Biological Aspects of Psychology

Question 1

The psychological specialty focused on the physical and chemical changes that cause, and occur in response to, behavior and mental processes.

Answer 1

Biological Psychology

Question 2

A complex combination of cells whose primary function is to allow an organism to gain information about what is going on inside and outside the body and respond appropriately.

Answer 2

Nervous System

Question 3

The nervous system’s three main functions are to recieve information (__________), integrate that information with past experiences, (__________), and guide actions (__________).

Answer 3

Input, Processing, Output

Question 4

Fundamental units of the nervous system.

Answer 4

Neurons (or nerve cells)

Question 5

Cells in the nervous system that hold neurons together and help them communicate with one another.

Answer 5

Glia Cells

Question 6

Two major types of cells, __________ and __________, allow the nervous system to carry out its complex signaling tasks efficiently.

Answer 6

Neurons (or nerve cells), and Glia Cells

Question 7

Every cell has a body that (with the exception of red blood cells) contains a core called the __________.

Answer 7

Nucleus

Question 8

Tiiny “engines” that help the cell generate and use energy

Answer 8

Mitochondria

Question 9

Fibers tat carry signals from the body of a neuron out to where communication occurs with other neurons.

Answer 9

Axons

Question 10

Neuron fibers that receive signals from the axons of other neurons and carry those signals to the cell body.

Answer 10

Dendrites

Question 11

An abrupt wave of electrochemical changes traveling down an axon when a neuron becomes depolarized.

Answer 11

Action Potential

Question 12

A short rest period between action potentials.

Answer 12

Refractory Period

Question 13

A fatty substance that wraps around some axons like a stocking and speeds up action potentials.

Answer 13

Myelin

Question 14

Chemicals that assist in the transfer of signals from one neuron to another.

Answer 14

Neurotransmitters

Question 15

Little “bags” that neurotransmitters are stored in.

Answer 15

Vesicles

Question 16

The gap that is typically less than one millionth of an inch wide that separates the acon on one neuron and the dendrites of another.

Answer 16

Synaptic Gap (or Synapse)

Question 17

Sites on the surface of a cell that allow only one type of neurotransmitter to fit into them, triggering a chemical response that may lead to an action potential.

Answer 17

Receptors

Question 18

Neurons that operate together to perform compex functions.

Answer 18

Neural network

Question 19

The part of the nervous system encased in bone; specifically, the brain and the spinal cord.

Answer 19

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Question 20

The parts of the nervouse system not housed in bone.

Answer 20

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Question 21

The subsystem of the peripheral nervous system that transmits information from the senses to the CNS and carries signals from the central nervous system to the muscles.

Answer 21

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

Question 22

Cells in the nervous system that provide information to the brain about the environment

Answer 22

Sensory Neurons

Question 23

Cells in the nervous system that the brain uses to influence muscles and other ograns to respond to the environment in some way.

Answer 23

Motor Neurons

Question 24

A subsystem of the perifpheral nervous system that carries messages between the central nervous system and the heart, lungs, and other organs and glands.

Answer 24

Autonomic Nervous System

Question 25

The subsystem of the autonomic nervous system that readies the body for vigorous activity.

Answer 25

Sympatheic Nervous System

Question 26

The subsystem of the autonomic nervous system that typically influences activity related to the protection, nourishment, and growth of the body.

Answer 26

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Question 27

The part of the central nervous system within the spinal column that relays signals from peripheral senses to the brain and conveys messages from the brain to the rest of the body.

Answer 27

Spinal Cord

Question 28

Involuntary, unlearened feedback systems creating swift, automatic, and movements in response to external stimuli.

Answer 28

Reflexes

Question 29

Deep groves that subdivide the cerebral hemisphere.

Answer 29

Fissures

Question 30

An extension of the spinal cord contained inside the skull where nuclei control blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions.

Answer 30

Hindbrain (or Rhombencephalon)

Question 31

The three prominate divisions of the brain are called primary brain vesicles and they are named the __________, __________, and the __________.

Answer 31

Hindbrain (or Rhombencephalon), Midbrain (or Mesencephalon), and Forebrain (or Prosencephalon)

Question 32

An area in the hindbrain that controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions.

Answer 32

Medulla Oblongata

Question 33

A network of cells and fibers threaded throughout the hindbrain and midbrain that gives alertness and arousal to the rest of the brain.

Answer 33

Reticular Formation

Question 34

A small nucleus in the reticular formation that is involved in directing attention.

Answer 34

Locus Coeruleus

Question 35

The part of the hindbrain whose main functions include controlling finely coordinated movements and sotring memories about movement but which may also be involved in impulse control,emotion, and language.

Answer 35

Cerebellum

Question 36

A small structure between the hindbrain and the forebrain that relays information from the eyes, ears, and skin and that controls certain types of automatic behaviors.

Answer 36

Midbrain (or Mesencephalon)

Question 37

Together, the midbrain and parts of the hindbrain other than the cerebellum are called the __________.

Answer 37

Brainstem

Question 38

The most highly developed part of the brain; it is responsible for the most complex aspects of behavior and mental life.

Answer 38

Forebrain (or Prosencephalon)

Question 39

A forebrain structure that relays signals from most sense organs to higher levels in the brain and plays an important role in processing and making sense out of this information.

Answer 39

Thalamus

Question 40

A structure in the forebrain that regulates hunger, thirst, and sex drive.

Answer 40

Hypothalamus

Question 41

An extensive area of neural cortex covering the surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres.

Answer 41

Cerebral cortex

Question 42

The part of the hypothalamus that controls the "brains's own clock" is the __________ Nuclei

Answer 42

Suprachiasmatic

Question 43

A structure in the forebrain that, among other things, associates features of stimuli involved in memory and emotion.

Answer 43

Amygdala

Question 44

A structure in the forebrain associated with the foremation of new memories.

Answer 44

Hippocampus

Question 45

The amygdala, hippocampus, and some portions of the cerebral cortx are part of a group of brain structures called the __________ system.

Answer 45

Limbic

Question 46

The outter surface of the brain.

Answer 46

Cerebral Cortex

Question 47

A massive bundle of axons that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres and allows them to communicate with each other.

Answer 47

Corpus Callosum

Question 48

The parts of the cerebral cortex that receive stimulus information from the senses.

Answer 48

Sensory Cortex

Question 49

The four anatomical areas of the cerebral cortex.

Answer 49

Frontal lobe (front), Perietal lobe (top), Temporal lobe (side), Occipital lobe (back)

Question 50

Deep grooves that subdivide the cerebral hemisphere.

Answer 50

Fissures

Question 51

Folds in the cerebral hemispheres that increase its surface area.

Answer 51

Gyri

Question 52

Shallow depressions in the cerebral hemisphere that separete adjacent gyri

Answer 52

Sulci

Question 53

Occipital lobe nerve cells.

Answer 53

Visual Cortex

Question 54

Temporal lobe nerve cells.

Answer 54

Auditory Cortex

Question 55

The part of the cerebral cortex whose neurons control voluntary movements in specific parts of the body.

Answer 55

Motor Cortex

Question 56

The parts of the cerebral cortex that receive information from more than one sense or that combine sensory and motor information to perform complex cognitive tasks.

Answer 56

Association Cortex

Question 57

The ability to create new synapses and to change the strength of synapses.

Answer 57

Neural Plasticty

Question 58

The tendency for one cerebral hemisphere to excel at a particular function or skill compared with the other hemisphere.

Answer 58

Lateralization (Lateral Dominance)

Question 59

The process of creating new neurons.

Answer 59

Neurogenesis

Question 60

A group of neurons that communicate using the same neurotransmitter.

Answer 60

Neurotransmitter System

Question 61

Three classes of neurotransmitters

Answer 61

Small Molecules, Peptides, and Gases

Question 62

The most important of the small -molecule chemicals that act as neurotransmitters are __________, __________, __________, __________, __________, __________.

Answer 62

Acetylcholine, Norephinephrine, Serotonin, Dopamine, GABA, and Glutamate.

Question 63

Cells that form organs called glands and that communicate with one another by secreting chemicals called hormones.

Answer 63

Endocrine System

Question 64

Organs that secrete hormones in to the bloodstream.

Answer 64

Glands

Question 65

Chemicals secreted by a gland into the bloodstream, which carries them throughout the body.

Answer 65

Hormones