Test 1 Flashcards
(119 cards)
1
Q
the scientific study of the biology of behavior
A
biopsychology
2
Q
our genetic makeup
A
genotype
3
Q
our observable traits
A
phenotype
4
Q
a phenotypic characteristic that is a byproduct of the evolution of some other characteristic, rather than a direct product of adaptive selection
A
spandrel
5
Q
a shift in the function of a trait during evolution; a trait can evolve because it served one particular function, but subsequently it may come to serve another
A
exaptation
6
Q
influenced by genes on the sex chromosomes
A
sex-linked traits
7
Q
What are the divisions of the nervous system?
A
- Central nervous system
- > Brain
- > Spinal cord
- Peripheral nervous system
- > Somatic nervous system
- > > Afferent nerves
- > > Efferent nerves
- > Autonomic nervous system
- > > Afferent nerves
- > > Efferent nerves
- > > > Sympathetic nervous system
- > > > Parasympathetic nervous system
8
Q
Describe the function of the CNS.
A
CNS is responsible for integrating sensory information and responding accordingly.
9
Q
Describe the function of the PNS.
A
Serves to bring information into the CNS and carry signals out of the CNS
10
Q
Describe the function of the somatic nervous system.
A
voluntary control of body movements via skeletal muscles.
11
Q
Describe the function of the autonomic nervous system.
A
responsible for regulating involuntary body functions
12
Q
Describe the function of the sympathetic nervous system.
A
activates the fight or flight response.
13
Q
Describe the function of the parasympathetic nervous system.
A
activates tranquil functions; rest and restore.
14
Q
What is the difference between afferent and efferent nerves?
A
- Afferent neurons sense stimuli and send information to the brain.
- Efferent neurons are the nerves that carry signals away from the central nervous system in order to initiate an action.
15
Q
What is the brain protected by?
A
- Skull
- Meninges
- Cerebrospinal fluid
- Blood-brain barrier
16
Q
What is the function of the skull?
A
physical protection of the brain
17
Q
What is the are the 3 different meninges and what are their characteristics?
A
- Outer - dura mater–tough outer membrane
- Middle - arachnoid mater–web-like membrane
- Inner - pia mater–adheres to CNS surface
18
Q
What is the function of cerebrospinal fluid?
A
fluid that serves as a cushion for the brain
19
Q
What is the function of the blood-brain barrier?
A
tightly-packed cells of blood vessel walls prevent entry of many molecules
20
Q
What are glial cells?
A
- Cells that support neurons
2. Outnumber neurons 10:1
21
Q
What are the different glial cells?
A
- oligodendrocytes
- Schwann cells
- astrocytes
- microglia
22
Q
What are oligodendrocytes?
A
glial cells that create myelin sheaths in the CNS
23
Q
What are Schwann cells?
A
glial cells that create myelin sheath in the PNS; guide axonal regeneration
24
Q
What are astrocytes?
A
glial cells that are the largest, star-shaped, and have many functions
25
What are microglia?
glial cells that are involved in response to injury or disease
26
selectively stains cell bodies
Nissl stain
27
What are the neuroanatomical directions?
1. Dorsal >
2. Ventral <
3. Anterior ^
4. Posterior v
5. Medial > <
6. Lateral < >
Other:
1. Proximal - close
2. Distal - far
28
Gray matter:
inner component, primarily cell bodies
29
White matter:
outer area, mainly myelinated axons
30
responsible for long-term or "declarative" memory.
hippocampus
31
governs body temperature, thirst, hunger, sleep, circadian rhythm, moods, sex drive, and the release of other hormones in the body.
hypothalamus
32
involved in sensory perception and regulation of motor functions.
thalamus
33
involved in the processing of emotions; also responsible for determining what memories are stored and where the memories are stored in the brain.
amygdala
34
structures in the forebrain that help to control movement.
basal ganglia
35
structure that has a function in coordination.
cerebellum
36
controls autonomic functions, relay of nerve signals and body movement coordination. a center for respiration and circulation. deals primarily with involuntary functions from breathing to vomiting.
medulla
37
act as a pathway for signals transferring between the cerebrum and the cerebellum; helping transmit cranial nerve signals out of the brain and into the face and ears; and controlling certain involuntary functions like respiration and consciousness.
pons
38
What are the different lobes of the brain?
1. Frontal
2. Occipital
3. Parietal
4. Temporal
39
lobe associated with reasoning, motor skills, higher level cognition, and expressive language.
frontal lobe
40
lobe associated with processing tactile sensory information such as pressure, touch, and pain.
parietal lobe
41
lobe associated with interpreting sounds and the language we hear; also memory.
temporal lobe
42
lobe associated with interpreting visual stimuli and information.
occipital lobe
43
Resting membrane potential is about ___.
-70 mV
44
difference between electrical charge between inside and outside of cell
membrane potential
45
a short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell rapidly rises and falls, following a consistent trajectory.
action potential
46
The opening and closing of voltage-activated sodium and potassium channels during the three phases of the action potential:
1. rising phase
2. repolarisation
3. hyperpolarisation
47
When the rising phase starts:
sodium channels open
48
After the rising phase starts:
potassium channels open
49
When the rising phase ends and repolarisation begins:
sodium channels close
50
At the end of repolarisation and the beginning of hyperpolarisation:
potassium channels start to close
51
making the membrane potential less negative
depolarisation
52
making the membrane potential more negative
hyperpolarisation
53
a temporary depolarization of postsynaptic membrane potential caused by the flow of positively charged ions into the postsynaptic cell as a result of opening of ligand-gated ion channels.
excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)
54
synaptic potential that makes a postsynaptic neuron less likely to generate an action potential.
inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)
55
the amount of time it takes for an excitable membrane to be ready for a second stimulus once it returns to its resting state following excitation
refractory period
56
What are the two refractory periods?
1. absolute
| 2. relative
57
refractory period in which it is impossible to initiate another action potential
absolute
58
refractory period in which it is harder to initiate another action potential
relative
59
the propagation of action potentials along myelinated axons from one node of Ranvier to the next node, increasing the conduction velocity of action potentials.
saltatory conduction
60
Neurotransmitter binds and an associated ion channel opens or closes, causing a PSP
ionotropic receptor
61
Effects are slower, longer-lasting, more diffuse, and more varied
metabotropic receptor
62
What are the steps of metabotropic receptors?
1. neurotransmitter 1st messenger binds
2. G protein subunit breaks away
3. Ion channel opened/closed OR a 2nd messenger is synthesised
4. 2nd messengers may have a wide variety of effects
63
What are the major neurotransmitters?
1. Serotonin
2. Dopamine
3. Acetylcholine
4. Anandamide
5. Norepinephrine
6. GABA
7. Glutamate
64
What is the function of serotonin?
Mood and temperature regulation, aggression, and sleep cycles
65
What is the function of dopamine?
Motor function and reward
66
What is the function of acetylcholine?
Muscle contraction (PNS) and cortical arousal (CNS)
67
What is the function of anandamide?
Pain reduction, increase in appetite
68
What is the function of norepinephrine?
Brain arousal and other functions like mood, hunger, and sleep
69
What is the function of GABA?
Main inhibitory neurotransmitter
70
What is the function of glutamate?
Main excitatory neurotransmitter; participates in relay of sensory information and learning
71
How agonists influence synaptic activity:
increase or facilitate activity
72
How antagonists influence synaptic activity:
decrease or inhibit activity
73
a technology that uses computer-processed x-rays to produce tomographic images (virtual 'slices') of specific areas of the scanned object, allowing the user to see inside without cutting
CT scan (X-ray computed tomography)
74
What are the methods for viewing the brain?
1. CT scan
2. PET scan
3. MRI
75
Scan is an image of levels of radioactivity in various parts of one horizontal level of the brain
PET scan (positron emission tomography)
76
Constructed from measurement of waves that hydrogen atoms emit when activated within a magnetic field
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
77
Measure of gross electrical activity of the brain
Electroencephalography (EEG)
78
the technique of recording eye movements
Electrooculography (EOG)
79
the technique of measuring the electrical activity of muscles
Electromyography (EMG)
80
Several procedures each requiring careful interpretation of effects
lesion methods
81
Different lesion methods:
1. bilateral and unilateral lesions
2. aspiration lesions
3. radio-frequency lesions
4. knife cuts
5. cryogenic blockade
82
Requires use of stereotaxic atlas and instrument
stereotaxic surgery
83
The junction of the sagittal and coronal sutures of the skull, often used as a reference point
bregma
84
A collection of drawings of sections of the brain of a particular animal with measurements that provide coordinates
stereotaxic atlas
85
measures extracellular concentration of specific chemicals in live animals
cerebral dialysis
86
Subjects missing a given gene can provide insight into what a gene controls; antisense drugs block expression of a gene
gene knockout
87
Inserting a pathological human gene in mice
gene replacement
88
What is the goal of behavioural testing?
To identify parts of the brain that mediate various constituent cognitive processes
89
What are the different methods of behavioural testing?
1. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
2. Wisconsin Card Sorting Task
3. Open field
4. Elevated plus maze task
5. Morris Water maze task
6. Radial arm maze task
7. Conditioned place preference task
8. Operant chamber (Skinner box)
90
What is the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale?
a test designed to measure intelligence in adults and older adolescents.
91
What is the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task?
A test that measures the ability to display flexibility in the face of changing schedules of reinforcement
92
What is Open field testing?
an experiment used to assay general locomotor activity levels and anxiety in rodents
93
What is elevated plus maze task?
plus-shaped apparatus with two open and two enclosed arms to research anxiety in rodents
94
What is Morris Water Maze task?
A test of spatial memory.
| Rat learns to find a hidden platform using spatial visual cues.
95
What is Radial Arm Maze task?
A maze that measures spatial learning and memory in rats.
96
What is Conditioned Place Preference task?
A test that relies on classically conditioned association between drug effect and environment.
97
What is Operant chamber (Skinner box)?
A test in which a rat is trained to press a lever for a reward.
98
The two major divisions of the nervous system are the:
Peripheral and Central nervous system
99
The CNS is composed of:
Brain and spinal cord
100
In general, afferent nerves carry sensory information:
To the CNS
101
Which of the following generally acts to conserve the body's energy?
Parasympathetic nervous system
102
The dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater are:
meninges
103
____ form the myelin sheath in the PNS.
Schwann cells
104
The back of your head is:
dorsal
105
White matter is largely composed of:
axons
106
Which of the following is NOT a function of cerebrospinal fluid?
carries messages to the brain
107
The lobe that is involved with processing visual information is:
occipital lobe
108
A membrane potential is the different in electrical charge between:
the inside and outside of a cell
109
Ions pass through the neural membrane via specialised pores called:
ion channels
110
IPSP is to EPSP as:
hyperpolarisation is to depolarisation
111
The three forces that affect the movement of ions across the cell membrane are:
Diffusion, electrostatic pressure, and sodium-potassium pump
112
A neuron normally fires when:
the degree of depolarisation on the axon adjacent to the hillock exceeds the threshold of activation
113
Excess acetylcholine may be broken down by the enzyme:
acetylcolinesterase
114
___ is the soluble gas that has been most extensively investigated as a neurotransmitter.
NO
115
Key rationale for lesion studies is that:
change in behaviour that follows a brain lesion can give important clues about function of an ablated area
116
The ____ is a device that holds an animal's head fixed in space that can be used to implant an electrode or cannula into the brain.
stereotaxic apparatus
117
The ways that drugs affect neurotransmission: Agonists: (short answer question)
1. Increase the synthesis of neurotransmitter molecules
2. Increase the number of NT molecules by destroying degrading enzymes
3. Increases the release of NT molecules from terminal buttons
4. Binds to autoreceptors and blocks their inhibitory effect on NT release
118
The ways that drugs affect neurotransmission: Antagonists: (short answer question)
1. Block the synthesis of NT molecules
2. Cause the NT molecules to leak from the vesicles and be destroyed by degrading enzymes
3. Block the release of the NT molecules from terminal buttons
4. Activate autoreceptors and inhibit NT release
5. Binds to postsynaptic receptors and blocks the effect of the NT
119
Steps of an action potential:
1. the membrane potential of the axon is depolarised to the threshold of excitation by an EPSP
2. Voltage-activated sodium channels in the axon membrane open (rising phase begins)
3. Sodium ions rush in, driving the membrane potential from about -70mV to about +50mV
4. Change in membrane potential marked by influx of Na+ ions triggers the opening of voltage-activated potassium channels
5. K+ ions near the membrane are driven out of the cell
6. Na+ channels close (rising phase ends)
7. Repolarisation is achieved by the continuous efflux of K+ ions.
8. Potassium channels close.
9. Efflux of too many K+ ions leads to hyperpolarisation for a brief period of time.
