Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Behavioural sciences > Biology And Behaviour > Flashcards

Biology And Behaviour Flashcards

(52 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What are the three major parts of the brain and their embryonic brain subdivisions

A

Hindbrain (rhombencephalon) - divides into metencephalon (pons and cerebelllum ) and myelencephalon (medullla oblongata )
Midbrain (mesencephalon ) - contains superior and inferior colliculus
Forebrain (prosencephalon) - telencephalon (cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, lambic system) and diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary and pineal glands)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Superior collliculus

A

Receives visual sensory input

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Inferior collliculus

A

Receives auditory sensory input

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are two non invasive ways to study brain activity and how do they work?

A

EEG (electroencephalogram)- places electrodes on scalp and measures patters on electrical activity
Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) - inhale harmless radioactive gas and then look at regions where we have increased blood flow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Thalamus

A

Part of the forebrain that acts as relay station for incoming sensory information for all senses but smell and send them to the cerebral cortex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Subdivided into the lateral hypothalamus, ventromedial hypothalamus, and anterior hypothalamus
Important for homeostasis, emotional experience, high arousal states, aggressive behaviour, sexual behaviour, hunger and thirst

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Lateral hypothalamus

A

Hunger center - has receptors that detect when the body needs more food or fluids
If this part of the brain does not work you lack hunger - would not eat or drink

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Ventromedial hypothalamus

A

Satiety centre - provide signals to stop eating - if this is part of the brain is not working you are “VMH - very much hungry - would lead to obesity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Anterior hypothalamus

A

Controls sexual behaviour - damage would cease sexual activity
Also regulates sleep and body temperature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Basal ganglia

A

In middle of brain - coordinate movement and received information from cortex and relays to spinal cord via extrapyramidal motor system
Makes our movements smooth and posture steady
Parkinson’s disease has destruction of basal ganglia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Limbic system

A

Interconnected structures looping around central portion of the brain - controls emotion and memory - includes septal nuclei, amygdala and hippocampus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Septal nuclei

A

Primary pleasure centres in the brain - can cause addictive behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Amygdala

A

Defensive and aggressive behaviour, fear and rage - aggression and fear greatly reduced when amygdala not functioning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Hippocampus

A

Learning and memory, consolidate information to form long term memory, redistributes memory to cerebral cortex
Communicates w/ limbic system through fornix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Anterograde amnesia

A

Not being able to establish new memories

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Retrograde amnesia

A

Memory loss of events that transpired before brain injury

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

Aka neocortex - outer surface of brain - most recent to evolve - has many gyri (bumps) and sulci (folds)
Four lobes - frontal, temporal, parietal , occipital

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Prefrontal cortex

A

Manages executive function by supervising and directing operations of processes for perception, memory (does not store memories itself but let us know we have them), emotion, impulse control and long term planning
Communicates with reticular formation in the brain stem controlling alertness or attention - wake up or relax

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Association area

A

Integrates input from diverse brain regions

Eg. Many different inputs needed to solve a puzzle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Projection area

A

Perform more rudimentary or simple perceptual motor tasks

Eg. Visual cortex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What may happen if a person had a prefrontal legion

Study These Flashcards
A

Impulsive, less in control of behaviour , depressed

22
Q

Primary motor cortex

Study These Flashcards
A

Located on the precentral gyrus - initiates voluntary motor movements by sending impulses down the spinal cord towards the muscle
Is a projection area

23
Q

Motor homunculus

Study These Flashcards
A

Neutrons in motor cortex area arranged systematically - size in cortex based in need for finer motor control

24
Q

Area in the frontal lobe that is vital for speech production

Study These Flashcards
A

Broca’s area- only found in 1 hemisphere

25
Parietal lobe
Located to the rear of the frontal lobe Contains the somatosensory cortex which is a projection area for sensory signals for touch, pressure, temperature and pain Also associated with spatial processing and manipulation - orient of self and others in 3D space
26
Occipital lobe
At the rear of the brain and contain the visual/striate cortex Also has role in learning and motor control
27
Temporal lobe
Contains the auditory cortex, wernicke’s area and hippocampus (memory processing, emotion, language)
28
Auditory cortex
Part of the temporal lobe - sound processing - speech and music
29
Wernicke’s Area
Language reception and comprehension
30
Contralateral
Cerebral hemisphere will cause action in the side of the body opposite to it Opposite is ipsilateral (eg. Hearing )
31
Dominant hemisphere
Usually the left - the one that is more heavily stimulated during language reception and production Analytic , good for managing details, language, logic, math Contains Broca’s area dnd wernicke’s area [letters, words, language sounds, speech, reading, math, complex voluntary movement ]
32
Non dominant hemisphere
Usually the right - intuition, creativity, music cognition, spatial processing Holistic image, less prominent role in language, More sensitive to tone of language or mood [faces, music, emotions, geometry, sense of direction ]
33
Acetylcholine
In peripheral nervous system it transmits nerve impulses to muscles Uses mainly in parasympathetic system, but inner ages sweat glands in sympathetic CNS linked to attention and arousal - loss of cholinergic neutrons can lead to Alzheimer’s
34
Epinephrine and norepinephrine
Are catecholamines and are important in experience of emotions Control alertness and wakefulness, primary NT. Of sympathetic nervous system NE usually more local NT while epinephrine is secreted from adrenal medulla to act systemically as a hormone
35
What is associated with low levels of NE? High levels?
Depression | Anxiety and mania
36
Dopamine
Catecholamine important for movement and posture - high levels usually found in basal ganglia to help with movement and postural stability
37
Dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia
Too much dopamine or an over sensitivity to dopamine can cause delusions, hallucinations and agitation
38
Loss of dopaminergic neutrons in the basal ganglia
Parkinson’s - resting tremor, jerky movements and postural instability
39
Serotonin
Monoamine catecholamine Regulates mood, eating, sleeping and dreaming Depression and mania
40
GABA
Produces inhibitory post synaptic potentials - stabilizes neural activity in the brain - causes hyperpolarization of postsynaptic neutrons
41
Neormodulators
Aka neuropeptides Slower and longer effects Eg. Natural pain killers endorphins and enkephalins
42
Reflex
A behaviour that occurs automatically in response to a given stimulus
43
Primitive reflexes
Reflexes that we have when we are young but typically disappear at a distinctive time - retention of these can indicate issues with neurological development
44
Rooting reflex
Automatic turning of the head when a stimulus brushes the cheek
45
Moro reflex
Infants react to abrupt movements of their heads by flinging out arms, slowly retracing and crying -usually disappears after 4 months - continuation at 1 year is strong indicator of developmental difficulties
46
Babinski reflex
Toes spread apart automatically when the sole of the fooot is stimulated
47
Grasping reflex
Occurs when infant closes fingers around an object when put in hand
48
Gross motor skills
Movement from large muscle groups and whole body movement
49
Fine motor skills
Smaller muscles such as fingers eyes and toes | Tracking motion, drawing, catching and waving
50
Stranger anxiety
Fear or apprehension of unknown individuals - develops at 7 months
51
Separation anxiety
Fear of being away from parent figure - begins at 1 year
52
Parallel play
Begins at age 2 - children will play alongside each other without influencing one anthers behaviours Before this it was solitary to onlooker

Behavioural sciences (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions