Biopsychology – Flashcards

mental processes and observable behaviors are linked to biological structures and processes

highly specialized cells that communicate info in electrical chemical forms; we have 100 billion, extremely small, look like snow flakes

1. thybers that receive info; goes into cell body - info travels to myelin sheath

4. "away"; fiber that carries neurons message to other body areas

3. white, fatty substance that allows increase in neuron communication speed

brief electrical impulse by which info is transmitted along the axon of the neuron

point of communication, area for the transfer of signals; "jump"

2. contains nucleus, provides energy

contains the brain and spinal cord

carries messages to and from the CNS

controls voluntary muscles and transmits sensory info to the CNS

controls involuntary body functions - self governing

arouses body to expend energy - "gas pedal"

calms body to conserve and maintain energy - "brakes"

birth of new neurons; inhibited by stress; killed off by nicotine

increase the possibility that the next neuron will fire

makes your stomach contract when you vomit; primary roles: learning, memory,cognition, muscle contractions; associated disorders: too little - alzheimers

primary roles: movement (voluntary), thought processes, rewarding sensations; associated disorders: parkinson's, schizophrenia, and drug addiction

primary roles: emotional states, sleep, appetite, pain surpressor; associated disorders: too little - depression

primary roles: physical arousal; increases heartbeat, learning, memory; associated disorders: depression, stress

primary roles: inhibition of brain activity; associated disorders: anxiety disorders, epilepsy

natural high; primary roles: pain perception, appetite, positive emotions, blood pressure, sexual activity; associated disorders: too much - opiate addiction

emotion and motivation, stress reactions, biological clock that controls bodies daily rhythm

(1861) damage results in difficulty in articulating words and faulty grammar; in the frontal lobe

damage results in inappropriate or nonsensical word choice; makes speech fluid and understandable or make sense; in temporal lobe

by your ears and temples; contain areas involved in hearing, memory, perception, emotion, and language

located at the top of the head; contain areas that receive info on pressure, pain, touch, and temperature

located at the lower part of the head; contains areas that receive visual info

located at the front of the brain; contains areas involved in short-term memory, higher-order thinking, initiative, social judgment, and speech production

specialization of particular brain areas

gray matter; 3 mm thick, 3/4 of neurons are here

initial evaluation of sensory info to determine its importance; mediation of anxiety and depression; emotions, particularly anger

memory; formation of new memories about facts and events

nerve fibers that join left and right hemispheres

regulates sleep wake cycle and dreaming

regulates heartbeat and breathing

regulates balance and coordination; also contains memory for simple skills and learned reflexes

relay of impulses from higher centers to the spinal cord, and of incoming sensory info to other brain centers

deals mostly with senses in the hands and face

MASTER GLAND; regulates activites of several other glands; produces growth hormones; size of a cherry

controls body metabolism rate

produces melatonin, which helps regulate sleep-wake cycles

chemical messengers secreted into the bloodstream by endocrine glands and effect functioning of target organs and tissues

system of glands located throughout the body that secrete hormones into the bloodstream; controlled by hypothalamus

produce epinephrine and norepinephrine which cause physical arousal in response to danger, fear, anger, stress, and other strong emotions; fight./flight, stress, and sympathetic nervous system

regulates blood sugar and insulin levels; involved in hunger; if this isn't functioning, diabetes

secretes estrogen and progesterone which regulate female sexual development and reproduction and influence sexual behavior

secrete testosterone, which regulates male sexual development and reproduction and influences sexual behavior

permits 3D imaging of a living human brain

produces pictures of inner brain structures

(electrical) measures brain activity on a millisecond-by-millisecond basis

(positron emission tomography scanning) 3 techniques that use radioactive energy to map exact regions of brain activity; inject radioactive element into the brain; measured by amount of glucose being used

the brain is flexible and parts adapt to perform functions if needed

deals w/ 600 muscles of action movement

structures on top of the spinal cord; "lifesupport system"; last part of your brain to die

coordinates simple movements w/ sensory info; small

"BIG GUY"; thought, memories, personality, and ability to reason are here

nonverbal, perceptual and spacial skills, emotion, art and music, and face recognition

language, speech, math calculations, and writing

an operation given to patients w/ severe epilepsy to split the corpus callosum, preventing the transfer of signals across the 2 hemispheres

patients are unable to verbally identify the picture flashed to the nonverbal right hemisphere, but are able to grasp the object w/ their left hand; in contrast, when the image is flashed to their verbal left hemisphere, they can easily name it

part of the brain at the top of the spinal cord, consisting of the medulla and pons

"read" from bumps on the skull

located in the front of the brain; implicated in planning complex cognitive behaviors, personality expressions, decision making and moderating correct social behavior

use magnets to stimulate brain cells