Chapter 3: Biological Processes Flashcards
(38 cards)
Who developed the theory of dualism, that the mind and body are two separate entities, one physical and one non-physical?
Descartes
What kind of information do afferent and efferent nerves send, respectively?
sensory, motor
What are interneurons?
neurons that relay information from one neuron to another, serve as an intermediate but do not directly communicate with brain or body
Know how to identify the following parts of a neuron: dendrites, soma, axon, terminal buttons.
dendrite: receptive area of neuron that takes info from other neurons and relays to the body (soma)
soma: main body of neuron
axon: projection from soma that carries that neuron’s signal to other neurons or effector cells
terminal buttons: synapses
What effect does an excitatory message have on the postsynaptic neuron?
depolarizes it (loses negative potential, transmits action potential)
What effect does an inhibitory message have on the postsynaptic neuron?
hyperpolarizes the membrane and raises the action potential threshold
What is glutamate’s function as a neurotransmitter?
excitatory, helps with memory
What is serotonin’s function as a neurotransmitter?
inhibitory, involved in sleep or dreaming
What is dopamine’s function as a neurotransmitter?
inhibitory: involved in pathophysiology of Parkinson’s and schizophrenia
What is acetylcholine’s function as a neurotransmitter?
excitatory, muscle contraction
What is GABA’s role as a neurotransmitter?
inhibitory, regulates anxiety
What is the difference between an agonist/antagonist and a neuromodulator?
Agonists and antagonists mimic the neurotransmitter directly, while neuromodulators increase or decrease effectiveness of other NTs
During development, is most neurological growth in size and complexity or in addition of new neurons?
size/complexity, neurons do not really increase in number throughout life (neurological damage is permanent)
How does botox work?
Botox inhibits the release of neurotransmitters at a muscular junction.
What happens to dendrite length as we age?
Up into our 70s dendrite length is increasing, but starts to decline after that point.
What is the difference between the Broca’s area and the Wernicke’s area of the brain?
The Broca’s area is involved in the production of speech: the physical movements of the mouth required. The Wernicke’s area mediates our understanding of speech that we hear.
What did the case study of Phineas Gage tell us about brain function?
Gage had a metal pole forced through his head in a work accident. It completely penetrated his frontal lobe, but he survived because the frontal lobe is not involved in crucial body processes. Personality changes were observed and led to the postulation that the frontal lobe plays the role in personality traits.
What is TMS, and what is it used for in studying brain function?
transcranial magnetic stimulation, used to temporarily hyper polarize certain areas of the brain and observe the effect on the body
Describe EEGs.
An EEG is a measure of the brain’s electrical activity using electrodes placed on the scalp. Great temporal resolution, but poor spatial resolution.
What kind of information is provided by event-related potentials?
An event related potential is a recording of brain activity in response to a stimulus. From it, you can record the maximum response to the stimulus, the direction of the response (+ or -), as well as the time to maximum response.
Which imaging technique creates accurate physical “slices” of the brain using high-powered x-rays?
CT scan
How does positron emission tomography (PET) work?
The patient is injected with a radioactive, harmless isotope of glucose. The rate of absorption is measured using colored images of the brain.
How do MRIs and fMRIs compare and contrast?
Both procedures involve use of a strong magnetic field to create 3D maps of the brain. An fMRI, unlike an MRI, is used to monitor changes in activity over time.
Which brain imaging technique(s) provides the best temporal resolution?
EEG
