Unit 1 (AP) 1.1 thru 1.3

Question 1

epigenetics

Answer 1

the study of environmental factors changing the gene expression without a DNA change.

Question 2

monozygotic
similarities due to what?

Answer 2

identical twins: similarities due to nature (genetics)

Question 3

dizygotic
similarities due to what?

Answer 3

fraternal twins: similarities due to nurture (environment)

Question 4

heritability
definition?
examples?

Answer 4

the amount of variation in individuals attributed to genetics. examples: height, intelligence

Question 5

twin studies; what type of research study is it (usually)?

Answer 5

longitudinal case studies

Question 6

peripheral nervous system

Answer 6

nerves from all other body parts (limbs, torso…)

Question 7

central nervous system

Answer 7

brain + spinal cord

Question 8

somatic nervous system

Answer 8

controls voluntary body movements(muscles)

Question 9

autonomic nervous system

Answer 9

controls involuntary body movements (heart rate, blood pressure)

Question 10

sympathetic nervous system

Answer 10

“fight-or-flight’ response, increasing heart rate, dilates pupils, inhibits digestion and saliva production, stimulates epinephrine release

Question 11

parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 11

“rest” after stressful events or just resting mode: decreasing heart rate, constricts pupils, digestion and saliva production stimulated, inhibits adrenaline (epinephrine) release

Question 12

sensory (afferent) neurons

Answer 12

carry info from the body to the brain: send afferent signals
- different for each different sense
- respond to non chemical stimulation
“afferent signals arrive @ the brain”

Question 13

interneurons

Answer 13

neurons within the brain and spinal cord which take the messages and send them elsewhere in the brain OR to motor(efferent)neurons.

Question 14

motor (efferent) neurons

Answer 14

neurons that carry info from the brain to the body:
- connected to all of our muscles
- receive efferent signals
EFFERENT signals EXIT the brain.

Question 15

glia cells

Answer 15

assist neurons but also communicate on their own with chemical signals (which is why they don’t show up on EEG’s)
glia # 10x more than neurons

Question 16

dendrites

Answer 16

rootlike parts of a neuron that stretches out from the cell. They grow to make connections with other neurons through their axon terminals and neurotransmitters.

Question 17

soma

Answer 17

contains the nucleus and other parts of the neuron.

Question 18

axon

Answer 18

carries electrical messages from the soma to the axon terminals where the signals are fired via neurotransmitters.

Question 19

myelin sheath

Answer 19

fatty layer around the axon that helps with neural transmission. Absence/ deterioration of myelin sheath causes multiple sclerosis.

Question 20

terminal buttons

Answer 20

sites at the axon terminal where the neurotransmitters are released via vesicles.

Question 21

axon terminal

Answer 21

releases neurotransmitters, end of the neuron

Question 22

synapse

Answer 22

gaps between the terminal button of one neuron and the dendrite of the next neuron

Question 23

progression of neural firing:

Answer 23

DSATs:
Dendrite-Soma-Axon-Terminal-synapse

Question 24

resting potential

Answer 24

nonactive neuron, polarized (negatively charged) (-70mV) on the inside, positive charge on the outside.

Question 25

action potential

Answer 25

when the neuron gets positive ions and fires an electrical signal down the axon (change in charge)

Question 26

excitatory (neurotransmitters)

Answer 26

make the receiving neuron more likely to fire

Question 27

inhibitory(neurotransmitters)

Answer 27

make the receiving neuron less likely to fire

Question 28

firing threshold

Answer 28

amount of neurotransmitters needed for a neuron to fire

Question 29

all or none principle

Answer 29

if a neuron gets enough neurotransmitters, it will fire completely, and in the same intensity every time. If it DOES NOT get enough neurotransmitters it DOES NOT fire at all.

Question 30

refractory period

Answer 30

a brief moment where a neuron can't fire

Question 31

reuptake

Answer 31

after sending the neurotransmitters, the sending neuron recollects the neurotransmitters from the receptor sites of the dendrites (of the receiving neuron) and reuses them.

Question 32

depolarization

Answer 32

the process of neural firing, called like this because the neuron fires due to the change in charge, going from negative to positive, thus going from polarized to depolarized.

Question 33

neurotransmitter

Answer 33

chemical signals that trigger neural firing

Question 34

glutamate

Answer 34

most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in learning and memory

Question 35

GABA

Answer 35

important inhibitory neurotransmitter, linked to anxiety disorders, internalizes when having seizures and can cause sleep problems (excess or deficit)

Question 36

acetylcholine (ACh)

Answer 36

neurotransmitter involved in motor functions and learning.

Question 37

dopamine

Answer 37

associated with pleasure and rewarding activities, also motor movement and alertness + low levels associated with Parkinson's and high levels associated with schizophrenia

Question 38

serotonin

Answer 38

involved in mood, appetite, sleep and dreams + low levels associated with depression

Question 39

norepinephrine

Answer 39

provides energy and alertness, heavily involved in sleep + low levels associated with depression.

Question 40

epinephrine

Answer 40

primary chemical in "fight-or-flight" response, boost of energy

Question 41

endorphine

Answer 41

natural morphine of the body, ends pain, associated with addiction.

Question 42

agonist

Answer 42

chemical that increases neurotransmitter action.

Question 43

direct agonist +example?

Answer 43

chemical that mimics certain neurotransmitters and binds with the next neuron's dendrites. example: heroin nicotine black widow venom

Question 44

indirect agonist+ example?

Answer 44

chemical that blocks the reuptake process and floods the synapse with the neurotransmitter. (reuptake inhibitors) example:prozac cocaine

Question 45

antagonist

Answer 45

substance that blocks the receptors of the next neuron, not allowing the neurotransmitters to lock into the dendrites. examples: botox - antagonist for ACh thorazine - antagonist for dopamine (early schizophrenia drug)

Question 46

depressant example:?

Answer 46

they slow down the autonomic and central nervous systems, inhibit reasonable judgment and thinking, depress the brain. example: alcohol: agonist for GABA(slow down neurotransmitter) antianxiety meds

Question 47

stimulant example:?

Answer 47

they activate the sympathetic nervous system and arouse the autonomic NS. Can cause tolerance + withdrawal symptoms like other drugs. examples: caffeine (antagonist for adenosine) cocaine (agonist for dopamine)

Question 48

opiates

Answer 48

they are mainly agonists for endorphin. Relieve pain and uplift mood example: heroin

Question 49

hallucinogens

Answer 49

they cause sensory and perceptual disruptions example: LSD, marijuana(THC) can cause reverse tolerance when taken a second dose if there's still some amount left in body

Question 50

tolerance

Answer 50

when taken psychoactive drugs one builds tolerance and therefore needs increasing doses to experience the same level of effects.