Unit 3 Flashcards
(88 cards)
1
Q
What are the 3 parts of the brain?
A
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Brain stem
2
Q
Which part of the brain contains the cerebrum?
A
Cerebrum
3
Q
Which part of the brain contains the reward pathway?
A
Limbic system
4
Q
Which part of the brain is largely responsible for involuntary, autonomic responses?
A
Brain stem
5
Q
What is the function of the cerebrum?
A
Higher brain functions such as thought and action
6
Q
Where is the occipital lobe located?
A
At the back of the brain
7
Q
Where is the temporal lobe located?
A
On the sides of the brain
8
Q
Where is the frontal lobe located?
A
At the front of the brain
9
Q
Where is the parietal lobe located?
A
Above the temporal lobe
10
Q
What is the function of the cerebellum?
A
Coordination and balance
11
Q
What is the function of the brain stem?
A
Regulates basic life functions such as breathing and heart rate
12
Q
What is the function of the thalamus?
A
Relay station for sensory and motor signals
13
Q
Why does white matter appear white?
A
Due to myelinated axons
14
Q
What is the reward pathway in the brain?
A
A group of structures responsible for reinforcing behaviors
15
Q
What parts of the brain are involved in the reward pathway?
A
- Nucleus accumbens
- Ventral tegmental area
- Prefrontal cortex
16
Q
What hormones are associated with the reward pathway?
A
Dopamine and serotonin
17
Q
What is the physiological response of the reward pathway?
A
Pleasure and reinforcement of behaviors
18
Q
Why have we evolved to have the reward pathway?
A
To promote survival and reproduction
19
Q
What does neuronal plasticity mean?
A
The ability of neurons to change in form and function
20
Q
What parts of the brain are part of the limbic system?
A
- Amygdala
- Hippocampus
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
21
Q
What are glial cells?
A
Supportive cells in the nervous system
22
Q
What is the BBB?
A
Blood-brain barrier
23
Q
Compare and contrast the CNS and PNS.
A
CNS: Brain and spinal cord; PNS: Nerves outside the CNS
24
Q
Nerves of the somatic system control what type of effector organs?
A
Skeletal muscles
25
Nerves of the autonomic system control what types of effector organs?
Smooth muscles, cardiac muscles, and glands
26
What are the 4 steps of sensory perception?
1. Stimuli
2. Reception
3. Transduction
4. Processing
27
Give an example of sensory adaptation.
Not noticing a persistent odor over time
28
What are the 3 sensory receptors we explored?
1. Chemoreceptors
2. Mechanoreceptors
3. Photoreceptors
29
Fill in the blank: For chemoreception / taste, the steps are: Stimuli, Reception, Transduction, Transmission, Processing.
________
30
How are we able to taste different things?
Different combinations of taste receptors activated
31
Where is our hearing organ found specifically?
In the cochlea of the inner ear
32
What are hair cells, and how are they involved in sound transduction?
Sensory cells that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals
33
How is light from our environment focused on the retina?
By the lens and cornea
34
How does a lens change shape to focus on a distant object?
The lens flattens
35
What photoreceptors enable night vision?
Rods
36
What photoreceptors enable color vision?
Cones
37
What does it mean that our eye is wired backwards?
Photoreceptors are located behind the other retinal cells
38
How is smell perception different from the other senses we discussed?
Directly processed in the olfactory bulb without thalamic relay
39
What is the somatic nervous system?
Part of the PNS that controls voluntary movements
40
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Part of the PNS that controls involuntary functions
41
What is a muscle fiber?
A single muscle cell
42
What is a sarcomere?
The basic contractile unit of muscle tissue
43
Explain a neuromuscular junction.
The synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber
44
What is the role of Acetylcholine (ACh) on muscle contractions?
Triggers muscle contraction by binding to receptors
45
What role do t-tubules play in electrical signaling within the muscle fiber?
Transmit action potentials deep into the muscle
46
What happens when the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is depolarized?
Releases calcium ions into the cytoplasm
47
From where in the muscle fiber is Ca²⁺ released?
Sarcoplasmic reticulum
48
Where does Ca²⁺ bind?
To troponin on the thin filament
49
Explain the sliding filament model.
Describes how actin and myosin filaments slide past each other during contraction
50
How does troponin influence tropomyosin and cross-bridge cycling?
Ca²⁺ binding to troponin causes tropomyosin to move, exposing binding sites
51
Does actin pull on myosin, or does myosin pull on actin?
Myosin pulls on actin
52
What does the cross-bridge refer to?
The connection between myosin heads and actin filaments
53
When is ATP used in skeletal muscle contraction?
During the power stroke and to detach myosin from actin
54
What is the difference between hormones and neurotransmitters?
Hormones are chemical messengers released into the bloodstream, while neurotransmitters are chemicals released at synapses to transmit signals between neurons.
55
What is the difference between hormonal signaling and electrical signaling?
Hormonal signaling involves the release of hormones into the bloodstream, affecting distant target cells, whereas electrical signaling involves the transmission of signals along neurons.
56
Where are neurosecretory cells found?
Neurosecretory cells are found in the hypothalamus.
57
Where do polar hormones bind—in the cell or outside the cell?
Polar hormones bind outside the cell.
58
Where do nonpolar hormones bind—in the cell or outside the cell?
Nonpolar hormones bind inside the cell.
59
What are endocrine disruptors? How do they affect amphibians?
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with hormonal systems, potentially causing developmental and reproductive issues in amphibians.
60
What is the difference between the anterior and posterior pituitary gland?
The anterior pituitary produces its own hormones, while the posterior pituitary stores and releases hormones produced by the hypothalamus.
61
Where are releasing hormones synthesized?
Releasing hormones are synthesized in the hypothalamus.
62
Which hormone controls milk production?
Prolactin controls milk production.
63
What is Graves' Disease?
Graves' Disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to overactivity of the thyroid gland.
64
What is the role of iodine in thyroid functioning?
Iodine is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones.
65
What is androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS)? What is the resulting phenotype of a person with this condition?
AIS is a condition where individuals with XY chromosomes develop female physical traits due to a lack of response to androgens.
66
Explain the neuronal and hormonal aspects of our stress response.
The stress response involves neuronal activation of the sympathetic nervous system and hormonal release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex.
67
What does the adrenal medulla secrete?
The adrenal medulla secretes adrenaline (epinephrine) and norepinephrine.
68
What does the adrenal cortex secrete?
The adrenal cortex secretes corticosteroids, including cortisol.
69
What are antagonistic hormones, and how do they regulate our blood sugar?
Antagonistic hormones, like insulin and glucagon, work against each other to maintain blood sugar levels.
70
What goes wrong in diabetes?
In diabetes, insulin production or response is impaired, leading to high blood sugar levels.
71
What is the function/role of dendrites, axon, myelination?
Dendrites receive signals, the axon transmits signals, and myelination increases the speed of signal transmission.
72
What is the resting potential of a neuron?
The resting potential of a neuron is typically around -70 mV.
73
What is the equilibrium potential for K+? What is the equilibrium potential for Na+?
The equilibrium potential for K+ is approximately -90 mV, while for Na+ it is approximately +60 mV.
74
What 3 things influence the resting potential of a neuron?
The resting potential is influenced by ion concentrations, permeability of the membrane, and the activity of ion pumps.
75
What is an action potential?
An action potential is a rapid, temporary change in the membrane potential of a neuron.
76
What are graded potentials?
Graded potentials are changes in membrane potential that vary in size and can lead to an action potential if they reach the threshold.
77
What is the threshold potential?
The threshold potential is the membrane potential that must be reached to trigger an action potential.
78
Describe the effects of depolarizing & hyperpolarizing on membrane potential.
Depolarizing makes the membrane potential less negative, while hyperpolarizing makes it more negative.
79
What 2 voltage-gated ion channels are implicated in an action potential?
The two voltage-gated ion channels are sodium (Na+) channels and potassium (K+) channels.
80
When do they open?
Sodium channels open during depolarization, while potassium channels open during repolarization.
81
When do they close?
Sodium channels close shortly after opening, while potassium channels close at the end of repolarization.
82
What does it mean that an action potential is all-or-none?
It means that once the threshold is reached, an action potential occurs fully or not at all.
83
What happens at axon terminals?
At axon terminals, neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft.
84
How does a pre-synaptic neuron influence a post-synaptic cell?
A pre-synaptic neuron releases neurotransmitters that bind to receptors on the post-synaptic cell, influencing its activity.
85
What are some examples of neurotransmitters?
Examples of neurotransmitters include dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine.
86
What are ligand-gated ion channels?
Ligand-gated ion channels are proteins that open in response to the binding of a specific ligand.
87
What is the ligand?
The ligand is a molecule that binds to a receptor to initiate a response.
88
What happens when the ligand is present?
When the ligand is present, the ligand-gated ion channels open, allowing ions to flow across the membrane.
