Biology of Psychology Exam Review

A set of flashcards covering key concepts from the Biology of Psychology lecture.

What are the nine parts of the brain?

Cerebrum, Cerebellum, Brain stem, Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Amygdala, Hippocampus, Broca’s area, Wernicke Area

Name a neurotransmitter.

Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA, Norepinephrine, etc.

What behavior could result from an 'amygdala hijack'?

Aggression

How are agonists and antagonists different?

Agonists mimic a neurotransmitter; antagonists block neurotransmitters.

What condition means 'the inability to make sense of the parts' after a stroke?

Aphasia

Name one function of the prefrontal cortex.

Complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making.

How can people strengthen their neural pathways?

By practicing an idea or action.

What is the area between the dendrite of one neuron and the terminal buttons of another?

Synaptic Cleft

Name one purpose of glial cells.

Cleans the toxins out of the brain.

How is the soma like a transformer?

It transforms the chemicals from the dendrites into electricity for the axon.

What part of the limbic system maintains homeostasis?

Hypothalamus

What disease causes your immune system to attack the myelin sheath?

Multiple Sclerosis

How do Broca's Area and Wernicke's Area differ in function?

Broca's Area is for production of speech; Wernicke's Area is for understanding language.

How many lobes are in one hemisphere of the brain?

Four.

If you sever the ___, your two hemispheres cannot communicate.

Corpus Callosum.

In what way is the thalamus a 'gatekeeper'?

It decides whether to send incoming information to the cerebral cortex or to the amygdala in an emergency.