Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

PSYC 100 > L06: Neurobiology > Flashcards

L06: Neurobiology Flashcards

(81 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Human Nervous System

A

A network of neurons that transmits signals throughout the body.

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

Central Nervous System

A

Consists of the spinal cord and brain

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

Spinal cord

A

Nerve cable that emerges from the base of the brain and extends about 2/3 of the way down the vertebral column,

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

Peripheral System

A

Nervous system outside of the CNS. Includes the somatic and autonomic systems.

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

Somatic Nervous System

A

Transmits signals to CNS from muscles and joints via nerves.

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

Autonomic Nervous Systems

A

Regulates the internal environment of the body. Stimulates glands and organs. Divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic signaling.

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

Sympathetic Signalling

A

Prepares the body for action. Chronic stress leads to increased activity of this system.

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

Parasympathetic Signalling

A

Returns the body to resting state

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

Endocrine System

A

A communication network that influences thoughts, behaviours, and actions through hormones.

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

The endocrine system is primarily controlled by ___

A

the hypothalamus

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

T or F The endocrine system signals slower than the nervous system

A

True

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

Glial Cell

A

An essential part of the nervous system allowing neurons to function (Glia means “glue” in Greek). There are microglia and there are macroglia

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

Microglia

A

Smaller glial cells, responsible for protecting the CNS. They can metabolize dead tissue and are involved in keeping the CNS healthy

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

Types of Macroglia

A

Astrocytes and Oligodendrocytes

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

Macroglia

A

Larger glial cells.

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

Astrocytes

A

Link neurons to blood vessels, forming part of the blood-brain barrier. They engulf synapses (where neurons connect), regulating neurotransmitter release during synaptic transmission

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

Oligodendrocytes

A

they surround axons in the CNS, forming the myelin sheath that insulates axons, which allows the electrical signal that travels in the axon to travel faster

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

Soma

A

A neuron’s cell body

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

Axon Hillock

A

The axon hillock is located at the end of the soma and controls the firing of the neuron.

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

Axon

A

carries nerve impulses away from the cell body

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

Myelin Sheath

A

An insulating layer that allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Node of Ranvier

A

Periodic gap in the insulating sheath (myelin) on the axon of certain neurons that serves to facilitate the rapid conduction of nerve impulses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Axon Terminal

A

The sites where synapses with other neurons are found, and neurotransmitters are stored there to communicate with other neurons via these synapses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Terminal buttons

A

Located at the end of the neuron and are responsible for sending the signal on to other neurons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Synapse
A structure that permits a neuron (or nerve cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron
26
Dendrite
Appendages that are designed to receive communications from other cells
27
Vesicle
Store various neurotransmitters that are released at the synapse
28
Neurotransmitter
Chemical messengers in the body. Their job is to transmit signals from nerve cells to target cells.
29
Presynaptic cell/ terminal
the cell that releases neurotransmitters that will stimulate the postsynaptic cell. separated from the other neuron by the synaptic cleft
30
Post synaptic cell/ terminal
The receiving part of the synapse b/n two neurons
31
Information flow in the neuron
1. A signal is received at the dendritic spines, at the post-synaptic terminals, where the neuron synapses with the axon of another neuron. 2. This signal can produce an electric current that travels from the dendrite to the soma of the neuron. 3. If the signal accumulating at the axon hillock in the soma is strong enough, the receiving neuron will “fire”, i.e., it will produce an electrical impulse at the axon hillock. 4. This electrical impulse travels down the axon toward the terminal buttons (the pre-synaptic terminals). 5. When the electrical impulse reaches the pre-synaptic terminal, it can produce a chemical signal: the release of neurotransmitters. 6. When neurotransmitters reach the post-synaptic terminal of the receiving neuron: Go back to point 1 above.
32
Three types of neurons
Interneurons, sensory neurons, and motor neurons
33
Interneurons
Are neither sensory nor motor but connect neurons with other neurons. Located in the CNS
34
Sensory Neurons
Act as receptors of stimuli, or are connected to receptors
35
Motor Neurons
Connect the CNS to muscles, organs, & glands
36
t or f sensory neurons are located in the CNS
false
37
t or f motor neurons are located in the CNS
false
38
Electrical potential
how much energy is stored up in a system
39
what is the resting potential of a neuron?
-70 mV
40
Diffusion
pushes particles against their concentration gradient
41
Electrostatic pressure
equally electrically charged particles repel each other, and differently charged particles attract each other.
42
Ion channels
When proteins in the neuronal membrane that form little channels connecting the inside of the neurons with the outside and allow certain types of ions to pass
43
Action potential
Fired when electrical stimulation exceeds the threshold of excitement.
44
Action potential propagation
Generated in the body of the neuron and propagated through its axon.
45
Action potential steps
1. Sodium channels open 2. Potassium channels open 3. Depolarization 4. Sodium channels close 5. Repolarization 6. Potassium channels begin to close
46
Action potential in myelinated vs. unmyelated axons
myelinated- faster (speed approx. 100 m/s) | unmyelinated- slower (speed approx. 1 m/s)
47
effect of larger diameter on the velocity of an action potential
larger diameter = faster
48
Sodium- potassium pump
maintains the internal concentration of potassium ions [K+] higher than that in the surrounding medium (blood, body fluid, water) and maintains the internal concentration of sodium ions [Na+] lower than that of the surrounding medium
49
Synaptic Cleft
the space that separates a neuron and its target cell at a chemical synapse
50
Synaptic Vesicle
Small, electron-lucent vesicles that are clustered within the synapse. They store neurotransmitters and release them at the synapse.
51
Inhibitory neurotransmitters
They make it less likely that the post-synaptic neuron will fire
52
Excitatory neurotransmitters
They make it more likely that the post-synaptic neuron will fire
53
Presynaptic membrane
The cell membrane of an axon terminal that faces the receiving cell
54
Postsynaptic membrane
The membrane that receives a signal (binds neurotransmitter) from the presynaptic cell and responds via depolarisation or hyperpolarisation
55
Steps in signal transmission at synapse
1. Transmitter is synthesized and stored in vesicles 2. An action potential invades the presynaptic terminal 3. Depolarization of the presynaptic terminal causes the opening of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels 4. Influx of Ca2+ through channels 5. Ca2+ causes vesicles to fuse with presynaptic membrane 6. Transmitter is released into the synaptic cleft 7. Transmitter binds to receptor molecules in postsynaptic membrane 8. Opening or closing of post-synaptic channels 9. Postsynaptic current causes inhibitory or exhibitory postsynaptic potential that changes the excitability of the postsynaptic cell 10. Retrieval of vesicular membrane from the plasma membrane
56
Hemispheres
Left- critical for language | Right- critical for spatial relationships
57
Sulcus
a depression or groove in the cerebral cortex
58
Gyrus
a ridge on the cerebral cortex
59
Lobes
Front lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe
60
Fissure
a deeper grove and is often used interchangeably with sulcus
61
Corpus callosum
Millions of myelinated axons that connect the two hemispheres of the brain
62
Contralateral hemispheric organization
Left side controls the right half of the body and vice versa
63
Neocortex
Part of the human brain's cerebral cortex where higher cognitive functioning is thought to originate from
64
Frontal lobe
thought, planning, cognition, memory and movement
65
Parietal lobe
touch and spatial relations. integrating info from senses
66
Temporal lobe
hearing, memory. contains the hippocampus
67
Occipital lobe
visual processing centre
68
Somatosensory and motor homunculus
a topographic representation of the body parts and its correspondents along the precentral gyrus of the frontal and parietal lobes
69
Medulla
The lowest portion of the brain stem. Critical role in transmitting signals b/n the spinal cord and higher parts of the brain.
70
Pons
Connects the cerebral cortex with the medulla. Helps transfer nervous system messages b/n various parts of the brain and the spinal cord
71
Reticular activating system
Network of neurons located in the brain stem that project anteriorly to the hypothalamus to mediate behaviour
72
Brain stem
Responsible for basic survival functions such as breathing and swallowing
73
Cerebellum
Critical for maintaining proper motor function, memory, planning, language, and emotions. "Little brain" located at the back of the head, below the temporal and occipital lobes and above the brainstem.
74
Thalamus
Gateway to the cortex that received all sensory modalities (except odour). Located near the centre of the brain
75
Basil Ganglia
Critical for planning and movement. Includes the nucleus accumbens which is responsible for reward processing. Located deep in the brains' hemispheres
76
Limbic system parts
Prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, cingulate gyrus
77
Prefrontal cortex
Located at the front of the frontal lobe. It is implicated in a variety of complex behaviors, including planning, and greatly contributes to personality development
78
Hippocampus
Essential for episodic and spatial memories
79
Amygdala
Processes emotions and modulates the hippocampus
80
Hypothalamus
Located in the centre of the brain. plays an important role in hormone production
81
Cingulate Gyrus
Involved in processing emotions and regulating behaviour. Located in the centre of the brain

PSYC 100 (12 decks)

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