Brain Quiz - AP Psych

nervous system

CNS & PNS

CNS (central nervous system)

brain and spinal cord - decision makers

PNS (peripheral nervous system)

connects CNS to rest of body and transmits into the rest of body

Nerves

electrical cables formed around bundles of axons - links CNS to things like muscles, glands, etc.

sensory neurons

carry incoming info from tissues and sensory receptors to brain and spinal cord

motor neurons

carry outgoing info from brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands

interneurons

neurons within spinal cord and brain; communicate internally and process info between sensory inputs & motor outputs

somatic nervous system

enables voluntary control of skeletal muscles

automatic nervous system

controls glands and muscles and internal organs like the heart

sympathetic nervous system

arouses and expands energy (accl heartbeat, raises bp, fight or flight)

parasympathetic nervous system

conserving energy and calms while you think

reflexes

simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus such as the knee jerk reflex

pain reflex

happens due to sensory neurons to inter neurons in spinal cord

neurons

nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

cell body

part of the neuron that contains the nucleus

dendrites

branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

axon

segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons to muscles or glands

myelin sheath

fatty tissue layer segmenting encasing the axons of some neurons; it enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

glial cells

cells in nervous system that support, nourish and protect neurons; may also play a role in learning, thinking and memory

action potential

neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

threshold

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse - travels down axon and branches to rest of the body

refractory period

brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired, subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

all or nothing response

a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.

What is MS and how is it caused?

Multiple sclerosis - common symptoms are weakness, exhaustion, mobility issues (cane, walker). Caused by dysfunction of myelin sheath, messages can't go as fast, body attacks itself and slows down

synapse

junction between axon tip of sending neuron and dentdrite or cell body of receiving neuron, the tiny gap between is called the synaptic gap

neurotransmitters

chemical messages between synpatic gap in neurons

reputake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by sending neuron (can affect specific behavior and emotions)

ACH (acetylcholine)

enables muscle action, learning and memory (alzheimers these deteriorate)

dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention dn emotion

oversupply = schizophrenia

undersupply = tremors and decreased mobility in parkinson's

serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

undersupply = depression

norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

undersupply = depress mood

GABA

major inhibitory neurotransmitter

undersupply = seizures, tremors, and insomnia

glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

oversupply = overstimulate the brain - migraines or seizures

substance P

involved in pain perception dn immune response

oversupply = chronic pain

endorphins

opiod-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure (explain good feelings after running or exercise)

agonist

molecule that INC and neurotransmitter's action

antagonists

molecule that DEC or blocks a neurotransmitter's action

endocrine system

chemical communication system; a set of glands and fat tissue that secretes hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine system

Key differenences between the endocrine and nervous sysetem:

nervous system is much faster since hormones travel thru the bloodstream,

depressents

Effect on CNS = slowing or inhibiting it

-drowsiness, sedation/sleep, relieve anxiety/inhibitions, reduce memory, impair judgement

ex. alcohol (agonist for GABA)

opiods

Agonist for endorphins

-create powerful withdrawal symptoms, reduce pain signals

ex. Heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl

stimulants

Activates sympathetic nervous system

-inc brain activity, arouse behavior, inc mental alertness

ex. Caffeine (antagonist for adenosine), ecstasy, cocaine, nicotine

hallucinogens

Create sensory and perceptual distortions

-alter mood, affect thinking, altered sensory experiences, seeing hallucinations (things that aren't there)

ex. Marijuana (but specifically THC) and LSDs

barbituates

depress nervous system activity, in large doses can impair meaning and judgement (depressant)

nicotine

signals to nervous system to release flow of neurotransmitters (stimulant) - makes it hard to quit

cocaine

derived from coco plants, enters bloodstream quickly and produces rush of euphoria that depletes brain's supply of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine (blocks reuptake & stimulant)

Methamphetamine

triggers release of dopamine, stimulates brain activity to enhance energy and mood, 8 hrs of heightened energy (stimulant)

Ecstasy

triggers dopamine release and releases serotonin & blocks reuptakex

addiction

substance use disorder: uses substance for longer than expected, craves it, affects relationships, etc

How do opioids work?

it targets the brain's reward and pain pathways, and mimics endorphins (which are natural pain killers) to block pain signals

Biological psychologists

study links between biological and physiological processes

Biopsychosocial approach

incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

plasticity

brain has the ability to change; greatest in children's brains and neural tissues can reorganize

lesioning

destroys or stimulates tissue and reveals what parts of the brain correspond to what function (function)

electroencephalogram (EEG)

using electrodes placed on scalp, shows electrical activity across the brain's surface; can detect abnormalities in brain waves (function)

magnetoencephalography (MEG)

sit under a head coil (cancels out other magnetic fields), make people do certain tasks and it measures brain magnetic fields and how that influences brain activity (function)

computed tomography (CT)

x-ray photographs, reveals a part of the brain structure (structure)

positron emission tomography (PET)

brain activity detected by a radioactive form of glucose, sees how glucose correlates to certain tests affecting brain activity (function)

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated pictures of soft tissue, reveals how large and small areas are compared to the average (structure)

fMRI

reveals blood flow -> brain activity, identifies mental activities, associations of feelings, brain stuff, etc. (structure and function)

what is the hindbrain made up of?

medulla, pons, cerebellum, main func is unconscious things like breathing and sleeping

medulla

basic autonomic funcs: heart rate, breathing. reflexes: swallowing, sneezing, vomiting

pons (DONT NEED TO KNOW)

bridge connect brain to cerebellum

reticular activating system (RAS)

network of nerve fibers involved in attention and arousal (runs through the medulla and pons)

cerebellum

balance and equilibrium, coordinated sequence and movement, implicit memory (don't have to consciously remember to do it)

midbrain

nerve system connecting upper and lower portions of brain, relays info between brain -> ears and eyes

thalamus

sensory switchboard, receives sensory info & sends to cortex for further interpretation (not smell)

what is in the limbic system?

hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus

hypothalamus

fight or flight, feeding, fornication (sexual motivation)

amygdala

anger, aggression, afraid (fear response), engrain highly emotional memories

hippocampus

converts short term memory into long term, processing and retrieving facts/events memory, associated w/alzheimers and anterograde amnesia

what's in the frontal lobe?

prefrontal cortex and motor cortex

prefrontal cortex

highest cognitive function like thinking, planning, etc. (gets solidified around 18-25)

parietal lobe

somatosensory cortex = sense of touch, contralateral, more sensitive gets more tissue (lips get more)

contralateral

ex. left brain controls right hand, right brain controls left hand

occipital lobe

primary visual cortex = bulk of visual perception (damage to this could cause blindness)

temporal lobe

primary auditory cortex = hearing, auditory association cortex = identifying what you're hearing

broca's area

expressive speech, being able to speak

wernicke's area

understanding/comprehending language

broca's aphasia

can't create discernible speech, labored language & struggling to come up with words like a toddler

wernicke's aphasia

can't understand speech or writing, effortless gibberish language (still using intonation) but words don't make sense

neurogenesis

producing new neurons, brain trying to make itself

corpus callosum

large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

split brains

condition that results from surgery that seperatetes the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers of corpus callosum