Neuroscience and Behavior - Flashcards

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering neural communication, brain structure, neurotransmitters, the nervous and endocrine systems, brain imaging methods, and brain function.

What is the brain usage myth mentioned in the notes?

We only use 10% of our brains.

What is a neuron?

A nerve cell; the building block of the nervous system.

What is a synapse?

The junction (space) between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another where messages are carried across by neurotransmitters.

What carries messages across the synapse?

Neurotransmitters.

What is an action potential?

An electrochemical process that is the firing of a neuron; an all-or-nothing event with electrical inside and chemical outside.

Is neuron firing graded or all-or-nothing?

All-or-nothing; a stronger stimulus may recruit more neurons or increase firing frequency, but not the speed of a single neuron’s firing.

What happens during the terminal buttons in an action potential?

Electrical charge is converted to a chemical signal (neurotransmitters) that crosses the synapse.

In which direction does the neural impulse travel?

Toward the axon terminals.

What is the refractory period?

The brief period after an action potential during which a new action potential cannot be generated because the neuron is recharging.

What is an excitatory neurotransmitter?

A neurotransmitter that makes it more likely the receiving neuron will fire.

What is an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

A neurotransmitter that makes it less likely the receiving neuron will fire.

What is Acetylcholine (ACh) involved in and what are the effects of too much or too little?

Vital role in movement and memory; too much can cause muscle contractions/convulsions; too little can cause immobility and lethargy; linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

What functions are associated with Dopamine?

Movement, learning, attention, and emotion; too little is linked to Parkinson’s disease; too much is linked to schizophrenia.

What is Serotonin involved in, and what happens when it’s undersupplied?

Mood, hunger, sleep/arousal; undersupply linked to depression (antidepressants raise serotonin levels).

What is the role of Endorphins?

Endogenous opioids involved in pain control; many addictive drugs interact with endorphins.

What is Norepinephrine responsible for?

Helps control alertness and arousal; undersupply can depress mood.

What is GABA?

Gamma-aminobutyric acid; a major inhibitory neurotransmitter; undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia.

What is Glutamate?

A major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory; oversupply can trigger migraines or seizures (MSG concern).

What are the three types of neurons and what do they do?

Efferent (Motor) neurons send info to body parts; Interneurons process within CNS; Afferent (Sensory) neurons carry info to CNS from the body.

What does the mnemonic S.A.M.E. stand for in neurons?

Sensory Afferent, Motor Efferent.

Describe a simple neural chain from skin to withdrawal.

Skin receptors detect heat, sensory nerves carry to spinal cord, interneurons process in brain/spinal cord, motor neurons carry the command to withdraw the finger.

What is the Central Nervous System (CNS)?

The brain and spinal cord.

What is the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?

All nerves not encased in bone; divided into Somatic and Autonomic.

What does the Somatic Nervous System control?

Voluntary muscle movement; uses motor (efferent) neurons.

What are the two divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System?

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic.

What is the Sympathetic Nervous System known for?

Fight or flight response; increases heart rate, respiration; dilates pupils; slows digestion.

What is the Parasympathetic Nervous System known for?

Rest and digest; slows heart rate and breathing, constricts pupils, speeds digestion.

What is a reflex?

An automatic response pathway where afferent signals can trigger motor responses; some reflexes bypass the brain and go to the spinal cord.

What are the three major sections of the brain?

Hindbrain, Midbrain, Forebrain.

What are the components of the brainstem and their roles?

Pons (sleep/arousal), Medulla Oblongata (heart rate, blood pressure, respiration), Reticular Formation (arousal and attention).

What is the Cerebellum responsible for?

Coordination of voluntary movements, balance, and coordination.

What is the Thalamus often described as?

A switchboard that relays sensory information (except smell) to appropriate forebrain areas.

What is the Limbic System and its main components?

Emotional control center; includes Hypothalamus, Amygdala, and Hippocampus.

What does the Hypothalamus regulate?

Body temperature, hunger, thirst, sexual arousal; links to the endocrine system.

What are the roles of the Hippocampus and Amygdala?

Hippocampus: memory formation; Amygdala: basic emotions.

What is the Cerebral Cortex?

The brain’s outer layer with fissures that increase surface area; contains four lobes and association areas.

What does contralateral control mean?

Each hemisphere typically controls the opposite side of the body.

What is split-brain syndrome?

A condition where the corpus callosum is severed, causing the two hemispheres to operate more independently.

Which lobes make up the Cerebral Cortex and their primary functions?

Frontal (planning, emotional control, Broca’s area, motor cortex); Parietal (somatosensory cortex); Occipital (visual processing); Temporal (processing sound, Wernicke’s area).

What is Broca’s area associated with?

Speech production (Broca’s aphasia when damaged).

What is Wernicke’s area associated with?

Language comprehension (Wernicke’s aphasia when damaged).

What is brain plasticity?

The brain’s ability to form new connections and adapt; greater in younger brains.

What is the basic idea of the Endocrine System?

A system of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream; slower-acting than neurotransmitters.

Which glands are part of the Endocrine System and what are their roles?

Adrenal glands (epinephrine: energy boost in fight/flight), Pancreas (insulin to lower glucose), Thyroid (metabolism), Pituitary (master gland, growth hormones), Testes/Ovaries (testosterone/estrogen), Pineal gland (melatonin, circadian rhythm).

What hormone does the Pineal gland secrete and what does it regulate?

Melatonin; regulates the circadian rhythm (sleep).