psych/soc MCAT!!! 📚📝

_____ are the basic working unit of the brain; a specialized cell designed to transmit information to other nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells.

Neurons

_____ are when interneurons in the spinal cord relay info to the source of stimuli while simultaneously routing them to the brain.

Reflex arcs

Reflex arcs are when interneurons in the spinal cord relay info to the _____ while simultaneously routing them to the _____.

source of stimuli, brain

The _____ nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord.

central

The central nervous system is made up of the _____ and _____.

brain, spinal cord

The _____ nervous system consists of nervous tissue and fibers outside the CNS.

peripheral

The peripheral nervous system consists of _____ and _____.

nervous tissue, fibers outside the CNS

The part of the nervous system that is responsible for fight / flight is the _____.

sympathetic nervous system

The part of the nervous system that is responsible for rest / digest is the _____

parasympathetic nervous system

_____ are released by neurons to carry a signal.

Neurotransmitters

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter used to _____.

move muscles

_____ is a neurotransmitter involved in focus and motivation as well as maintaining smooth movements and steady posture.

Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in _____ as well as _____.

focus and motivation, maintaining smooth movements and steady posture

_____ & _____ are neurotransmitters that are used as pain killers.

Endorphins, Enkephalins

Endorphins & Enkephalins are neurotransmitters that are used as _____.

pain killers

_____ & _____ maintain wakefulness and mediate the fight / flight responses.

Epinephrine, Norepinephrine

Epinephrine & Norepinephrine maintain _____ and mediate the _____.

wakefulness, fight / flight responses

_____ is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.

#NAME?

-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) is the primary [excitatory or inhibitory] neurotransmitter in the brain.

inhibitory

Glutamate is an [excitatory or inhibiting] neurotransmitter.

excitatory

[Hormone] modulates mood, eating, dreaming, and sleep.

Serotonin

Serotonin modulates _____, _____, _____, and _____.

mood, eating, dreaming, sleep

_____ is the primary stress hormone and is released by the adrenal cortex.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the primary _____ hormone and is released by the adrenal cortex.

stress

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone and is released by the _____.

adrenal cortex

_____ and _____ are hormones that mediate libido among other functions.

Testosterone, estrogen

Testosterone and estrogen are hormones that mediate _____ among other functions.

libido

The [division of brain] includes the cerebellum, the medulla oblongata, the pons and the reticular formation.

hindbrain

The hindbrain includes the _____, the _____, the _____ and the _____.

cerebellum, medulla oblongata, pons, reticular formation

The [division of brain] includes the colliculi, the tegmentum, and the cerebral peduncles.

midbrain

The [division of brain] includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, and cerebral cortex.

forebrain

The forebrain includes the _____, _____, _____, _____, and _____.

thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, cerebral cortex

The [brain area] is the relay station for sensory information.

thalamus

The thalamus is the relay station for _____.

sensory information

The [brain area] regulates homeostasis and is in charge of the 4 F's.

hypothalamus

The hypothalamus regulates _____ and is in charge of the 4 F's.

homeostasis

The hypothalamus regulates homeostasis and is in charge of the _____'s.

4 F

The [brain area] controls smooth movements and helps postural stability.

basal ganglia

The basal ganglia controls _____ and helps _____.

smooth movements, postural stability

The [brain system] deals with emotions, memories, and arousal (or stimulation).

limbic system

The limbic system deals with [3 psychological processes].

emotions, memories, and arousal (or stimulation)

The [limbic system structure] is in charge of emotional responses such as fear, anxiety and aggression.

amygdala

The amygdala is in charge of _____.

emotional responses such as fear, anxiety and aggression

The [limbic system structure] regulates long term memory.

hippocampus

The hippocampus regulates _____.

long term memory

The [brain structure] is the outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum.

cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of neural tissue of the _____.

cerebrum

The [... lobe] is associated with somatosensation and spatial processing.

parietal lobe

The parietal lobe is associated with [2 functions].

somatosensation and spatial processing

The [... lobe] is associated with executive function, impulse control, speech, and motor.

frontal lobe

The frontal lobe is associated with [4].

executive function, impulse control, speech, and motor

The [... lobe] is associated with vision.

occipital lobe

The occipital lobe is associated with _____.

vision

The [... lobe] is associated with memory, emotion, sound, and speech perception.

temporal lobe

The temporal lobe is associated with _____, _____, _____, and _____.

memory, emotion, sound, speech perception

The [left or right] cerebral hemisphere is associated with language and logic.

left

The left cerebral hemisphere is associated with [2 functions].

language and logic

The [left or right] cerebral hemisphere is associated with intuition, creativity, and spatial processing.

right

The right cerebral hemisphere is associated with [3 cognitive abilities].

intuition, creativity, and spatial processing

The rooting, moro, babinski, and grasping reflexes are examples of _____.

primitive reflexes

The [... reflex] is when an infant turns their head toward a touch on their cheek/corner of mouth.

rooting reflex

The rooting reflex is when an infant _____.

turns their head toward a touch on their cheek/corner of mouth

The [... reflex] is when an infant extends his or her arms in response to a falling sensation or loud sound.

moro reflex

The moro reflex is when _____.

an infant extends his or her arms in response to a falling sensation or loud sound

The [... reflex] is when an infant's big toe is extended and other toes fan out in response to brushing on sole of foot.

Babinski reflex

The Babinski reflex is when _____.

an infant's big toe is extended and other toes fan out in response to brushing on sole of foot

The [... reflex] is when an infant grabs anything put into hands.

grasping reflex

The grasping reflex is when _____.

an infant grabs anything put into hands

_____ are the part of sensory nerves that respond to stimuli.

Sensory receptors

_____ are enlargements along peripheral nerves that transmit signals to the CNS.

Sensory ganglia

Sensory ganglia are enlargements along _____ nerves that transmit signals to the CNS.

peripheral

Sensory ganglia are enlargements along peripheral nerves that [do what?].

transmit signals to the CNS

_____ are areas in the four lobes (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital) of the brain where sensory processing occurs.

Projection areas

Projection areas are areas in the four lobes (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital) of the brain where _____ occurs.

sensory processing

The _____ is the minimum stimulus energy that will activate a sensory system.

absolute threshold

The absolute threshold is the minimum stimulus energy that will _____.

activate a sensory system

The _____ is the minimum stimulus energy that will create a signal large enough in size and long enough in duration to be brought into awareness.

threshold of conscious perception

The _____ is the minimum difference in magnitude between two stimuli before one can perceive the difference.

difference threshold

_____ law states that the just noticeable difference for a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus.

Webers

Webers law states that the _____ for a stimulus is proportional to the _____ of the stimulus.

just noticeable difference, magnitude

[... theory] explains how humans make decisions in the presence of uncertainty/noise.

Signal detection theory

Signal detection theory explains how humans make decisions in the presence of _____.

uncertainty/noise

_____ describes how receptors can increase or decrease their sensitivity to a stimulus.

Sensory adaptation

Sensory adaptation describes how [do what?].

receptors can increase or decrease their sensitivity to a stimulus

The [eye structure] gathers and filters incoming light.

cornea

The cornea _____ incoming light.

gathers and filters

The [eye structure] controls the size of the pupil.

iris

The iris controls _____.

the size of the pupil

The [eye structure] refracts incoming light to focus it on the retina.

lens

The lens _____ incoming light to [do what to it?].

refracts, focus it on the retina

_____ is the clear, watery fluid that fills the space between the cornea and lens of the eye. It provides pressure to maintain the shape of the eyeball.

Aqueous humor

Aqueous humor is the clear, watery fluid that fills the space between the _____ and _____ of the eye. It provides _____ to maintain _____.

cornea, lens, pressure, the shape of the eyeball

The [eye structure] is the sensory membrane that lines the back of the eye.

retina

The retina is the _____ membrane that lines the back of the eye.

sensory

The retina is the sensory membrane that lines the _____ of the eye.

back

_____ are photoreceptors in the retina that detect light / dark.

Rods

Rods are photoreceptors in the retina that detect _____.

light / dark

_____ are photoreceptors in the retina that detect color.

Cones

Cones are photoreceptors in the retina that detect _____.

color

_____ provides a binocular cue that facilitates depth perception.

Retinal disparity