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MCAT psych/soc > biological basis of behavior > Flashcards

biological basis of behavior Flashcards

(106 cards)

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1
Q

instinctual behaviors

A

hard-wired survival behaviors shaped by genetics that promote reporductive success. seen in humans and animals
- can also be learned

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2
Q

adaptive traits

A

traits that increase organism fitness

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3
Q

temperment

A

how individuals respond to stimuli from the world around them (behaviorally and emotionally)
- biologically shaped

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4
Q

hereditability

A

proportion of how much variation in a trait is due to genes alone
- hereditability of 1 means all variation is explained through genetics
- 0 means all variation of a trait is explained through envirnmental factors
- quantifies the relative impact of genes vs envirnmnet

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5
Q

monozygotic twins

A

100% same genome
identical twins

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6
Q

dizygotic twins

A

fraternal/ non identical
share half a genome

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7
Q

gene expression

A

genes are expressed at varying levels due to needs of an organsism in a specific envirnment

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8
Q

epigenetics

A

changes to the genome that do not involve changing the nucleotides : methylation

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9
Q

methylation

A

adds methyl group to nucleotides –> C and will silence DNA/ shut down expression of genes

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10
Q

12 weeks of prengnacy mile stone

A

umbilical cord connects to placenta and major organ systems are formed

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11
Q

first trimester

A

where major structures are formed

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12
Q

placenta function

A

two way communication between fetus and mother
- envirnmental influence (smoking and drink)

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13
Q

patellar reflex

A

reflex in human knee. innate and involuntary

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14
Q

reflexes

A

hard-wired responses to stimuli

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15
Q

palmar grasp reflex

A

if you stroke a baby’s palm it will grab onto your fingers to try to hold your hand.

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16
Q

rooting reflex

A

baby reflex where they automatically search for an item that brushes against its mouth or cheek

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17
Q

sucking reflex

A

baby reflex where they automatically start making sucking motions when something grazes the top of its mouth

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18
Q

moro reflex

A

baby reflex where a baby extends its arms and legs and pulls them back it, then throws its head back and cries in response to sudden movement or loud noises

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19
Q

babinski reflex

A

when the bottom of a baby’s foot is stroked, the big toe bends up and the other toes fan out
*adult toes will curl down

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20
Q

when does stranger anxiety develop

A

7 months

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21
Q

when do babies walk and climb

A

1-2 yr

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22
Q

critical periods

A

experiences in early childhood that can imprint on a person and have implications on the entire lifetime

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23
Q

adolescence

A

transition from childhood to adulthood, broad term

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24
Q

puberty

A

refers specifically to biological changes that occur during adloescense , very long process

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25
secondary sex characteristics
pubic hair. body hair, breasts, hips widen, facial hair
26
telomeres
nucleotide sequences at the end of chromosomes that protect them from losing nucleotides during dna replication - puts a limit on how often cells can divide
27
fluid intellegence
ability to solve new problems based on logic and reason
28
crystalized intellegence
recalling specific facts and information remains stable with aging
29
tropic hormones
hormones that act on other homrones, not specific body parts
30
hypothalamus
bridge between the nervous system and endocrine system. takes neural input and releases hormones hormones travel down the anterior pituitary and posterior pituitart
31
anterior pituitary hormones
FLAT PeG - made and secreted from AP
32
hormones of hypothalamus
GhRH GnRH TRH CRF
33
hypophyseal portal system
how hormones get from hypothalamus to anterior pituitary
34
posterior pituitary hormones
oxytocin and ADH - made in hypothalamus and stored in PP - recieves neural input -
35
thyroid gland
controls thyroid hormone and metabolism
36
parathyroid glands
release parathyroid hormone PTH increases osteoclast activty and increases calcuim levels in the blood
37
adrenal glands
cortex and medulla cortex--> cortisol medulla --> epinephrine and norepine (acute stress)
38
ovaries
estrogen
39
testes
testosterone
40
oxytocin
uterine contractions (positive feedback) bonding and affection hormone
41
prolactin
induce lactation
42
melatonin
regulate circadian rythm
43
hunger hormone
grehlin - acts on hypothalamus
44
satiation hormone
leptin - acts on hypothalamus
45
neuropeptide y
stimulate appetite to increase food intake
46
thyroid hormone
promotes metabolism - need for neurological development
47
neurons
functional unit of nervous system
48
electrical potential of neuron
-70 mV
49
depolarization threshold
-55 mV - allows for action potential
50
synapse
connection between neurons where neurotransmitters are passed
51
neuromuscular junction
when a motor nueron synapses on a muscle and passes aCh
52
reflex arcs
patellar reflex, simple neural pathways control reflexes
53
sensory neurons
carry sensory information to the CNS -afferent
54
motor/efferent neurons
carry signals away from CNS
55
acetylcholine
activates muscle contraction at NMJ
56
glutamate
excitatory neurotransmitter, depolarizes postsynaptic neurons - most common neuron (90%)
57
GABA
inhibitory neurotransmitter that hyperpolarizes post synaptic neuron
58
dopamine
addiction and euphoria - motor functions (parkinsons)
59
serotonin
mood, appetite and sleep regulator - depression = low levels , use SSRIs to treat [
60
endorphins
supress pain and produce euphoric response - opoids mimick (pain killer)
61
norepinephrine
neurotransmitter for acute pain response - fight or flight
62
agonsits
compounds that mimic neurotransmitters and bind to their sites to illicit same response
63
antagonist
prevents neurotrasnmitter from exerting its effects
64
CNS
spinal cord and brain
65
PNS
nerves that shuttle info from CNS to the rest of the body - divided into autonomic and somatic
66
somatic pns
carrying out voluntary activities and movement - efferent motor neurons that innervate muscle and sensory neurons
67
autonomic nervous system
uncontrolled body activity divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic
68
sympathetic nervous system
fight or flight response mobilize body resources to deal with an emergency - slow digestion, increase pupil dilation, increase heart rate - bronchioles dialate
69
parasympathetic nervous system
rest and digest digestive tract muscles dialate and muscles constrict promotes digestion, lacrimation, sexual activity
70
enteric nervous system
communicates with cns to control digestion. acted by SNS and PSNS
71
which peripheral nervous system is active during sexual arousal
parasympathetic
72
which peripheral nervous system is active during orgasm
sympathetic
73
brain divisions
hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain
74
structures of the hindbrain
most basic evolutionary structures 1. cerebellum 2. medulla oblongata 3. pons
75
cerebellum
makes coordinated movement and balenece happen - in hindbrain
76
medulla oblongata
breathing, heart rate, blood pressure
77
pons
sleep, respiration, breathing, balence, relay station
78
midrbrain
motor control, walking, sleeping, temperature regulation - inferior and superior colliculi for auditory and visual stimuli - substantia nigra (dopamine - parkinsons)
79
brain stem
contains reticular activation center that modulates arousal and alertness
80
forebrain
diencephalon and telencephalon
81
diencephalon
thalmus, hypothalmus, pineal gland, posterior pituitary
82
telencephalon
cerebrum
83
thalamus
relay station for sensory and motor input and regulates alertness/ arousal
84
cerebrum
divided into 2 hemispheres
85
limbic system
olfactory bulb, hippocampus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia , amygdala, nucleus accumbens - structures involved in emotion, memory and motivation
86
amygdala
episodic memory and emotion
87
nucleus accumbens
reward , motivation, and learning -addiction
88
frontal lobe
voluntary movement, memory processing, planning, motivation and attention
89
parietal lobe
sensory processing
90
occipital lobe
visual porcessing
91
temporal lobe
language and attaching meaning to visual memories
92
wernikes area
comprehension of speech - temporal lobe
93
brocas area
speech production frontal lobe
94
lateralization
left and right hemispheres have diff functions
95
cerebrospinal fluid
protects the brain and spinal cord
96
where are motor nerves located on the spinal cord
ventral side (front)
97
where are sensory nerves located on the spinal cord
dorsal side
98
SAME DAVE
sensory neurons are affereent motor neurons are efferent dorsal side is for afferent ventral side is for efferent
99
cervical spine
top of spinal cord, contains C1 - C7
100
thoracic spine
12 vert T1-T12
101
lumbar spine
5 v L1- L5
102
sacrum
5 V S1-S5
103
electroencephalograms
measure brain activity through electrodes placed on the scalp - sleep stages
104
CT
x ray pics into 3d - iodoizing radiation - expensive
105
MRI
make images of structures - soft structures
106
PET
radiolabel glucose and look at metabolic activity

MCAT psych/soc (13 decks)

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