Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Intro to psychology > Module 2 (biopsychology) > Flashcards

Module 2 (biopsychology) Flashcards

(78 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What is Biopsychology

A

Biopsychology explores the biological mechanisms that underlie behaviors and unseen mental processes
- the structure and function of the nervous system
- how the nervous system interacts with the endocrine system

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

What is a neuron?

A

It is a specialized cell that has a job to conduct impulse throughout our body specifically the nervous system
- it is the basic cell that makes up the nervous system and receives and sends messages within that system

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

What is the nervous system?

A

A network of cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body

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

What are the three types of neurons

A

sensory, interneurons and moto

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

what does the sensory neuron do?

A

relays messages from sense organs receptors to brain or spinal code
- transmits messages into the system

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

what does the motor neuron do?

A

signals from brain, spinal cord to glands, muscles, movement
- in control of the movement

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

what does the interneurons do?

A

carry information and transmits between neurons in brain and neurons in spinal cord

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

what are the three parts of the neuron?

A

cell body, dendrites, axon

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

what is the cell body?

A

nucleus with chromosomes - carries out metabolic/maintaining functions

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

what are dendrites?

A

branch like extensions of neuron
- receive information from other neurons

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

what are axons?

A

slender, tail-like extension of neuron- transmits information to other neurons, muscles and glands
- axon terminals are rounded areas at the end of the branches at the end of the axon - communicate with other nerve cells

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

what is the myelin sheath?

A

made of a fatty substance that insulates axons and allows the signal to travel down the axon quicker
- is the protective coating over axons that speeds up the electrical transmissions

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

what are terminal buttons?

A

they are located at the end of the axons which contain synaptic vessels
- storage sites for chemical messengers called neurotransmitters

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

What are glial cells?

A
  • hold neurons together
  • remove waste products ( dead neurons)
  • handle metabolic risks
  • make myelin for cell transmission tasks (pain transmission)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the two parts to neurotransmission?

A

synapse and receptor cites

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

what is a synapse?

A

microscopic fluid-filled space between the rounded areas on the end of the axon terminals of one cell and the dendrites or surface of the next cell

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

what are the receptor sites?

A

three dimensional proteins on the surface of dendrites or certain cells of the muscles and glands, which are shaped to fit only certain neuro transmitters

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

what is the synaptic cleft?

A

fluid-filled gaps between axon terminals

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

what is the synapse

A

-junction where axon terminal of a sending neuron communicates with
- the receiving dendrites of the neuron across the synaptic cleft

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

What are the two parts of neurotransmission?

A

excitatory synapse and inhabitory synapse

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

what is the excitatory synapse?

A

neurotransmitter that causes the receiving cell to fire

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

what is the inhibitory synapse?

A

neurotransmitter that causes the receiving cell to stop firing

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

what is resting potential?

A

The state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse

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

what is the threshold of excitation?

A

level of charge in the membrane that causes the neuron to become active

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
what is the action potential
- is an electrical signal - act on an all-or-none principle- the incoming signal is either sufficient to reach the threshold of excitation or it is now
26
what is reuptake?
involves moving a neurotransmitter from the synapse back into the axon terminal from which it was released - reuptake involves moving a neurotransmitter from the synapse back into the axon terminal from which it was released
27
What are neurotransmitter?
they are chemical messenger of the nervous system. Different neurons release different types of neurotransmitters that have many different functions
28
What are the five kinds of neurotransmitters?
acetycholine, beta-endorphin, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin
29
What are three types of neurotransmitters and drugs?
psychotropic medication, agonist and antagonist
30
What is agonist?
drug that mimics or strengthens the effects of a neurotransmitters
31
what are antagonist?
drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter
32
What is the nervous system?
Electrochemical communication network consisting of all nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
33
what is the communication network?
takes information from the world and the body tissues - makes decisions and sends back information orders to the body tissues
34
What is the peripheral nervous system?
- somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system
35
What is the somatic nervous system?
relays sensory and motor information to and from the CNS
36
what is the autonomic nervous system?
controls our internal organs and glands and can be divided into the symapathetic and parasympathic nervous systems
37
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
involved in stress-related activities and functions; prepares us for fight or flight. Arouses and and expends energy - fight or flight response - activationof the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, allowing access to energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off a given threat or run away to safety
38
What is parasympathetic nervous system?
- conserves energy as it calms; it associated with routine, day-to-day operations of the body under relaxed conditions - rest and response - relaxes the body after fight or flight (aka rest and digest
39
what is the cerebral cortex
the surface of the brain that is associated with out highest mental capabilities such as consciousness, thought, emotion, reasoning, language and memory - outer covering: covers cerebral hemispheres
40
What is the corpus callosum?
- connects the two cerebral hemispheres - thick band of nerve fibres - transfer of information, coordination of activity between hemispheres
41
what is lateralization?
Concept that each hemisphere of the brain is associated with specialized functions
42
What does the right hemisphere control?
- increaseed activity with perceptual tasks - modulates speech; allows for making inferences - organizes self-awareness
43
what does the left hemisphere control?
- math tasks - language controll quick literal interpretations - humans have unified brains with specialized parts
44
What are the three parts of the brain?
forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain
45
what are the five parts of the forebrain?
-the cerebral cortex - thalamus -hypothalamus - pituitary gland - limbic system
46
What are the four lobes?
frontal parietal temporal occipital
47
what is the frontal lobe?
- planning, judgement, memory reasoning, abstract, thinking movement - involved in executive functioning(planning, organization, judgement, attention, reasoning), motor control, emotion and language - the motor cortex - the prefrontal cortex - broca's area
48
what is the parietal lobe?
information about touch (sensory cortext) - somatosentory cortex- essential for processing sensory information from across the body, such as touch, temperature and pain
49
what is the temporal lobe?
hearing ( auditory cortex), language - the auditory cortex is the strip of cortex in the temporal lobe that is responsible for processing auditory information
50
what is the occipital lobe?
visual information (visual cortex) contains the primary visual cortex which is responsible for interpreting incoming visual information
51
What is the left frontal lobe
contains Broca's area - related to processing grammar and pronounciation - broca's aphasia - language disturbance resulting from brain damage
52
What is the wernicke's area?
an assoiation areas for interpreting auditory information - primary auditory cortex - where hearing registers in cortex - inability to use or understand more than the most basic nouns and verbs
53
What is the thalamus?
serves as the relay center of the brain where most senses (excluding smell) are routed before being directed to other areas of the brain for processing
54
What is the limbic system?
located below the cerebral hemispheres regulates emotions and drives - is involved in mediating emotional response and memory - is made up of a number of different structures, some of the most important ones being
55
What are the three parts of the limbic system?
- hypothalamus -hippocampus - amygdala
56
What is hypothalamus?
located below the thalamus and regulates homeostatic processes including body temperature appetite and blood pressure - helps govern endocrine system - houses "reward centers" - part of it uses light cues to regulate sleep-wake cycles - controls maintenance functions, such as eating and drinking
57
What are hippocampus?
structure associated with learning and memory - creates new memories - integrates memories into a network of knowledge - consolidates and stores memories - responsible for memories
58
what is amygdala
involved in our experience of emotion and tying emotional meaning to our memories in processing fear - located at the tip of each side of the hippocampus - plays a significant role in the formation of emotional memories - attaches significance to events associated with fear, punishment or reward
59
What is the midbrain?
functions as a relay system - transmitting information visual and auditory - plays an important role in movement, pain and the sleep/wake cycle
60
what is reticular formation?
important in regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness and motor activity
61
What is substantia nigra?
where dopamine is produced; involved in control of movement
62
What is the ventral tegmental area?
where dopamine is produced; associated with mood, reward, and addiction - degeneration of the substantia nigra and VTA is involved in parkinson's disease
63
What is the hindbrain?
oldest part and central brain core; automatic survival functions; crossover point - coordinates functions that are fundamental to survival, including respiratory rhythm, motor activity, sleep and wakefulness
64
What are the three parts of the medulla?
medulla pons cerebellum
65
what is the medulla
controls automated proccesses like breathing, blood pressure and heart rate
66
what is the pons?
connects the brain and the spinal cord; involved in regulating brain activity during sleep
67
what is the cerebellum?
controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills and it is thought to be important in processing some types of memory
68
What is the endocrine system?
-From the bloodstream, the hormones are carried to organs in the body such as the heart, pancreas, and sex organs -Glands pour chemicals directly into the bloodstream or lympth system hormones are carried throughout the body
69
what are hormones?
chemical messengers in the bloodstream
70
What is the pituitary gland?
gland located in the brain that influences all other hormone-secreting glands (A.KA the master gland)
71
What are the two kinds of pituitary gland?
- oxytocin - growth hormone
72
what is oxytocin?
hormone released by posterior pituitary gland that is involved in reproductive and parental behaviors
73
what is growth hormone?
spurs childhood growth and helps maintain tissues and organs throughout life
74
what is pineal gland?
endocrine gland located near the base of the cerebrum that secretes melatonin -sleep patterns are often disrupted if the pineal gland is impaired
75
what is thyroid gland?
endocrine gland found in the neck that regulates metabolism - hypo or loss hyper
76
what are adrenal glands?
endocrine glands located on top of each kidney
77
what are gonads?
the sex glands; secrete hormones that regulate - sexual development and behavior as well as reproduction - produce testosterone and estrogen
78
what is the pancreas?
endocrine gland that controls the levels of sugar in the blood

Intro to psychology (3 decks)

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