Exam #2 Ch. 5-7-8-9 Flashcards
(118 cards)
What is the endocrine system and what purpose does it serve?
Hormonal system Made up of: Hypothalamus Pituitary (master gland) Thyroid Adrenal glands Pancreas Ovaries/Testes
Purpose is to secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.
What are androgens and what do they do?
Male hormones that stimulate the production of growth hormone, are responsible for the development of male sex organs, and contribute to sexual motivation during adulthood.
What does estrogen do?
Female hormone which stimulates the production of growth hormone, is responsible for the development of the breasts, public hair, female sex organs, and for the control of menstrual cycles.
What does progesterone do?
Pregnancy hormone
Orchestrates bodily changes that allow conception and then support a pregnancy.
What is the importance of:
The Pituitary gland
Testes
Ovaries
The pituitary gland is the master gland that is directly controlled by the hypothalamus. It triggers the release of hormones from all other endocrine glands by sending hormonal messages to those glands. The pituitary gland produces growth hormone which triggers the production of specialized hormones that directly regulate growth.
The Testes produce testosterone which develops the male reproductive system during the prenatal period, and it directs male sexual development during adolescence.
Ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone which regulate the menstrual cycle. Estrogen directs female sexual development during adolescence. Progesterone allows conception and supports pregnancy.
What makes up the central nervous system?
Brain and Spinal Cord
What are the functions of:
The Cerebrum
The Cerebellum
The Brian Stem
The cerebrum is responsible for voluntary movement, memory, thought process, etc.
The cerebellum is responsible for motion, movement, balance, equilibrium.
The brain stem is responsible for all non-voluntary movement (heartbeat, breathing, etc.)
What are the three parts of a neuron and what function does each part serve?
Axon
Dendrites
Myelin sheath
What is myelination?
The process of neurons (axons) becoming encased in myelin, a protective, fatty sheath that speeds up transmission of neural impulses.
This begins prenatally and continues for many years after birth. There seems to be a correlation between myelination in specific areas of the brain and human development.
What is synaptogenesis?
The growth of synapses. The dendrites of the neurons entend out to create a more complex network of communication between neurons. This increases during childhood.
What is neurogenesis?
The process of generating new neurons. This can happen in the brain in response to experiences.
What is synaptic pruning?
Synaptic pruning happens when neural connections that are not often used shrivel up and disappear. This usually happens between 7 and 15 yrs old.
What is brain plasticity?
The brains ability to be responsive to the individual’s experiences and develop in a variety of ways.
How does experience change the brain?
Experience shapes the brain.
An enriched environment leads to the development of more dendrites and therefore more connections between neurons.
What are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex and what functions do each serve?
Frontal Lobe: voluntary movement, exec. Function, thinking, personality, intentionality/purpose
Occipital Lobe: visual stimulation processing
Parietal Lobe: spatial location, pain vs. pressure, tactile sensation
Temporal Lobe:auditory processing
What are the functions of the prefrontal cortex?
Executive functioning: Planning complex cognitive behavior Personality expression Decision making Moderating social behavior
What are the different functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain?
Left Hemisphere: Language and Logic
Right Hemisphere: visual, emotional, spatial, face recognition
What is the limbic system and what function does it serve?
The limbic system contains glands which help relay emotions. Many hormonal responses that the body generates are initiated in this area. The limbic system includes the amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus and thalamus
What is the thalamus and what function does it serve?
The Thalamus is located in the center of the brain. It helps to control the attention span, sensing pain and monitors input that moves in and out of the brain to keep track of the sensations the body is feeling.
What is the hypothalamus and what function does it serve?
The hypothalamus region of the brain controls mood, thirst, hunger and temperature. It also contains glands which control the hormonal processes throughout the body.
What is the hippocampus and what function does it serve?
This portion of the brain is used for learning memory, specifically converting temporary memories into permanent memories which can be stored within the brain. The hippocampus also helps people analyze and remember spatial relationships, allowing for accurate movements.
What is the amygdala and what function does it serve?
The amygdala helps the body responds to emotions, memories and fear.
What are the three principles of growth and how do they differ?
Cephalocaudal: head to tail
Proximodistal: inside to outside
Orthogenetic: general to specific
How are survival reflexes different from primitive reflexes?
Survival reflexes have a clearly adaptive value while primitive reflexes are not clearly useful (may be remnants of our evolutionary history).
