the biology of behavior Flashcards
(24 cards)
what is myelin sheath?
fatty substance that covers the axon of some neurons. help transmit messages quicker
what is the action potential?
electrical impulse that travels from the cell body down to the end of the axon (neural firing). transmits information
what is a synapse?
junction between two neurons. messages are transmitted across synapse via neurotransmitters
what are neurotransmitters?
chemical messengers that travel across synapse between neurons or from neurons to muscles
what are endorphins?
endorphins- reduce pain and promote pleasure (“runners high”- athletes can keep going after getting seriously injured cause of endorphins)
buzz words: pain, stress, body’s natural painkillers, pleasure, euphoria
what is dopamine?
involved in voluntary movement, reward, learning, memory, pleasure sensations. It is also involved in movement, attention
what is serotonin?
involved in sleep, appetite, and mood. well-being and happiness.
what is epinephrine?
involved in stress response, fight or flight response (adrenaline) DANGERRR
what are agonists and antagonists?
agonist- increase normal activity of a neurotransmitter
antagonist- decrease activity of a neurotransmitter
what are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?
sympathetic- increases physiological arousal
parasympathetic- decreases arousal
what is the endocrine system?
serves to control body functions. gland in the endocrine system secrete hormones that travel through the blood to organs throughout the body.
hormones that regulate things in the body
what are the pituitary and adrenal glands?
pituitary- master gland. it releases glands to other glands to get them to do things.
adrenal- important in mood, energy level, stress response
what are the EEG and fMRI?
EEG- detect electrical activity of neurons in particular regions of brain. not an image, shows brainwaves
fMRI- uses MRI to measure relative activity of various brain areas during tasks
what is the brainstem?
the part of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord. deals with our vegetative behaviors (aka things we need to do to survive)
what is the amygdala?
part of limbic system involved in emotion, aggression, fear
what is the hippocampus?
a neural center located in the limbic system; “gateway to memory”, enables formation of new conscious memories
what are the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex (e.g., frontal lobe)?
occipital, parietal, temporal, frontal
what is the occipital lobe?
back of head, contains visual cortex
what is the parietal lobe?
at top of the brain. contain ssc. processes sensory input involving taste, temperature, and touch.
what is the temporal lobe?
on sides of head. contain auditory cortex and wernicke’s area.
what is the frontal lobe?
at the front of the brain. in charge of planning, creative thinking, personality, and voluntary movement
what are mirror neurons?
neurons that fire when observing another person doing something (ex: you see someone smile you want to smile too)
what are the somatosensory and motor cortexes?
somatosensory- receives information about touch sensation
motor- controls voluntary movement
what is plasticity?
flexibility of brain structures to adapt to new situations
