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Biopsychology Flashcards

(85 cards)

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1
Q

What is the main system that controls the mind and body?

A

The nervous system

The nervous system is essential for coordinating various functions in the body.

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2
Q

How does the nervous system take in information?

A

Transmitted across neurons

Neurons are the fundamental units of the nervous system responsible for transmitting information.

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3
Q

What types of functions does the nervous system coordinate?

A

Conscious and unconscious functions

Conscious functions include thinking and movement, while unconscious functions include the control of organs and glands.

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4
Q

Fill in the blank: The nervous system coordinates a wide range of _______ functions such as thinking and movement.

A

conscious

Conscious functions are those that require awareness and intentionality.

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5
Q

Fill in the blank: The nervous system also controls _______ functions like heart rate and digestion.

A

unconscious

Unconscious functions are automatic processes that do not require conscious thought.

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6
Q

What are the two main parts of the nervous system in humans?

A

Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS)

These parts work together to control bodily functions and respond to stimuli.

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7
Q

What does the central nervous system consist of?

A

Brain and spinal cord

The CNS is the main control system for the body.

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8
Q

List three functions of the brain.

A
  • Perception
  • Motor control
  • Regulating bodily processes and maintaining homeostasis

The brain also regulates sleep.

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9
Q

What is the role of the spinal cord?

A

Connects the brain with the peripheral nervous system and is responsible for some unconscious movements

Reflex actions, such as the knee-jerk reflex, are mediated by the spinal cord.

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10
Q

What does the peripheral nervous system do?

A

Connects the central nervous system with the rest of the body and the external world

It is crucial for transmitting sensory and motor information.

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11
Q

What are the two parts of the peripheral nervous system?

A
  • Somatic nervous system
  • Autonomic nervous system

These parts facilitate different types of control and responses.

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12
Q

What is the function of the somatic nervous system?

A

Responsible for voluntary movement and conscious control

It connects the brain to the senses and external world.

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13
Q

What is the role of the autonomic nervous system?

A

Transmits information between the central nervous system and internal organs; involuntary and not under conscious control

It regulates functions such as heart rate and digestion.

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14
Q

What are the two categories of the autonomic nervous system?

A
  • Sympathetic
  • Parasympathetic

These categories have opposing functions to regulate bodily processes.

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15
Q

What is the primary function of sympathetic functions in the body?

A

Increase bodily activity to prepare for action

Example: the fight or flight response

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16
Q

What is the primary function of parasympathetic functions in the body?

A

Decrease bodily activity to conserve energy

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17
Q

What are neurons?

A

Main components of the nervous system that transmit information

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18
Q

Approximately how many neurons are there in the human brain?

A

Around 100 billion

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19
Q

What is the function of dendrites in a neuron?

A

Receive a signal

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20
Q

What does the cell body of a neuron contain?

A

The nucleus

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21
Q

What is the role of the axon in a neuron?

A

Carries the signal towards the axon terminal

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22
Q

What protects the axon in a neuron?

A

Myelin sheaths

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23
Q

What are terminal boutons?

A

End of the axon that passes the electrical signal to the next neuron

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24
Q

How are signals passed within neurons?

A

Electrically

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25
What happens to a neuron at rest?
It is negatively charged
26
What occurs when a neuron is activated?
It becomes positively charged, sending an electrical impulse
27
What is synaptic transmission?
The process of sending information from one neuron to another
28
What is the synaptic cleft?
The gap between two neurons
29
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemicals that transmit signals between neurons
30
What happens when neurotransmitters are released?
They cross the synaptic cleft and bind to receptors on the next neuron
31
How are signals between neurons transmitted?
Chemically
32
What are the two types of effects neurotransmitters can have?
* Excitatory * Inhibitory
33
What is the effect of excitatory neurotransmitters?
Increase the likelihood of the neuron firing
34
What is the effect of inhibitory neurotransmitters?
Decrease the likelihood of the neuron firing
35
What general effect does serotonin have on neurons?
Inhibitory effect
36
What happens when serotonin binds to a neuron's receptor?
Increases the negative charge, making it less likely to fire
37
What general effect does glutamate have on neurons?
Excitatory effect
38
What are the three main types of neurons based on their function?
* Sensory neurons * Motor neurons * Relay neurons
39
What do sensory neurons do?
Transmit information from the senses to the central nervous system
40
What do motor neurons do?
Transmit information between the central nervous system and organs/muscles
41
What is the function of relay neurons?
Connect neurons to other neurons and transmit information within the central nervous system
42
What is the endocrine system?
A system of glands responsible for the release of hormones.
43
What is the role of the pituitary gland in the endocrine system?
It is the 'master gland' linked to the nervous system via the hypothalamus.
44
How do hormones communicate information in the body?
They are chemicals that flow through the body and bind to specialized receptors in cells.
45
What are the effects of hormones on the body?
They affect growth, sleep, mood, metabolism, and nearly every other process.
46
What happens when a hormone binds to a receptor?
It can cause an effect in that cell.
47
What hormone does the pituitary gland produce to stimulate growth?
Growth hormone.
48
What is the function of prolactin produced by the pituitary gland?
Stimulates milk production in females.
49
What hormone is produced by the testes?
Testosterone.
50
List three effects of testosterone.
* Responsible for male secondary sex characteristics * Sperm cell production * Increases aggression and muscle size
51
Fill in the blank: The _______ is linked to the nervous system and regulates hormone release.
[hypothalamus]
52
True or False: Hormones only affect growth in the body.
False
53
What is the endocrine system?
A system of glands responsible for the release of hormones.
54
What is the role of the pituitary gland in the endocrine system?
It is the 'master gland' linked to the nervous system via the hypothalamus.
55
How do hormones communicate information in the body?
They are chemicals that flow through the body and bind to specialized receptors in cells.
56
What are the effects of hormones on the body?
They affect growth, sleep, mood, metabolism, and nearly every other process.
57
What happens when a hormone binds to a receptor?
It can cause an effect in that cell.
58
What hormone does the pituitary gland produce to stimulate growth?
Growth hormone.
59
What is the function of prolactin produced by the pituitary gland?
Stimulates milk production in females.
60
What hormone is produced by the testes?
Testosterone.
61
List three effects of testosterone.
* Responsible for male secondary sex characteristics * Sperm cell production * Increases aggression and muscle size
62
Fill in the blank: The _______ is linked to the nervous system and regulates hormone release.
[hypothalamus]
63
True or False: Hormones only affect growth in the body.
False
64
What system transmits information chemically and operates more slowly than the nervous system?
The endocrine system ## Footnote The endocrine system is primarily regulated via the pituitary gland.
65
What is the primary gland that regulates the endocrine system?
The pituitary gland ## Footnote It is often referred to as the ‘master’ gland.
66
What response is adrenaline primarily responsible for?
The fight or flight response
67
Which part of the brain senses a threat and initiates the fight or flight response?
The hypothalamus
68
What does the hypothalamus signal the adrenal glands to release in response to a threat?
Adrenaline
69
What physiological changes occur in the body due to adrenaline release?
* Heart rate increases * Bronchioles dilate * Pupils dilate * Digestion is reduced
70
What system is activated to return the body to a resting state after a threat has passed?
The parasympathetic nervous system
71
What does the term 'neuroplasticity' refer to?
The brain's ability to recover from injury
72
What approach did early scientists take towards understanding the brain?
A holistic approach
73
What approach do more recent scientists tend to take regarding brain functions?
A localized approach
74
What are the two halves of the brain called?
Hemispheres
75
How many lobes are in each hemisphere of the brain?
Four lobes
76
What are the names of the four lobes of the brain?
* Frontal * Parietal * Occipital * Temporal
77
Which hemisphere is typically more involved in language processing?
The left hemisphere
78
Which hemisphere is typically more involved in processing spatial relationships?
The right hemisphere
79
What is the term for the processing of information from the left side of the body by the right hemisphere?
Contralateral
80
What is the name of the bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two hemispheres?
The corpus callosum
81
What surgical procedure may be performed to reduce the severity of epileptic seizures?
Corpus callosotomy
82
What was observed in split-brain patients when shown an image in their right visual field?
They were able to describe in words what they saw.
83
What was observed in split-brain patients when shown an image in their left visual field?
They were not able to describe what they saw.
84
Despite not being able to describe an image seen in the left visual field, what could split-brain patients do?
Use their hands to pick an object associated with that image.
85
Fill in the blank: The visual cortex is ______ in processing visual information from the left visual field.
contralateral

Psychology (5 decks)

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