carries messages to the stress response system that causes our body to slow down
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fissures
- wrinkles on the surface of the cerebral cortex
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contralateral control
- the motor cortex of both cerebral hemispheres are primarily accountable for handling of motions of the opposite side of one's body
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prefrontal cortex
- the anterior or front of the frontal lobe
- acts as the brain's central executive and is believed to be important in foreseeing consequences, pursuing goals, and maintaining emotional control
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nature and nurture
- nature: our genetic code
| - nurture: the environment where we grow up and live
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DNA
- deoxyribonucleic acid
| - certain parts control the production of specific proteins that control some human traits
