Biological Bases of Behavior – Flashcards
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central nervous system (CNS)
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Division of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord
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peripheral nervous system (PNS)
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the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
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somatic nervous system
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division of the peripheral nervous system that control's the body's skeletal muscles.
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neuron
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a nerve cell; basic cell of the nervous system
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sensory (afferent) neurons
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neurons that carry information from the receptors to the spinal cord and brain
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motor (efferent) neurons
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neurons that carry information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles
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autonomic nervous system (ANS)
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division of the peripheral nervous system involved in the control of (generally unconscious/automatic) bodily functioning through organs and glands; its sympathetic division arouses while the parasympathetic division calms
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sympathetic nervous system
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subdivision of the autonomic nervous system responsible for mobilizing the body in times of stress, and preparing for flight or fight
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parasympathetic nervous system
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subdivision of the autonomic nervous system responsible for calming the body
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reflex
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automatic behavior in response to a specific stimulus; does not involve communication with the brain
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brainstem
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the oldest part and central core of the brain; responsible for automatic survival functions and composed of medulla, pons, and reticular formation.
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pons
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structure of the brainstem that allows for communication between the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, & brain stem; has nuclei that are important for sleep and arousal
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medulla
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base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat & breathing
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reticular formation
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band of nerve fibers that run through the center of the brain stem; important in controlling arousal levels
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cerebellum
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structure of the hindbrain that coordinates voluntary muscular movements
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corpus callosum
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wide band of neural fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain
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limbic system
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a group of structures located beneath the cerebral cortex that are involved in regulating emotions and motivated behaviors
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thalamus
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subcortical structure that relays incoming sensory information to the cerebral cortex and other parts of the brain; a.k.a "sensory switchboard"
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electroenchephalogram (EEG)
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device that monitors and records waves of electric activity within the brain; measured by electrodes placed on the scalp
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positron emission tomography (PET scan)
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visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
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computed tomography (CT scan)
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imaging technique that involves the production of a large number of X-rays interpreted by a computer
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MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
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imaging technique that involves the use of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce a signal that can be interpreted by computer
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dendrites
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short, branchlike structures of a neuron that receive information from receptors and other neurons
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fMRI
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technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans; capable of showing BOTH structure and function of the brain
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soma
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cell body of a neuron
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axon
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part of a neuron tha transmits information to other neurons and to muscles and glands
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myelin sheath
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fatty protein substance that covers some axons, increasing speed of transmission
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neurotransmitters
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chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons
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synapse
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site where two or more neurons interact but do not touch
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reuptake
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method of clearing a neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft, in which the neurotransmitter is reabsorbed into the terminal buttons
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synaptic vesicles
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small pockets or sacs located in terminal buttons that contain a neurotransmitter
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agonist
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a molecule (e.g., drug) that enhances the operation of a neurotransmitter
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antagonist
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a molecule (e.g., drug) that blocks or inhibits the operation of a neurotransmitter
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endorphins
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"morphine within"; natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure
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resting potential
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electrical charge (negative) of a neuron when it is not firing
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action potential
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brief electrial charge that travels down the axon; a process also called "depolarization"
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threshold
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the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
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refractory period
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period, after firing, during which the neuron is unable to fire because it is repolarizing
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aphasia
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loss of ability to speak or understand written or spoken language
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endocrine system
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the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
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hormones
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chemicals produced by the glands of the endocrine system that are carried by the bloodstream to other body tissues
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pituitary gland
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gland located below the thalamus and hypothalamus; called the "master gland" of the endocrine system because it controls many other glands
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biological psychology
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branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
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acetylcholine (ACh)
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a neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning and memory; an undersupply is linked with Alzheimer's disease
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dopamine
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a neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning and attention; overactivity of receptors linked to schizophrenia while an undersupply linked to Parkinson's disease
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serotonin
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a neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. An undersupply of this neurotransmitter is linked with depression.
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norepinephrine
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a neurotransmitter that controls alertness and arousal; undersupply can depress mood
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GABA
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a major inhibitory neurotransmitter; undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia
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glutamate
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a major excitatory neurotransmitter; oversupply can overstimulate brain, producing migraines or seizures
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nerves
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bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the CNS to the rest of the body
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interneurons
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central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between sensory inputs and motor outputs
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lesion
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brain destruction; can be naturally caused or created for experimentation
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hippocampus
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structure in the limbic system important in processing memories
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hypothalamus
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structure in the limbic system responsible for directing several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp); helps govern endocrine system via the pituitary gland
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Paul Broca
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responsible for discovering the area on the left frontal lobe responsible for coordinating muscle movements involved in spoken language
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Carl Wernicke
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discovered a brain area responsible for interpreting meaning of language
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depolarization
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process of neural firing; when action potential is generated and the neuron briefly takes on a positive charge
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all-or-none response
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neuron will only fire (if threshold is reached) OR not fire (if stimulation is insufficient)
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amygdala
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the two almond-shaped nerve clusters in the limbic system believed to be responsible for fear and aggressive responses
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cerebral cortex
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wrinkled, gray covering of the brain that accounts for 80% of brain weight is responsible for complex processing of information, planning, learning, memory storage, etc.
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Phineas Gage
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famous case study in neuroscience; sustained catastrophic damage to his frontal lobes
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motor cortex
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located on the rear of the frontal lobes; responsible for directing voluntary movement on the opposite side of the body
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somatosensory cortex
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located on the front of the parietal lobes; registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
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occipital lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex at the "back" of the head; contains the visual cortex
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temporal lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex located on the "sides" of the brain lying roughly above the ears; includes auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear
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Roger Sperry & Michael Gazzaniga
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studied split brain patients
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phrenology
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early, misguided attempt at studying the functions of parts of the brain; held that bumps on the skull revealed the person's personality traits
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Franz Gall
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early comparative brain anatomist; developed phrenology
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Broca's area
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area (usually in the left frontal lobe) that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
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Wernicke's area
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brain area involved in language comprehension; usually in left temporal lobe
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association areas
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Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
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angular gyrus
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transforms visual representations into an auditory code; damage to this leaves the person unable to speak and understand, but able to read
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neuroplasticity
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Brain's ability to reorganize and change its structure and function throughout the life span, in reponse to injury or new learning
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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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blow to head or a penetrating head injury that damages brain
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hemispheric specialization
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This is also called lateralization; refers to the fact that the left and right hemispheres of the brain have some specific functions that exist only in those hemispheres.
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contralateral control
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The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and the right hemisphere controls the left side.
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nervous system
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the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems.
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adrenal glands
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A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress.
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parietal lobes
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Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.
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glial cells (glia)
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Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.
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frontal lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
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neurogenesis
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formation of new neurons
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split brain
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A condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them
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consciousness
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Awareness of ourselves and our environment
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cognitive neuroscience
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The interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language).
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dual processing
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The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks; also known as "parallel processing"
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multiple sclerosis
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a progressive disease of the nervous system that involves a degeneration of the myelin that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cor
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adoption studies
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Assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents.
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behavior genetics
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the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
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Charles Darwin
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English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection
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chromosomes
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Threadlike, gene-carrying structures found in a cell's nucleus (46 in body cells; 23 in sex cells). Each chromosome consists of one very long DNA molecule and associated proteins.
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concordance rates
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The percentage of cases where both twins share the same trait or disorder
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Dmitry Belyaev
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Russian geneticist who, through artificial selection, bred tame foxes
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DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
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a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up chromosomes
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epigenetics
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study of how the environment can alter gene expression or function (e.g. light, nutrition, temperature, presence of other species); example of interaction of nature & nurture
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evolutionary psychology
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The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.
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fraternal twins
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Twins who develop from separate eggs; dizygotic (DZ) twins. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.
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genes
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biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein
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genome
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All the genetic information in an organism; all of an organism's chromosomes.
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heritability
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the proportion of variation among individuals that is related to genetic variation; estimates may vary depending on the range of populations and environments studied
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identical twins
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Also known as monozygotic (MZ) twins; twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, resulting in two individuals that share the exact same DNA.
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molecular genetics
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the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
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mutation
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A random error in gene replication that leads to a change in nucleotide sequence.
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natural selection
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A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.
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nucleotides
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the "letters" of the DNA alphabet; they appear in pairs on the DNA molecule
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Thomas Bouchard
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U of M researcher who studied identical twins separated at birth
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epinephrine
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A hormone produced by the adrenal glands that has a vital role in the function of the sympathetic nervous system (and its "fight or flight" response). Also sometimes referred to as a neurotransmitter.
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prefrontal cortex
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the front-most portion of the frontal lobes; involved in planning and reasoning; one of the last areas of the brain to mature (and sometimes used to explain adolescents' relative lack of impulse control).
