Topic 3 - Biology: Brain Basis of Behavio

Question 1

Biological theory/psychology

Answer 1

-a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
-Focuses on how the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences, as well as, how our genes and heredity influence our individual differences.

Question 2

-Nervous System

Answer 2

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems→ take in world’s info and send back info

Question 3

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Answer 3

the brain and spinal cord→ body’s decision maker

Question 4

-Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
-what is it subdivided into?

Answer 4

-PNS=sensory and motor neurons that connect to brain and spinal cord
-the autonomic nervous system ( controls involuntary functions) and somatic nervous system (controls voluntary functions)

Question 5

• What is the the autonomic nervous system and what is it subdivided into?

Answer 5

-ANS= controls involuntary functions such as heartbeat, digestion, breathing
-Sympathetic NS and parasympathetic NS

Question 6

Sympathetic Nervous System

Answer 6

-think sympathy–> response to stress
→ fight or flight response; Automatically accelerates heart rate, breathing, dilates pupils, slows down digestion
-mobilizes the body’s resources during stress and emergencies

Question 7

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Answer 7

-think para-athlete
→ rest and digest; Automatically slows the body down after a stressful event
-conserving its energy and promoting rest and digestion

Question 8

Endocrine System

Answer 8

-the body’s slow chemical communication system, consisting of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

Question 9

Pituitary Gland
-What is it called?

Answer 9

-“master gland”; regulates growth and controls all other endocrine glands (under the influence of the hypothalamus)
-The hypothalamus has direct control over releasing hormones to the pituitary gland, which the pituitary gland then releases throughout the body.

Question 10

-What links the endocrine and nervous system?

Answer 10

the hypothalamus (brain region controlling the pituitary gland)

Question 11

-What gland is involved in fight/flight? Where?

Answer 11

-think: adrenaline
-Adrenal glands
–>secrete epinephrine (allergic reactions, think epi-pen,heart rate) and norepinephrine (raises blood sugar) that help the body’s response in times of stress

Question 12

-What gland regulates sleep patterns? Hormone?

Answer 12

• pineal gland= produces the hormone melatonin which helps to regulate the human sleep cycle/circadian rhythm
  -melatonin (hormone)

Question 13

-What gland regulates heart-rate and breathing? Hormone?

Answer 13

-thyroid gland
–> regulates metabolism–> hormone?

Question 14

-What is the digestive organ? Hormone?

Answer 14

-Pancreas: regulate sugar in blood
-insulin
-think: diabetes

Question 15

-What is the male reproductive organ? -What is the female reproductive organ?
-Hormones?

Answer 15

-testes
-ovary
-testosterone and estrogen

Question 16

Neuron

Answer 16

-nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
– allows info to travel through the body

Question 17

Dendrite

Answer 17

branchlike extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

Question 18

soma

Answer 18

-organizes and keeps the cell functional
-round part inside is the nucleus
-cell body

Question 19

axon

Answer 19

-axon= the extension of a neuron through which neural impulses are sent.
-carry signals from one end to the other
-passes ELECTRIC messages from the cell body to the axon terminals.
-axon hillock= generates impulse in the neuron

Question 20

Myelin Sheath

Answer 20

-insulates & protects axon
-increases the speed of the signal
- deteriorating myelin sheath–> motor impairments, multiple sclerosis

Question 21

axon terminal

Answer 21

-send signals to next neuron, form junction with other cells
-synaptic buttons
-synapse/Synaptic Gap= the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron, where neurotransmitters are released.

Question 22

neurotransmitters

Answer 22

-chemical messengers that transmit signals across the synaptic gap between neurons.

Question 23

Dopamine

Answer 23

A neurotransmitter involved in reward, motivation, and motor control.

Question 24

Serotonin

Answer 24

A neurotransmitter that affects mood, appetite, and sleep.

Question 25

reuptake

Answer 25

-a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron -the reabsorption of neurotransmitters by the sending neuron after they have been released into the synaptic gap.

Question 26

Reuptake inhibitors- what is SSRI?

Answer 26

-leaving the drug/neurotransmitter in the synaptic gap longer. -Medications that block the reabsorption of neurotransmitters into neurons, increasing their levels in the brain. -SSRI's block the reuptake of Serotonin, which increases the amount and increases effects

Question 27

Cerebellum

Answer 27

“Little brain," structure in the hindbrain that helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance. -Motor control, balance and posture -Unconscious processing like judging time and discriminating sounds and textures

Question 28

Limbic system

Answer 28

-Emotional neural system -including the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus -involved in emotion, motivation, and memory

Question 29

Hypothalamus

Answer 29

-(longer responsible for more stuff): temp control, hunger/thirst, hormones -Hypothalamus: lying below the thalamus, regulating bodily functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sexual behavior, and controlling the pituitary gland.

Question 30

thalamus

Answer 30

the brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem, relaying sensory information (except for smell) to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex.

Question 31

amygdala

Answer 31

responsible for survival emotions of fear and aggression

Question 32

hippocampus

Answer 32

-a neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage -responsible for processing and storing explicit memories of facts and events

Question 33

Frontal Lobe

Answer 33

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead, involved in planning and judgment.

Question 34

Parietal Lobe

Answer 34

regions of the cerebral cortex located at the top of the brain, responsible for processing sensory information such as touch and spatial awareness.

Question 35

Occipital Lobe

Answer 35

regions of the cerebral cortex located at the back of the brain, responsible for processing visual information.

Question 36

corpus callosum

Answer 36

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Question 37

cerebral cortex

Answer 37

the outer layer of the brain responsible for complex cognitive processes such as thinking, planning, and language.

Question 38

Auditory cortex

Answer 38

organization and processing of auditory information

Question 39

Motor Cortex

Answer 39

sends signals to our body controlling muscle movements.

Question 40

Wernicke’s area

Answer 40

(in temporal lobe) -responsible for language comprehension -Wernicke’s aphasia: problems with meaning of speech due to damage; the syntax and grammar jumbled

Question 41

Broca’s area:

Answer 41

(frontal lobe) -production of speech, moving lips - responsible for controlling muscles that produce speech Broca’s Aphasia: problems with fluency in speech production due to damage

Question 42

neuroplasticity:

Answer 42

the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, particularly in response to learning, experience, or injury

Question 43

Pons

Answer 43

-bridges between nervou systems; sleep and arousal -muscle relaxation

Question 44

Medulla

Answer 44

autonomic system; breathing, heart rate, blood pressure

Question 45

Reticular formation

Answer 45

can act like an on/off switch for info -monitors sleep and wake cycle

Question 46

Wish fulfillment theory (dreams)

Answer 46

Suggested by Sigmund FREUD, Dreams are simply ways we play out all of the things we want to do subconsciously-hidden wishes (Manifest content: actual content of the dream and Latent content: hidden or symbolic meaning of the dream)

Question 47

Activation-synthesis theory (dreams)

Answer 47

A theory of dreaming that suggests dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity. (Our cerebral cortex is trying to interpret random electrical activity we have while sleeping)

Question 48

Cognitive Theory

Answer 48

Dreams are the expression of a person's thoughts

Question 49

REM Rebound

Answer 49

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation.

Question 50

REM

Answer 50

REM sleep is when you are closet to awake state but also when dreaming, deepest most important sleep, time have most brain activity

Question 51

Bottom-up vs. top-down processing

Answer 51

Bottom-up: analysis that begins with sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information. Top-down: information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations.

Question 52

Weber’s law s

Answer 52

tates that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant percentage rather than a constant amount.

Question 53

difference threshold: t

Answer 53

he minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time; also known as just noticeable difference (JND).