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PSYCH 104 > Chapter 3 > Flashcards

Chapter 3 Flashcards

1
Q

What are neurons?

A

Specialized cells that make up the nervous system

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2
Q

What are the 3 main parts of a neuron?

A

Cell body (soma); dendrites; axon

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3
Q

What is the cell body (soma)?

A

Structures that keep the cell alive

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4
Q

What are the dendrites in a cell?

A

“Branches” from cell body, receive signals

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5
Q

What does the axon in the cell do?

A

Conducts electrical impulses away from the soma

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6
Q

What are the functions of glial cells?

A

Hold neurons in place; make and move nutrients; form Meylin Sheath; remove toxins

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7
Q

What is the blood-brain barrier? And what cell is it associated with?

A

Wall of blood vessels that are covered in glial cells that protect toxins from entering our brain as the spaces are slightly larger in the brain

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8
Q

What are the 2 basic functions of a neuron?

A
  1. Generate electricity (Create nerve impulses)
  2. Release chemicals (Communicate with other cells)
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9
Q

What are the 3 steps of neural impulses?

A
  1. At rest with electrical resting potential
  2. Stimulated and electrical charges (ions) flow across cell membrane
  3. Restore distribution of ions, cell at rest again
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10
Q

What is the charge of a neuron at resting potential?

A

Pos outside + Neg inside with a -70mV difference

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11
Q

What are the 2 main elements that give charge to a neuron?

A

Sodium (Na+) and Potassium (K+)

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12
Q

What is depolarization?

A

When the cell is stimulated and electrical charges (ions) flow across cell membrane

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13
Q

What are the different stages that a neural impulse goes through when activated?

A

Resting potential->action potential->refractory period-> resting potential

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14
Q

What is the All-or-None Law?

A

Action potentials occur at a uniform and maximal intensity, or they don’t occur at all

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15
Q

When the rate of cell firing is increased what happens?

A

More action potentials are created

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16
Q

What is a myelin sheath?

A

A fatty, whitish insulation layer derived from glial cells during development (insulates neurons)

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17
Q

What are the Nodes of Ranvier?

A

Places where the myelin is either extremely thin or absent; Allows conduction to “skip ahead”

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18
Q

What are synapses?

A

Functional (not physical) connections between neurons and their target

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19
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Chemical substances that carry messages across the synapse to either excite other neurons, or inhibit their firing

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20
Q

What are the 2 basic functions of a neurotransmitter?

A
  1. Generate electricity
  2. Release chemicals
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21
Q

What are the 5 stages of chemical communication?

A
  1. Synthesis
  2. Storage
  3. Release
  4. Binding
  5. Deactivation
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22
Q

In chemical communication, what is the synthesis stage?

A

Chemical communications are made in the neuron

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23
Q

In chemical communication, what happens in the storage stage?

A

Chem comm. is held in the synaptic vesicles

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24
Q

In chemical communication, what happens in the release stage?

A

Chem com. is released into the synaptic space

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25
Q

In chemical communication, what happens in the binding stage?

A

Chem com. attach to receptor sites

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26
Q

In chemical communication, what happens in the deactivation stage?

A

Stops the neurotransmitter signal

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27
Q

What is the difference between an excitatory and inhibitory transmitter?

A

Excitatory - decrease resting potential of post-synaptic neuron; may even fire; depolarization

Inhibitory - increase resting potential of post-synaptic neuron; hyperpolarization

28
Q

What is associated with the neurotransmitter glutamate?

A

Excitatory; expressed in the whole brain; control of behaviours (learning + memory)

29
Q

What is associated with the neurotransmitter GABA?

A

Inhibitory; expressed in whole brain; control of behaviours (anxiety + motor control)

30
Q

What is associated with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine?

A

Excitatory; function at synapses involved in muscle movement and memory; memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease

31
Q

What is associated with the neurotransmitter norepinephrine?

A

Excitatory + inhibitory; involved in learning, memory, wakefulness, eating; depression + panic disorders

32
Q

What is associated with the neurotransmitter serotonin?

A

Inhibitory (mostly); functions at various sites; mood, eating, sleep, arousal; depression

33
Q

What is associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine?

A

Excitatory/Inhibitory; Functions at various sites; voluntary movement, learning, motivation, pleasure; depression, Parkinson’s disease, Schizophrenia

34
Q

What are some methods of studying the brain?

A

Postmortem studies; studying live non-human animals; studying live humans (surgical techniques, brain imaging, etc.)

35
Q

What are some features of neuropsychological tests? Plus an example of a type of test?

A

Looking at the brain to determine behaviour relations & measure verbal and non-verbal behaviours; Trail making test

36
Q

What are the 3 parts of the brain?

A

Forebrain; midbrain; hindbrain

37
Q

What is the forebrain?

A

Highly developed portion of the brain that has numerous functions

38
Q

What does the midbrain control?

A

Reflex actions and voluntary movements

39
Q

What does the hindbrain control?

A

Vital functions and coordinating movements

40
Q

What are the 4 components of the hindbrain?

A

Brainstem; medulla; pons; cerebellum

41
Q

What does the medulla do?

A

Controls heart activity and largely controls breathing, swallowing, and digestion; All sensory and motor nerve tracts ascend from the spinal cord and descend from the brain

42
Q

What is the pons?

A

Relay station for signals of the nervous system

43
Q

What does the pons do?

A

Regulates sleep and dreaming; controls muscles and glands in face and neck

44
Q

What does the cerebellum?

A

Controls bodily coordination, balance, and muscle tone; Involved in procedural memory (motor skills)

45
Q

Reticular formation, superior colliculi, and inferior colliculi are within what section/part of the brain?

A

Midbrain

46
Q

What is the midbrain physically made of?

A

Grey matter; red nucleus, substantia nigra, ventral region

47
Q

What is the superior colliculi involved in?

A

Involved in vision (especially visual reflexes)

48
Q

What is associated with the inferior colliculi?

A

Involved in hearing

49
Q

What is the reticular formation associated with? And where is it located?

A

Involved in regulation of consciousness (conscious awareness and control); regulates sleep, wakefulness, and attention; extends into hindbrain and lower forebrain

50
Q

What are the 4 parts of the forebrain?

A

Thalamus; basal ganglia; hypothalamus; limbic system

51
Q

Where is the thalamus? And what does it do?

A

Above the midbrain; like a relay station; visual, auditory, and body senses

52
Q

What is the basal ganglia (voluntary)?

A

Collections of neurons crucial to motor function

53
Q

What does the hypothalamus do? What system is it part of?

A

Regulates basic biological drives; endocrine system

54
Q

What are the 3 main parts of the limbic system?

A

Hippocampus; amygdala; nucleus accumbens

55
Q

What is the hippocampus main function?

A

Forming and retrieving memories

56
Q

What is the amygdala associated with?

A

Emotions (esp. aggression and fear)

57
Q

What is associated with the nucleus accumbens?

A

Reward and motivation; dopamine is important; cues for pleasure

58
Q

What are the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex?

A

Frontal; parietal; occipital; temporal

59
Q

What is the Broca’s area associated with?

A

Speech formation

60
Q

What is the Wernicke’s area associated with?

A

Speech understanding

61
Q

The primary motor cortex (voluntary movement) is associated with what lobe of the brain?

A

Frontal lobe

61
Q

The somatic sensory cortex (body sensations) is associated with what lobe of the brain?

A

Parietal

62
Q

The primary visual cortex is associated with what lobe of the brain?

A

Occipital lobe

63
Q

The primary auditory cortex (hearing) is associated with what lobe of the brain?

A

Temporal lobe

64
Q

What animal has one of the lowest brain to body ratio?

A

Koala

PSYCH 104 (5 decks)

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