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AP Psych > Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior > Flashcards

Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards

(68 cards)

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1
Q

glial cells

A

“glue cells”
supply nutrients and oxygen to neurons, insulate one neuron form another, destroy pathogens and remove dead neurons

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2
Q

neurons

A

nerve cells, basic building blocks of the nervous system

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3
Q

sensory neurons

A

carry incoming info from sense receptors to CNS

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4
Q

interneurons

A

carry info within the CNS, b/w sensory and motor neurons

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5
Q

motor neurons

A

carry outgoing info from CNS to muscles/glands

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6
Q

soma

A

neuron cell body

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7
Q

dendrite

A

bushy, branching extensions, receive messages and conduct impulses toward cell body

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8
Q

axon

A

extension of neuron through which messages are sent

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9
Q

threshold

A

level of stimulation required to trigger neural impulse

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10
Q

All or none responses

A

neurons either fire or don’t

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11
Q

action potential

A

neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon(one way only)

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12
Q

refractory period

A

when the positive ions are pumped out; and the axon is not able to receive another message

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13
Q

myelin sheath

A

layer of fatty cells, segmentally encasing the axons of many, not all neurons
makes transmission speeds faster

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14
Q

neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that fill the gap b/w dendrites and axons

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15
Q

reuptake

A

process by which excess neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending neuron

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16
Q

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A

neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning and memory
malfunctions include Alzheimer’s

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17
Q

Dopamine

A

neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning attention, and emotion
oversupply linked to schizophrenia
undersupply is linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s

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18
Q

serotonin

A

neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal
undersupply linked to depression
(some anti-depressants used to raise serotonin levels)

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19
Q

norepinephrine

A

neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal
undersupply can depress mood

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20
Q

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

A

major inhibitory neurotransmitter (prevents neuron from firing)
undersupply linked to seizures, tremors and insomnia

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21
Q

glutamate

A

major excitatory neurotransmitter (excites neuron to fire); involved with memory
oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines/seizures (which is why some people avoid MSG)

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22
Q

endorphins

A

neurotransmitter that influences the perception of pain/pleasure
oversupply with opiate drugs can suppress the body’s endorphin supply

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23
Q

agonist

A

drugs that increase a neurotransmitter’s action
(ex: Opiates amplifies the sensation of pleasure that comes w endorphins)

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24
Q

antagonist

A

drugs that block neurotransmitter’s actions
(ex: curare is a type of poison that blocks ACh and produces paralysis)

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25
lesion studies
studies that analyze brain structure destroy parts of the brain and observe the consequences
26
electroencephalograms (EEGs)
studies that analyze brain structure measures electrical activity on the brain surface
27
computed axial tomography (CAT)
studies that analyze brain structure; x-rays
28
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
studies that analyze brain structure; uses magnetic fields and radio waves
29
MEG
shows function magnetic fields from the brain's natural electrical activity
30
Positron emission tomograph (PET)
shows function examine the brain's consumption of radioactive glucose
31
fMRI
shows function measures chance in blood flow related to energy use in brain cells
32
frontal lobe
responsible for speech, planning and muscle movement; matures late in life
33
temporal lobe
receives auditory information, primarily from opposite ear
34
parietal lobe
receives sensory input from touch and body position
35
occipital lobe
responsible for sight, opposite visual fields
36
cerebral cortex
thin layer above the cerebrum responsible for information processing
37
motor cortex
responsible for voluntary movement
38
sensory cortex
responsible for sensation of movement/touch
39
association areas
areas of the cerebral cortex not involved in primary motor or sensory functions and instead higher mental functions (learning, remembering, thinking, speaking)
40
cognitive neuroscience
brain activity linked with cognition
41
dual processing
information process occurs on both conscious and unconscious tracking
42
blindsight
condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
43
sleep
a periodic, natural, reversible and near total loss of consciousness
44
NREM 1
brief, near waking sleep hallucinations/hypnagogic sensations such as falling or floating occur wave type is alpha(awake but relaxed)
45
NREM 2
takes up half of sleep time asleep but easily awakened features sleep spindles, or bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain-wave activity
46
NREM 3
deep sleep featuring delta waves(large, slow)
47
REM
paradoxical sleep in which muscles relax but all other body systems are active vivid dreams occur here
48
insomnia
sleep disorder characterized by an inability to fall asleep
49
narcolepsy
sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleepiness/lapsing in REM sleep
50
sleep apnea
sleep disorder characterized by the inability to breathe while sleeping
51
night terrors
sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and the appearance of being terrified most common in children below 7 yrs old
52
narcotics
depressants/barbiturates/opiates dampen neural activity and slow body function
53
barbiturates
depress CNS, reduce anxiety but impair memory/judgement
54
opiates
ex: morphine, heroin depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety
55
spinal cord
pathway for neural fibers traveling to and from the brain controls simple reflexes gate control theory of pain
56
brainstem
oldest part of the brain responsible for automatic survival functions
57
thalamus
sensory control center which directs messages from sensory reception areas of the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
58
cerebellum
processes sensory input, coordinates movement output and balance, enables nonverbal learning/memory
59
what are the four oldest brain structures?
spinal cord, brainstem, thalamus, cerebellum
60
what four structures make up the limbic system?
amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, pituitary
61
amygdala
linked to emotion, particularly fear and anger
62
hippocampus
process explicit memories of facts and events for storage
63
hypothalamus
directs maintenance activities such as eating drinking and body temperature
64
pituitary
major endocrine system gland, regulates growth and controls other glands
65
what structures make up the cerebrum?
frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal lobes, motor, sensory cortex
66
cortisol
hormone released when under stress
67
Wernicke's area
responsible for understanding word/language comprehension
68
Broca's area
responsible for speaking/language production

AP Psych (8 decks)

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