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MCAT P/S > Biology and Behavior > Flashcards

Biology and Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

Afferent neurons

A
  • sensory neurons

- transmit sensory info receptor->spinal cord/brian

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2
Q

Efferent neurons

A
  • motor neurons

- motor info brain/spinal cord->muscles/glands

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3
Q

Interneurons

A
  • b/ neurons
  • common in reflexes
  • most numerous
  • predominantly in brain/spinal cord
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4
Q

Division of NS

A
  1. Central (brain and spinal cord)
  2. Peripheral (including 31 pairs of spinal and 12 pairs of cranial nerves).
      1. Somatic (voluntary)
      1. Autonomic (involuntary, include sympathetic and parasympathetic)
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5
Q

Sympathetic NS

A
  • activated by stress
    -flight-or fight
    -dilate pupils
    -inhibits salivation
    -relax bronchi
    increase HR
  • increase sweating/polierection
    -X peristalsis, secretion
    -stimulates glucose production and release
    -neurotransmitter: adrenalin and noradrenaline
    -Xbladder contraction
  • stimulates orgasm
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6
Q

Parasympathetic NS

A

opposite of sympathetic NS

  • neurotransmitter: Ach
  • rest and digest
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7
Q

Meninges

A
  • sheath of CT
    -protection
    -anchores brain to the skull
    -resorbs CSF
    composed of three layers :
    1. dura mater (outer)
    2.Arachnoid mater
    3.Pia mater
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8
Q

CSF

A

aqueous solution in brain and spinal cord

  • protect
  • produced by ventricles in the brain
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9
Q

Major division of brain

A
  1. Forebrain (include cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus)
  2. Midbrain (include inferior and superior colliculi)
  3. Hindbrain (cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular formation)
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10
Q

Subdivision of embryonic brain

A
  • developed from neural tube that first develop three swelling for forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain.
  • swelling for hindbrain and forebrain swell into 2, forming 5 swelling all together
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11
Q

Hindbrain structure and development

A
  • located at juncture with spinal cord
  • aka rhombencephalon
  • in embryonic development: divides into myelencephalon (->medulla oblongata) and metenccephalon (->pons and cerebellum
  • include cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular formation
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12
Q

CErebelum

A
  • part of hindbrain
  • developed from metencephalon
  • motor memory
  • refined motor movements
  • posture and balance
  • coordination of body movements
  • damage: clumsiness, slurred speech, loss of balance
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13
Q

Medulla oblongata

A
  • part of hindbrain
  • developed from myelencephalon
  • vital functions (breathing, digestions, HR, BP)
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14
Q

Reticular formation

A
  • hindbrain
  • from metencephalon
  • arousal and alertness
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15
Q

Midbrain

A
  • aka mesencephalon
  • receives sensory/motor info from the rest of the body
  • involuntary reflexes trigered by visual/auditory stimuli
  • include superior and inferior colliculus
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16
Q

Superior colliculus

A

part of midbrain
receives visual sensory input
MNEMONIC: HARD LETTER FOR HARD LETTER (S->V)

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17
Q

Inferior colliculus

A

midbrain
auditory sensory input
MNEMONIC: VOVEL FOR VOVEL (I->A)

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18
Q

Forebrain

A
  • during development divides to form telencephalon (cerebral cortex, basal nuclei, limbic system) and diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary, pineal glands)
  • aka prosencephalon
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19
Q

functional techniques of neuroimaging

A
  1. PET (follows ingection and absorbtion of radioactive sugar in the brain
  2. fMRI (measures changes associated w/ blood flow)
  3. EEG ( measure brain activity for longer periods of time, records electrical activity)
  4. regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF): detects neural activity based on changes to blood flow
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20
Q

structural techniques of neuroimaging

A
  1. CT

2. MRI

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21
Q

Thalamus

A
  • relay station for sensory info except smell

- sorts and transmits to correct part of cerebral cortex

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22
Q

Hypothalamus: functions

A
  • hunger and thirst
  • endocrine functions
  • homeostasis
  • regulates ANS
  • drives sex behaviour
  • regulates functions of pituitary glands via hypophyseal portal system
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23
Q

Hypothalamus: subdivision

A
  1. Lateral
  2. Ventromedial
  3. Anterior
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24
Q

Lateral Hypothalamus

A

MNEMONICS: when the Lateral Hypothalamus (LH) is destroyed, one Lacks Hunger

trigger eating and drinking

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25
Ventromedial hypothalamus
MNEMONICS: when VMH is destroyed, one is Very Much Hungry - satiety centre - gives signal to stop eating
26
Anterior Hypothalamus
MNEMONICS: when Anterior hypothalamus is damaged, one is Asexual - sexual behaviour - sleep - body t
27
Ghrelin
hormone that increases hunger
28
Pineal Gland
secrete melatonin (regulates circadian rhythm)
29
Basal ganglia
- coordinate muscle movements - make movements smooth and posture steady - disease: Parkinson's, OCD, schizophrenia
30
Limbic system
- memory nad emotions | - composed of septal nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus
31
Septal Nuclei
pleasure center
32
Hippocampus
- learning and memory | - consolidates info to form long-term memories
33
Anterograde amnesia
- inability to make new memories | - old memories remain intact
34
Retrograde amnesia
- memory loss of events prior to the injury
35
Cerebral cortex
- outer surface - aka neocortex - made of gyri and sulci - divided into 2 hemisphere and 4 lobes
36
Frontal lobe
composed of 1. Prefrontal cortex: - supervising and directing operations of other brain regions - perception, memory (reminding us to remember to do something), emotion, impulse control, long-term planning - if damaged: impairs supervisory functions, more impulsive, less control, vulgar language and behavior, apathetic 2. Primary motor cortex: - initiates voluntary movements - a projection area - motor homunculus
37
Association area
area that integrates input from diverse brain regions | - complex processing
38
Projection area
performs simple perceptual and motor tasks
39
Broca's area
frontal lobe speech production found in dominant hemisphere
40
Parietal Lobe
somatosensory cortex in postcentral gyrus: - ivolved in somatosensory info processing - projection area - somatosensory homunculus spacial processing and manipulation
41
Occipital lobe
visual cortex | learnign and motor control
42
Temporal Lobe
1. auditory cortex: sound processing 2. WErnicke's area: language comprehension and reception memory processing, emotions, language
43
Contralaterraly
on the opposite side of the bosy
44
ipsilaterraly
on the same side of the body
45
Dominant hemisphere
- usually L - analytic in function - language content, logic, math
46
Nondominant hemisphere
- usually R | - emotions, intuitions, creativity, spacial processing
47
Ach
1. CNS: attention and arousal | 2. PNS: PSNS, nerve impulse transmission to muscles (voluntary)
48
Catecholamines
- include EN, Epinephrin and dopamin | - role in experiencing emotions
49
Epinephrine
- aka adrenaline - secreted from adrenal medulla - acts as hormone - SNS - flight-or-fight - alertness and wakefulness
50
Norepinephrine
- aka noradrenaline - SNS - flight-or-fight - alertness and wakefulness - acts at local level - low levels: depression - high levels: anxiety and mania
51
Dopamine
- movement and posture - usually high levels in basal ganglia - disbalances associated with 1. schizophrenia (too much or oversensitivity to dopamine) 2. Parkinson's disease (loss of dopamine neurons)
52
Serotonin
``` mood eatin sleeping dreaming ovversupply: mania undersupply: depression ```
53
GABA
- produces inhibitory postsynaptic potentials - stabilizes neural activity in the brain - causes hypoerpolarization of postsynaptic membrane
54
Glycine
- inhibitory neurotransmitter in CNS | causes Cl influx -> hyperpolarization of postsynaptic neuron
55
Glutamate
- excitatory neurotransmitter in CNS
56
Endorphines
- natural painkillers produced in brain | - type of neuromodulator (peptide neurotransmitter): have slower, but longer effect
57
Cortisol
stress hormone
58
Adrenal gland
- on top of kidney - adrenal medulla: Epi, NE - adrenal cortex: corticosteroids (including cortisol). testosterone, estrogen
59
Innate behavior
- genetically programmed | - seen in everyone
60
Learned behavior
- based on experience and envi
61
Family studies
- rely on assumptions that family members are more similar genotypically than unrelated individuals - limited because can't separate nature vs nurture
62
Twin studies
compares likelihood that both twins exhibit the same trait (between monozygotic (identical) and DZ twins)
63
Adoption studies
compare similarities b/ adopted children and their adoptive parents, raletive to similarities w/ their biological parents
64
NS development
thru neurulation: notochord stimulates ectoderm to fold over and create neural tube (becomes CNS) topped with neural crest (differentiates into many different tissues)
65
Primitive reflexes
- dissapear with age | - include : rooting reflex, Moro, Babinski, grasping
66
rooting reflex
turning of the head in the direction of a stimulus that touches cheek
67
Moro reflex
extens the arms, then slowly withdraws them and cries | - dissapears after 4 months
68
Babinski reflex
big toe extends while other toes fan outwards MNEMONICS: Babinski sounds like something big (toe)
69
Grasping reflex
closure of fingers when something is put on the hand
70
Developmental milestones
- gross and fine motor abilities progress head to toe and core to periphery - social skills shift from parent->self->others - language skills become increasingly complex

MCAT P/S (4 decks)

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