BioPsychology Exam 1

what are the two types of research?

basic science & applied science

norepinephrine

NT produced in the brainstem, associated with elevated mood

What drugs agonize norepinephrine?

most anti-depressants & amphetamines (such as Ritalin & Adderall)

dopamine

NT produced in brainstem & midbrain, associated with reinforcement & addiction along with arousal

What drugs agonize dopamine?

amphetamines & cocaine

What is the dopamine hypothesis?

as dopamine increases, one may experience some symptoms of schizophrenia

chlorpromazine (antagonist)

ropinirole (agonist)

acetylcholine

first NT to be discovered, generally associated with increased activation in muscle movement, learning & memory

What drugs antagonize acetylcholine?

atropine & botulism toxin

What drugs agonize acetylcholine?

black widow venom

histamine

NT produced in the hypothalamus, is an excitatory NT, associated with inflammation

What drugs antagonize histamine?

antihistamines (duh)

glutamate

the most common excitatory NT in the brain, in soo many foods

What drugs antagonize glutamate?

ketamine, dextromethorphan & alcohol

GABA

most common inhibitory NT in the brain, associated with sleep (high amounts during sleep, low amounts during anxiety)

What drugs agonize GABA?

benzodiazepines (xanax, valuim), alcohol

adenosine

NT that may promote sleep, but not nearly as potent as GABA

What drugs antagonize adenosine?

caffeine

serotonin

NT that has many functions & if found in blood plasma the area postrema will enforce vomiting

What drugs agonize serotonin?

most anti-depressants, MDMA,

What else can agonize serotonin production?

high carb diets

nitric oxide (NO)

gaseous NT that moves food in gut, increases blood flow & changes neural structure

"what I want you to know is that wherever NO goes, blood follows" - Jeff

What drugs agonize NO?

viagra

endorphins

NT produced in the hypothalamus & pituitary gland, associated with euphoria, produced when exercising, eating spicy foods, in pain, orgasm and when excited

cannabinoids (CB)

modulates other NTs and its receptors are located pre-synaptically, which contributed to researchers not discovering them sooner

What are the 2 types of effects of alcohol?

1. non-specific effects

2. specific effects

What is included in the non-specific effects of alcohol?

placebo effects, expectancy, setting, experience

"I cannot drink tequila, it makes me crazy! but vodka and whiskey are fine"

What constitutes the specific effects of alcohol?

the presence of chemicals in the tissues

What is exocytosis?

the releasing of neurotransmitters from the vesicles into the synaptic cleft via the influx of calcium

Benzodiazepines agonize which neurotransmitter?

GABA

Which brain area is associated with eating, drinking, body temperature regulation, and

reproduction behaviors?

hypothalamus

Which researcher discovered that neurons communicate via chemical signals through animal

research?

Otto Loewi

Exocytosis is the process of:

neurotransmitter release from vesicle

When cannabinoids attach to anandamide or 2-AG receptors, what direct effect do they have

on the cell?

inhibit further release of neurotransmitters for a period of time

Which of the following brain areas controls vital functions such as breathing and heart rate?

hindbrain

The "folds" on the brain surface are known as:

gyri

The grooves that separate one gyrus from another are known as:

sulci

A long, deep sulcus is known as:

a fissure

(T/F) Caffeine is an adenosine antagonist.

true

(T/F) Repeated stimuli within a short period of time have a cumulative effect on synapses, referred to as spatial summation.

false: this describes temporal summation.

(T/F) The left hand and left foot are ipsilateral to each other.

true

(T/F) Calcium rushing into the cell is necessary for exocytosis.

true

(T/F) Nicotine stimulates dopamine release by acting on a family of receptors known as COMT

receptors.

false

(T/F) GABA is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, while glutamate is the most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS.

false: GABA is the most common inhibitory NT, while glutamate is the most common excitatory NT

(T/F) Monism states that the mind is dependent on the brain; dualism proposes that the mind and body are separate entities.

true

(T/F) The more fat-soluble a molecule is, the more easily it passes through the BBB.

true

(T/F) Neurons do not need insulin to allow glucose to enter the cell.

true

(T/F) Schwann cells are found in the brain and spinal cord, while oligodendrocytes are located in the periphery.

false: Schwann cells are found in the periphery and oligodendrocytes are found in the brain and spinal cord

(T/F) In myelinated axons, the action potential starts within the myelin sheath.

false: the action potential always starts in the axon regardless of whether it is myelinated or not

(T/F) According to the all-or-none law, the speed of an action potential does not change due to the strength of a stimulus.

true

A neuron with a charge of -70mV is in which state?

resting potential

A neuron with a charge below -70mV is likely in which state?

hyperpolarization

According to class discussion, the study of psychology branched from which field(s)?

philosophy and physiology

At the peak of an action potential...

sodium channels shut

A motor neuron is which of the following from the nervous system perspective?

efferent neuron

Which glial cell guides neuron migration during development?

radial glia

Which chemical requires only passive transport through the BBB?

vitamin d

... glucose, amino acids and iron use ACTIVE transport

Where does a neuron release chemicals from?

pre-synaptic terminal

These cellular structures have genes separate from the nucleus of the cell:

mitochondria

What does the central nervous system (CNS) consist of?

the brain and spinal cord

What does the peripheral nervous system (PNS) consist of?

the somatic & autonomic nervous systems

What does the somatic nervous system do?

controls voluntary muscles and conveys sensory information to the CNS

What does the autonomic nervous system do?

controls involuntary muscles such as the heart, intestines, etc.

What are the 2 parts of the autonomic nervous system?

sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous system

What does the sympathetic nervous system generally do?

expends energy

What does the parasympathetic nervous system generally do?

conserves energy, sometimes called the "rest and digest" system

What structures are included in the hindbrain?

the brainstem, medulla, pons, reticular formation, cerebellum

What is the oldest part of the brain?

the hindbrain

What does the medulla do?

controls vital reflexes such as breathing, heart rate, vomiting, salivation, coughing, and sneezing

What does the pons do?

includes the raphe nuclei which are a number of different structures in this part of the brain that make pretty much all the serotonin for the brain (the rest of serotonin is in gut, but this is specifically for brain)

What does the cerebellum do?

it is well known for its use in balance and coordination, but also in timing, learning and conditioning

What does the reticular formation do?

acts as the brain's battery:

really active? lots of energy

inactive? sleep state

Where is the midbrain located?

it sits on top of the pons

What structures are included in the midbrain?

tectum, tegmentum, superior colliculus, inferior colliculus, substantia nigra

What does the tectum do?

acts as the roof of the midbrain

What does the superior colliculus do?

it is involved with eye movement and the ability to orient to an object

What does the inferior colliculus do?

it is involved with the auditory system and sound localization

What does the tegmentum do?

covers other structures of the midbrain (think of a rug, since the tectum is a roof)

What does the substantia nigra do?

is the dopamine origin for the basal ganglia

What structures are included in the forebrain?

the limbic system: amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus & the cerebral cortex

What does the amygdala do?

it is central for evaluating emotional information, especially basic emotions like anger or fear

What does the hippocampus do?

it is involved in memory, specifically long-term memory

What does the thalamus do?

acts as a sensory switchboard, sending sensory information to the appropriate places in the brain (except smell)

What does the hypothalamus do?

it is crucial to the "four f's"

1. feeding

2. fighting

3. fleeing

4. mating ;)

What is the cerebral cortex consistent of?

the two hemispheres of the brain, the four lobes of the brain are also part of this

What is the function of the frontal lobe?

involved in executive functions and includes the motor cortex (think Phineas Gage case)

What is the function of the parietal lobe?

the sensory cortex is located here and it doesn't really have a specialty, but it does a lot for you

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

it is involved solely in visual information processing, and is the only lobe that focuses on just one thing

What is the function of the temporal lobe?

it is the primary lobe for audition and is also involved in recognizing faces and emotions