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Psych 101 > Biological Psychology > Flashcards

Biological Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the biological term for the cell body

A

soma

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2
Q

Where is a signal received in a neuron

A

dendrites

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3
Q

Where is the signal passes to from the dendrites

A

axon

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4
Q

How does action potential relate to neurons

A

if dendrites receive enough stimulation (excitable), the signal is passed down to the axon

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5
Q

What are axon terminals

A

the projections of the axons that are the final receivers of the signal before it is synapsed to the neighbouring neuron/target cell

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6
Q

What is a motor neuron

A

neuron that sends messages out to body tissues FROM the brain

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7
Q

What are sensory neurons

A

neuron that takes info from senses and carries them TO the brain (like touching a hot pan)

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8
Q

What are interneurons

A

neurons that communicate with EACH OTHER within the brain and spinal cord

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9
Q

What is resting potential

A

inside of neuron is more negative than the outside (ICF more -ve than ECF)

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10
Q

What happens when a neuron “fires”

A

when a neuron “fires”, channels open and close to allow pass-through of ions to redistribute charges

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11
Q

What is action potential

A

a shift in electrical charge, starting at the base of the axon and travelling down its length

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12
Q

How is the chemical gradient impacted by action potential

A

a resting cell should have +ve ions in the ECF, so when +ve ions enter the cell, the chemical gradient shifts to ‘equalize’ and depolarize

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13
Q

When does action potential occur

A

threshold of excitation (-55mV)

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14
Q

How is resting potential restored

A

opposing channels open and bring the charge back to its resting position (then these channels close as well and the cell is reset for action potential once again)

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15
Q

What substance is each axon surrounded by (think to bio 273 and what Schwann cells create)

A

myelin

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16
Q

What is the function of myelin

A

prevents action potential from occurring except for at the nonmyelinated nodes of ranvier

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17
Q

How do the nodes of ranvier make signal transmission faster

A

signal jumps from one node to the next (past myelin), travelling down the axon at a much faster rate

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18
Q

Briefly explain synaptic transmission

A

signal reaches axon terminals and neurotransmitters are released towards the neighbouring neuron that has neuroreceptors on its dendrites
- the neurotransmitters can bind to these dendrites and transmit the signal to the post-synaptic neuron

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19
Q

What are synapses

A

gaps between separate neurons

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20
Q

What are neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that carry the signal from one neuron to the next across the synapse via Ca2+ channels

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21
Q

What happens if not all neurotransmitters bind to the post-synaptic neuron

A

they are reabsorbed by the sending neuron

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22
Q

What is glutamate

A

a neurotransmitter linked to forming memories

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23
Q

What is GABA

A

a neurotransmitter that facilitates sleep and reduces arousal

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24
Q

What is acetylcholine

A

found at the neuromuscular junction (synapse between neuron and muscle fibre) that controls movement

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25
What is serotonin
affects mood, sleep, hunger, etc. and may be linked to depression
26
What is dopamine
involved in mood, movement, reward, and learning
27
What is the basic mechanism of drugs
exogenous substance that alters a cells function
28
Drugs can cause changes in two human aspects, what are they
physiology and behavior
29
What is a psychoactive drug
alters perceptions and mood (otherwise known as psychedelics)
30
How do drugs actually act on the body
affect the brain chemistry at synapses
31
What is an agonist
increase or mimic neurotransmitters, which increases relaying of a signal eg. black widow spider venom increases Ach causing violent muscle contractions
32
What is an antagonist
block or inhibit effects of neurotransmitters, which decreases the effect of the signal eg. Botulin blocks the release of ACh which causes paralysis eg. Curare blocks ACh receptor sites, and causes paralysis
33
Do we use only 10% of our brains?
obviously not
34
What are the two subcomponents of the nervous system
CNS and PNS
35
What are the two components of the CNS
brain and spinal cord
36
What are the two components of the PNS
autonomic and somatic
37
What are the two types of autonomic nerves
sympathetic and parasympathetic
38
What is responsible for fight or flight
PNS, autonomic, sympathetic
39
What is responsible for counteracting fight or flight
PNS, autonomic, parasympathetic
40
What is phrenology
By Franz Gall - the parts of the brain that are responsible for the traits and characteristics of an individual would be larger, therefore we would be able to feel those parts of the brain to the touch - resulted in skull readings - turned out to be wrong
41
What are the three main parts of the brain
the hindbrain, the midbrain, and the forebrain
42
What does the hindbrain consist of
brain stem: where the spinal cord meets the skull - all functions automatic - includes the medulla which controls breathing, heartbeat, etc. - includes cerebrum which controls voluntary movement and important for balance
43
What does the midbrain consist of
superior colliculus and inferior colliculus
44
What does the forebrain consist of
thalamus: sensory switchboard... relays sensory info to appropriate brain regions hypothalamus: (directly below thalamus) maintains homeostasis, including mechanisms like; thirst, hunger, sex drive, temp, etc. hippocampus: consolidation of info from short term to long term memory and responsible for spatial memory as well amygdala: center for emotions and behaviors, fear responses, and memory of emotional events When all components are put together it is referred to as the limbic system**
45
What is the cerebral cortex
the makeup of the brain: has 2 hemispheres, each comprised of 4 lobes (8 sections total)
46
What is the frontal lobe responsible for
"things that make us human" and "executive" functions - planning, goals, inhibition, personality, movement, etc.
47
Who discovered the frontal lobe
Phineas Gage (a railroad foreman in 1848) - metal pole was driven through his head, through the cheek and up out the back of his head - damaged the left frontal lobe, and he survived with a completely changed personality this example is used often to signify the importance of the frontal lobe function
47
What example is frequently used to signify the importance of the frontal lobe
Phineas Gage (a railroad foreman in 1848) - metal pole was driven through his head, through the cheek and up out the top of his head - damaged the left frontal lobe, and he survived with a completely changed personality and lacking his previous executive skills
48
What is the temporal lobe responsible for
speech production and language, auditory cortex, facial recognition
49
What is aphasia
- language impairment due to damage to the left temporal lobe - results in the inability to speak and/or understand what others are saying
50
What is the parietal lobe responsible for
spatial attention and spatial sense
51
What is spatial neglect
attention impairment to the right parietal lobe, which results in the failure to object in left space
52
What is the occipital lobe responsible for
responsible for vision - distinct groups of neurons are responsible for detecting shape, colour, movement - other parts of the brain are recruited to help put all the information back together into a coherent picture
53
All communication between hemispheres must cross the ___________ ____________
Corpus Callosum
54
What are the 3 important components of the hindbrain and what do they do
brain stem - spinal cord meets skull: basic survival processes medulla and pons - breathing and heartbeat cerebellum - controls voluntary movement: important for balance
55
What are the 4 important components of the forebrain and what do they do
hippocampus - consolidation of short-term memory to long-term: spatial memory thalamus - relays sensory info to appropriate brain regions hypothalamus - below the thalamus, related to balance: sex drive, hunger, thirst, temp, etc. amygdala - center for emotional and fear responses
56
What is the limbic system
part of the brain involved in behavioural responses, especially behaviours attached to survival
57
What does the frontal lobe control
planning, goals, inhibition, personality, and movement - loss of function of the frontal lobe changes your entire personality essentially
58
What does the temporal lobe control
speech conduction, auditory cortex and facial recognition - loss of function of the temporal lobe could result in not recognizing others and aphasia
59
What does the parietal lobe control
controls spatial attention and spatial sense
60
What does the word spatial mean
relating to or occupying space - spatial attention is the way in which you can distribute attention over a visual span
61
How does damage to the right parietal lobe impact spatial attention
thinking about how images are processed by the brain, damage to the RIGHT side would result in not being able to see things on the LEFT side
62
What does the occipital lobe do
controls vision and how the brain is able to process visual images
63
What is the corpus collosum
the region in which all communication must pass between the two hemispheres of the brain
64
What is the left side of the brain used for
language
65
What is the right side of the brain used for
spatial ability
66
What is a split brain patient
the two hemispheres are able to do both functions, therefore they independently respond to signals - each hemisphere has its own response, it is not balanced between the two sides as it usually would be - patients are thought to have "two minds"

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