General Psychology Midterm 1 Rutgers NB Keiko Brynildsen

What does "everything psychological is also biological" mean?

Like running without legs

You cannot think and do something without your body. Loving, laughing, crying requires biological events.

What forms the biopsychosocial approach?

Biological, psychological+social-cultural influences

What is plasticity in regards to the brain?

the brain's ability to change and adapt

- reorganize after damage
- new connection based on connection

When is plasticity most present in our lives?

childhood

Give examples of neuroplasticity

London taxi drivers having larger hippocamupus' because of the large number of streets to remember.

Well-practiced pianists with larger than usual auditory cortex area(sound-processing region of the brain)

Ballerinas+jugglers--\> improved performance

What is a function of the hippocampus?

Processes spatial memories

Enables formation of new conscious memories
Think of patient HM

How does learning a new skill affect the structure of our brain?

It makes more and more neural pathways/connections. If we keep focusing on that skill, that part of the brain will become more refined/more connections.

What are neurons, and what significance do they have in our brain?

A nerve cell; building block of the nervous system

internal communication system

What parts make up a neuron and what are their individual functions?

Cell body: where the dna is, and the cell's life support center is

Dendrites: like tree branches, receive messages from other cells

(Away) axon: sends messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

Myelin Sheath: a fatty layer covering the axon(like sausage links) that allows for faster and smoother neural impulses.

Terminal branches: on the axon, "connects" neurons with others.

What do neurons carry?

Electrical signals/nerve impulses/action potentials

What supports neurons and how so?

Glial(glue) cells
- provide nutrients to the cell body
- provide myelin to the axon
- guide neural connections
- clean up after neurons send a message

What is a synapse

The junction between an axon tip and another neuron's dendrite or cell body

What is between a synapse?

Synaptic gap/synaptic cleft

Excitatory in regards to gas pedals

pushing a gas pedal

Inhibitatory in regards to gas pedals

pushing the brake pedal

How is an action potential generated and what happens afterwards?

When excitatory signals cause a certain level of stimulation, there is a neural impulse or action potential.

Refractory period

What kind of response is a neuron's response?

All-or-none response

What can cause bigger response?

A bigger event or something like that causes more neurons to fire, or to fire more often.

What does action potential trigger

the release of neutransmitters

lock and key concept

What happens after the release of neurotransmitters?

Some released will absorbed through receptor sites, others drift away, and some are broken down by enzymes/reuptake

Definition of reuptake?

A neurotransmitter being reabsorbed by the original/sending neuron

What are some medications that affect reuptake of neurotransmitters?

depression medication with serotonin
-reuptake inhibitors blocked--\> longer time to reabsorb

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Enables muscle contraction, learning+memory

Examples of deficiency and too much of ACh

Too much: muscle cramps--\> spasms
-Black widow venom contain it--\> paralysis
Too little: alzeihmers--\> neurons making AcH deteriorate

also used to treat migraines

Dopamine

Voluntary movement, reward, learning, memory

Examples of deficiency+too much dopamine

oversupply: schizophrenia
undersupply: Parkinsons

Parkinson's relationship with deficiency of dopamine

dopamine makes you lose control of voluntary movement
- tremors, mobility

Dopamine from drugs affect on the body

Body starts to make less of its own supply--\> stop getting drugs--\> feels terrible(pain)

What does botox derive from?

AcH--\> it basically paralyzes the muscles in the face, making it have a smoother and tighter appearance
- ppl who grind their teeth can also get this--\> sometimes muscles learn to not move

Serotonin

Sleep, appetite, mood, hunger, arousal

Serotonin imbalance(undersupply)

Undersupply: depression

Norepinephrine+Epinephrineand examples

Involved in stress

physiological arousal
- Stress during a test--\> heart rate goes up, warm feeling, fidgety, etc
- can be excitatory and inhibitory
undersupply: depress mood

What does GABA stand for

Gamma-aminobutyric acid

What does GABA do

inhibitory-calms

ex: alcohol acts like GABA

Undersupply+oversupply of GABA affects

Undersupply: seizures, tremors, insomnia

Glutamate

Excitatory only--learning, memory enhancement
-causes action potential--\> more connections between neurons made

Glutamate Imbalance causes

overstimulate brain, migraines, seizures)
- MSG(monosodium glutamate) is something ppl avoid

Endorphins

reduces pain and promotes pleasure
-Endogenous morphine(made from body)

Imbalance in endorphins

-suppress body's natural endorphin supply if from drugs
-high(runner's high ex)

What is an opiate

Opium+its derivatives(morphine/heroin) lowers neural activities, temp pain reduce and anxiety

What is CNS

Central Nervous System, body's decision maker

PNS

Peripheral Nervous System

gathers info from other body parts+transmits decisions from CNS to body

Draw the functional divisions of the human nervous system

Nervous system

What are nerves

Electrical cables formed by bundles of axons

What do nerves do

link CNS with body's sensory receptors, muscles, and glands

What does a sensory neuron do

carry messages from tissues+sensory receptors to the spinal cord+brain for processing

What do motor neurons do?

Carry instructions from CNS to muscles+glands

What do interneurons do and where are they located?

communicate w/ each other+process sensory input--\> motor output

How many parts does the PNS have and what are they called?

2: somatic+autonomic

What does the somatic nervous system do?

monitors sensory input+triggers motor output

What is another reason name for the somatic nervous system and why?

Skeletal nervous system bc it has control over skeletal muscles

What is an example of the somatic nervous system being used?

Friend taps you on shoulder, system reports info to brain--\> carries back instructions that trigger you to turn ur head

Autonomic Nervous System(ANS)

Automatic, involuntary

What does the ANS do

controls gland+muscles of internal organs

mainly performs on its own(subconscious)

How many subdivisions are in the ANS and what are they called

2: sympathetic+parasympathetic nervous systems

Sympathetic Response

Arouse--\> more alert, energetic, etc

What happens to body statistics while "aroused" by SNS?

Increase heartbeat, blood pressure, blood sugar

slow digestion, perspiration

Parasympathetic Reponse

Rest and Digest

What are physical statistics changed while the parasympathetic nervous system is active?

lowers heartbeat, blood sugar, etc

Provide examples of the sympathetic system in affect on each body part listed below:
Eyes:\_____
Heart:\_____
Stomach+Pancreas:\______
Liver:\______
Adrenal Gland+Kidney:\______
Bladder:\_____
Reproductive organs:

Eyes: pupil dilation
Heart: accelerated beat
Stomach+Pancreas: inhibits digestion
Liver: stimulates glucose release by liver
Adrenal gland+kidney: stimulates secretion of epinpehrine and norepinephrine
Bladder: relaxes
Reproductive organs: stimulates ejaculation in males

Provide examples of the parasympathetic system's effect on each body part listed below:
Eyes:\______
Heart: \______
Stomach+Pancreas: \______
Liver:\_____
Adrenal gland+kidney:\______
Bladder:\______
Reproductive Organs\______

eyes: contracts
Heart: beat slows
Stomach+pancreas: stimulates digestion
Liver: stimulates galbladder
Bladder: contracts bladder
Reproductive organs: allows blood flow to sex organs

How is the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems connected to the brain

spinal cord

What are two parts of the central nervous system

neural networks and spinal cord

What are neural networks

individual neurons clustering into work groups in the brain

What is another way to think about neural networks

people clustering in cities rather than spreading evenly across nation

What strengthens neural networks

experience

neurons firing together wire together

What can a spinal cord be compared to

two-way highway

- connects peripheral nervous systems to brain

What is a reflex?

A simple, automatic response to sensory stimulus

does not require the presence of the brain to do.

What is a simple spinal reflex pathway composed of?

single sensory neuron and motor neuron

How to produce physical pain or pleasure?

must reach the brain

What is the body's second communication system?

Endocrine System

What is the endocrine system? What does it do?

"slow" chemical communication system

set of glands secrete hormones into bloodstream

Hypothalamus influence

brain region controlling the pituitary gland

Pituitary gland influence

secretes hormones, some of which affect other glands

What is one hormone that is mentioned in the book and what does it do?

Oxytocin: enables contraction during birthing, milk flow+orgasm

- also releases growth hormone stimulating physical development

An example of the pituitary gland being a master gland--\> directing other endocrine glands to release hormones

influences sex glands to release sex hormones

Glands in the brain

hypothalamus and pituitary

Thyroid gland influence

Metabolism

Parathyroids Influence

helps regulate level of calcium in the blood

What glands are in the neck area

throid+parathyroids

Adrenal Glands influence

Mood, energy level, stress response

\-inner part helps trigger fight-or-flight response

norepinephrine + epinephrine

Pancreas influence

regulates blood sugar

Testis Influence

secretes male sex hormones
ie: testosterone, etc

Ovary influence

secretes male sex hormones

Relationship between hormones and neurotransmitters?

Both are chemically identical to each other
-produce molecules that influence receptors

How do hormones and neurotransmitters differ?

nervous system-faster
ie: messages from eyes to brain to hand--\> fraction of a second

Endocrine: takes several seconds/more from gland to tissue thru blood
-lasts longer

What is an easier way to describe the difference between the nervous system and the endocrine system.

Endocrine\=sending a letter
Nervous system: text message

Feedback system between glands and body and brain?

Brain--\> pituitary--\> other glands--\> hormones--\> body and brain

How was a map made of the brain before technology?

Past brain injuries allowed physicians to connect problems with the area of the brain that was affected

What does EEG?

Electroencephalograph

a device that uses electrodes placed on the scalp to record waves of electrical activity across brain's surface

MEG

Magnetoencephalography

brain-imaging technique measuring magnetic fields from the brain's natural electrical activity during specific activities

PET scan

Positron Emission Tomography Scan

radiactive form of glucose observed(really colorful)

Why is radioactive glucose used in PET scans

Brain uses 20% of the body's energy, and the radioactive glucose can be seen allowing physicians to see exactly where it goes in the brain through gamma rays.

Concept of Hotspots

MRI

Magnetic resonance images

capture images thru brief disruption of brain molecules

How does an MRI work?

Put the head in a strong magnetic field aligning with atoms in the brain molecules spinning. A pulse of radio waves disrupt the spinning. Returning of the spinning produces signals--\> detailed picture.

fMRI

Functional magnetic resonance imaging

tracks blood flow in the brain because blood\=activity

Successive images--\> brain activates depending on what a person is doing or thinking

sample findings of EEG's

Symptoms of depression+anxiety shows increased activity in right frontal lobe
(withdrawal+negative emotion)

sample findings of MEG's

Soldiers with PTSD compared to those without it--\> stronger image in visual cortex when viewing trauma related images

sample findings of PET scans

Monkeys with anxious temperament--\> more glucose in regions related to fear, memory, and expectations of reward+punishment.

sample findings of MRI scans

People with a history of violence--\> smaller frontal lobes(moral judgement+self-control)